The most fundamental “secret” used by the great majority of successful dog trainers is also a basic principle of behavioral science, which can be applied to nearly all creatures with some understanding of the world around them. It is the process of Operant Conditioning. First developed and studied extensively by Edward Thorndike
and B.F. Skinner, its premise is simple and proven.
Operant Conditioning: A Definition
Operant Conditioning is what scientists use to describe a way of “learning by the outcome”… and it goes hand-in-hand with the idea that all of us, including dogs, want to be rewarded and live the best life possible. This is to say that Operant Conditioning can be employed as a teaching tool whereby a given subject or pupil is “conditioned” to understand that certain behaviors will result in good outcomes, while other behaviors will result in bad outcomes. 5 types of independent outcomes have been identified and used in Operant Conditioning:
In the simplest of terms…………
Type 1 (Positive Reinforcement ) - Adding Rewards
To Increase Good Behavior :
The trainer provides rewards for desirable behaviors; and because the subject wants the rewards to continue, the subject’s desirable behaviors increase or are maintained as a result. For example: If a dog rolls over when commanded, the trainer would provide a reward. When the dog is commanded again, it wants the reward again, it rolls over again.
Type 2 (Negative Reinforcement) - Removing Unpleasantness
To Increase Good Behavior :
The trainer removes some unpleasantness when desirable behavior is achieved; and because the subject wants the best life possible, the subject’s desirable behaviors begin to increase. As an example, if a trainer is walking a dog and the dog is constantly pulling the trainer down the street, he or she might stop and tug firmly on the dog’s collar and hold that position. Once the dog stops pulling and the tug-of-war is over; e.g. the desirable behavior has been achieved by the animal; the trainer would release the tension in the leash and the walk could continue.
Type 3 (Positive Punishment) - Adding Unpleasantness
To Decrease Poor Behavior :
In this instance, the trainer would provide intentional unpleasantness so to decreased or eliminate unwanted behavior. For example, if a dog comes to put his head on the table for food during meals, a trainer might clap loudly or make a startling noise each time the dog approaches the table. As such, the dog will learn not to investigate the table for food.
Type 4 (Negative Punishment) - Removing Pleasant Things
To Decrease Poor Behavior :
In such cases, trainers remove some of the things that subjects want or enjoy in an effort to decreased undesirable behaviors. For example, suppose a trainer takes his/her dog off of its leash and it chases a rabbit. The trainer might then re-leash the dog and take away the opportunity to have some freedom. The result is that the dog eventually learns not to chase other animals or run away when unleashed!
Type 5 (Extinction) Ignoring Or Providing No Outcome For A Behavior :
This is when no outcome is indicated for a subject’s behavior; not positive or negative…and it eventually goes away. For example, if a dog is normally allowed outside when it cries at the door, a trainer might begin to ignore the cries and do nothing at all. Eventually, the dog will learn that crying at the door does not get it the intended result.
It’s well documented, and should be noted here, that Extinction sometimes worsens an undesirable behavior before it eliminates it. This worsening effect is called an “extinction burst” and is often a good indication that a behavior which has been targeted for termination is about to “flame out”!
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