Learning Strategies

Posted on September 11, 2003 by War Eagle Retrievers 

When learning new skills, a dog must go through a few steps or a process to get to a point of understanding and compliance with that skill.

This sequence takes place whether the handler is aware of it or not. Example: Gravity... it's at work whether you're aware of it or not.

When learning skills, the dog goes through a four process sequence, listed below. Then it's up to the handler to make it all work by Analysis of whether or not the dog truly understands the new skill. When the sequences are skipped or out of order, learning slows or stops. When done consistently and in order, learning becomes positive and effective.

First Objective: Teach the new skill in a setting that is not complicated by distracting factors.

For example... when first teaching the dog to sit, you would rather begin teaching it in the yard where there is little distraction as opposed to an area where the distraction level is such that the dog can't focus and pay attention to what you are trying to teach (ex. a ball park, etc.)

Second Objective: Bring the new skill to an automatic response with a high level of accuracy in the same setting.

Once you see the dog understands what the command means, you want to raise the bar a bit and make it much more of an automatic response (i.e., a little faster/quicker about performing it). When first teaching the new dog to sit, the dog might sit slowly, but on the first command. Well, lets try to get him to continue to sit on the first command, but start teaching him to get his/her rear end down on the ground faster as opposed to taking their time.

Third Objective: Apply/Use the new skill in a variety of settings and combine it with other known/taught skills.

Lets say we've completed all of the Obedience work and the dog has a full understanding of those commands and is performing them with precision and accurately in our backyard because that's the only place you may have time to work him/her after getting off work. Dogs are place oriented, which, in this case, could mean that your dog thinks that the only place it's to be obedient is THE BACKYARD, because that's the only place it's ever been taught to be obedient. It thinks the rules only apply in the backyard. If you were to take this dog in the front yard, across the street, or hunting, there's a strong chance it's not going to mind you (quite as well or at all) because you haven't worked on these commands in a variety of settings to educate the dog that it is to be compliant no matter what setting it is in. How many times have you heard someone tell you that their dog minds "fine at home, but if I take her anywhere she won't listen no matter what I do."

Also, we need to combine these newly learned skills with any previously taught commands so that the dog can put two and two together and understand that it will sometimes be required to "multi-task". Dogs have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time. What we mean by that is, they have trouble, initially, putting together two newly learned tasks and combining them into one task. For example: a part of the force fetch process teaches the dog the "Hold" command. Which means keep your mouth still, don't drop or chew what's in your mouth. After this is learned with the dog sitting still, we will have the dog walk and carry the bumper or bird in it's mouth so that we can let them know they are not to drop the bird just because they are moving. Well since dogs have a hard time with walking and chewing gum at the same time, typically, some dogs will drop it on the first step or two they take towards walking at heel. We then correct the dog and show it that it must carry the object without dropping it and walk at heel as one task. We've taken two subtasks (Subtask 1 - Walking at heel; Subtask 2 - "Holding" an object without dropping or chewing it.) and created one Functional Task of Holding the object WHILE walking at heel.

Fourth Objective: Over time, always continually monitor the quality of the skill as it is used time in a variety of situations. Set a standard for the dog and then maintain that standard. Don't lower your standards and make excuses for why your dog isn't performing up to par. Keep that standard high, once set. Dogs thrive on consistency.

Fifth Objective: Perhaps the most important of all. Effectively analyze your training. Analysis puts all the aspects of training together and makes them work. There are four components that work together for effective analysis:

1: Reading your dog. What's its actions and body language telling you. 2: Making decisions on how quickly to move through the training program. 3: Constantly evaluating reasons for problems or successes the dog is having and making appropriate adjustments. 4: Be consistent with your communication of standards and training methods to your dog.

All of these four must work together to facilitate the process of learning in your dog. You can't focus on one and leave out the others.

Remember... keep things simple when first teaching and once the dog shows understanding by it's actions, then increase the challenge.