of the Dog - Association of Pet Dog Trainers

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“Give Me a Break!” For example, if the third repetition of a behavior is a particularly good one, mark it, reward and take a break. Assess your dog’s demeanor; you may even take a break after one good rep, focusing on success. It is human nature, when we achieve success, to go for “just one more.” But more often than not, that’s one too many. End with a good rep and take a break. Decide then whether this is a good time to end your session, or return to training after the break. “Listen” To Your Dog All learning involves some stress, but you can minimize it for your dog. Watch for the subtle signs that indicate when a dog is reaching his limit. Especially with a naïve dog just starting training and with a crossover dog, when you see signs of stress, take a break or end your training session. Consider the dog’s mental well-being. Here are just a few signs to watch for that can indicate the dog could use a break: • Turning or looking away • Sniffing the floor or ground • Scratching • Lip licking • Panting, especially with corners of the mouth pulled back Trainers often think a dog is distracted, disengaged or disrespectful when he turns away from the task at hand. Often, he’s simply communicating that he needs to take a break. When the dog suddenly starts sniffing the floor, looks off into the distance at nothing in particular, or scratches an itch, she’s likely saying she needs to take a moment. (See photo and caption). Some methods of training advocate that whenever a dog disengages, the trainer should refocus the dog with a food lure (in lure-reward training) or correct him (in compulsion-praise training). Repeatedly resorting to luring in an attempt to refocus the dog that has disengaged, for whatever reason, can lead to an unintended consequence—a dog that stops thinking, that learns to disengage or appear to be “helpless.” Likewise, correcting a dog for disengaging is not helpful, and is unfair at best. Regardless of training approach, when a dog disengages, consider possible reasons, recognizing that it may simply be that the dog needs to take a breather. Dogs, like people, are often better able to perform when they have an opportunity to clear their heads for a moment, and can then re-focus to give full attention to the task at hand. When the dog does disengage, you may try to re-focus him to the task with a nose tease (see photos on page 19). If this does not motivate the dog, consider why. It may be that the dog is not sufficiently motivated by the reinforcement. But more often than not when a dog disengages, it is to give himself a break, briefly—just for a few seconds—and then he’s ready to continue training. Rather than trying to eliminate or overcome such disconnection, recognize it In the middle of a training session when this picture was taken, there was no distraction in the yard. Could the dog’s message have been any clearer? She saying, “I need a break!” Note the trainer’s reaction—delighting in this communication. After the dog went to the bathroom, she was back on track. for what it likely is—the dog just “taking a moment.” It’s not a sign of disrespect or dominance, and it doesn’t mean the dog is purposefully snubbing you. He’s simply giving himself a break. How To Take A Break Giving the dog a break from training means letting her know you’re not asking for, nor reinforcing, any behaviors at the moment. Don’t just stop training and walk away. Communicate with a smile and a cue that signifies “take a break,” such as “all done.” And be sure to take up any props such as targets or other objects that your dog has been interacting with. Convey the break cue as a good thing so she won’t construe it as punishment—that is, the removal of your attention. Gratuitous interruptions and removing your attention and focus constitute punishment. Answering the phone, suddenly thinking of something you needed to do—any non-emergency that takes your focus away from your training should be avoided. OK, that’s not realistic. Things happen, and chances are you will be interrupted at some point. Recognize, however, that training is cooperative. Your dog is cooperating: working, thinking, trying to figure out what behavior you are reinforcing. Out of respect for your training partner and the effort she’s making, communicate when you need to stop training. If, for example you need to answer the phone, give your dog a cue that tells her she’s off the clock; that you’re “all done.” Whether it’s an interruption, to take a planned break, or to end your training session, make it clear to your dog. When your cue tells her she’s on her own, she may continue performing the behavior she was working on. For example, if she wants to lie down, that’s fine; but your “all done” cue says you will no longer click and reward it at this time. To refocus her, show her a treat or nose-tease to jumpstart the session again, sending the message, > 18 w The APDT Chronicle of the Dog w November/December 2008 www.APDT.com
“We’re back on. This is for you when you get me to click.” This strategy for letting the dog know when she’s off the clock and back on again makes it easier for the dog to maintain focus and lets her know that you’re watching out for her best interests, giving her a chance to take a break. It is analogous to your mental attitude and ability to concentrate and maintain focus at a seminar when you know there’s a short break coming soon, versus when there is no planned break in a long session. Further, just as we build duration in training for various behaviors, teaching the dichotomy between concentration and mental relaxation—and that you’ll enable the latter—can help build duration of focus and concentration. Taking A Break In Class Taking breaks in a class environment is equally important. The dogs in class get a mental break when the instructor is giving instructions to the students. Then, when they’re practicing a behavior in class, we instruct students to give their dogs a short, brain-clearing break after a certain number of repetitions, teaching them how to take breaks at home during their practice sessions. After a few repetitions, they give the dog a chance to sniff the floor, get a drink, or simply look around. Because we have several classes taking place at the same time, we find that letting the dogs look around, perhaps to check out the dogs in the next ring running over an agility obstacle, allows them to focus better when their handlers ask for it. About mid-way through the hour, the entire class takes a break so students can take their dogs outside, eliminating “accidents,” and giving both dogs and humans a mental break. Ending The Training Session The ultimate break, of course, is ending a training session. How you take this break can aid the dog’s learning. End with success. Smile and say “all done.” Don’t rev your dog up with strenuous play. Let him rest quietly to chew www.APDT.com 1 2 3 After a break, a nose-tease can reengage the dog. Briefly waft a treat under the dog’s nose (1), then put it out of sight (2). The nose-tease is not a lure; it’s an inducement to offer behavior—in this case, lie down (3). a bone, relax, or do whatever he’d like. He’s earned it. If you miss the opportunity to end with success, and your dog stops offering the behaviors you want, smile nonetheless and give your “all done” cue. It’s not your dog’s fault that you trained beyond the dog’s ability to focus. Consider what signals you missed that indicated your dog was finished, and try to end on a better note the next time. It is often difficult for trainers to stop training—to not drill just one more, or ask for just one additional repetition of a behavior—but often not training, including taking breaks, stopping for the day, providing an opportunity for latent learning, can provide the greatest benefit for those at both ends of the leash. Portions of this article are from Gail’s soon-to-be-published book, TRAINING A THINKING DOG, The Complete Crossover Guide to Clicker Training, coming this fall from Dogwise Publishing. An award-winning author and international lecturer, Gail pioneered the first university course for obedience instructors, a two-year program she developed and taught at the University of New Hampshire. She owns and operates All Dogs Gym in Manchester, NH, www.alldogsgym.com, the largest training facility in New England. Called the “trainer of trainers,” Gail had gone through two previous training incarnations before discovering clicker training 11 years ago. Photographs courtesy of Gail Tamases Fisher. November/December 2008 w The APDT Chronicle of the Dog w 19 “Give Me a Break!”
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