Expensive behaviors in dogs (or, I’ll give you up to $10,000 for your seat).

The world watched in disbelief on social media the video of a man being dragged off a flight when he refused to surrender his seat once being boarded on a flight home. The injuries he sustained were quite salient and the uproar that the event caused has given way to some airlines now offering up to $10,000 for volunteers to surrender their seat as a result of an over booked flight.

Would you have given your seat (and all the charade that comes with this) for $200? $500? ...

You see, this is exactly why this (unlucky) passenger was not willing to give up his seat for what he considered a meager return for the inconvenience and the disruption this would cause to his life. In other words, the disruption to this passenger was seen as an “expensive” behavior. One that would require a reward to match it. The paltry offer from the airline was frankly not worth considering.

The same happens with our dogs. Their world also revolves around easy behavior and “expensive” behaviors. Another way of framing this very important fact of behavior and reinforcement is the typical saying of: “the punishment must fit the crime.” Same idea, but here we are focusing on the reinforcement (the reward). What do I get for doing “x”?

As the airline painfully learned, surrendering one’s seat is a VERY expensive behavior for most of us.

Dogs - and for that matter, all living beings formulated this same exchange: How much are you willing to give me for doing “that” or... WHY should I? This is what we would hear coming out of our dog’s mouths if they could speak our language. As I have explained in past blogs, dogs do what works for them. Period. This is by far not morally corrupt - it is just wired in their DNA, just like it is wired in ours.

 

One of the best kept secrets of influencing our dog’s behavior is to understand what behaviors are expensive to our dogs and which are more easily accomplished with less need for a reinforcement or a reinforcement of lesser value. The value of course, is always in the eyes of the beholder.

To cite a typical example: You want your dog to come to you, a VERY expensive behavior for most dogs, most of the time. Think about this: Here is your dog engaged in a doggy activity that fills his soul with purpose and happiness and now, and he has to come to you. If coming to you is achieved because you are insisting, cajoling or in some (other) way presenting an aversive to your pup as he reaches you, you, inadvertently just made the behavior of coming to you when called even more expensive for your dog.

We should be smarter, more generous and fair with our dogs, people. It behooves us to begin to acknowledge that we must pay for behaviors in relation to how expensive the behavior is for our dog. Here is a list of behaviors that are typically expensive for dogs:

1. Coming when called (stop engaging with what interests your dog at the moment you called him)

2. “Leave it” - Which strictly speaking is not a “behavior” as we are not really asking the dog to do something in particular but instead, asking him to stop engaging with something. However, as misconstrued as this is, having our dog disengage from the trash on the ground, another dog’s poop, your kid’s toy etc. is really something we all expect and desperately want our dogs to do.

3.  Not eating stuff that is within their reach on the kitchen counter or items related to food such as the plastic bag where we kept the cheese, hors d'oeuvre placed in the coffee table just before the guests arrive.

4.  Abandoning play with other dogs

5. Getting up from napping

6. Stopping on their tracks instead of chasing after prey or even the scent of prey.

7. Stop alerting - mainly by barking, at the front door or window when someone is at the door.

8. Abandoning a coveted resource such as a bone, toy etc.

9. Not chasing cars, cats, bikes, kids or runners- in short anything that moves!

The list my friends, goes on and on. Most of the behaviors above are hard for all dogs to perform. And they are particular behaviors that your dog might find to be really expensive but my dog will not.

The lesson here, (as the airlines have learned) is to first expect to pay when we make a request. We all want to be paid with stuff that is meaningful for us. Our dogs are no exception. Make it worth their while. 

Second point, pay in relation to how difficult it is to execute the behavior. Consider also that they are all kinds of circumstances that make easy behaviors harder to execute. 

For example: Your dog easily relinquishes to you a coveted resource, but now there is another dog in his proximity and your dog is not so keen on letting go of his precious resources because the other dog might snatch it away. 

Remember: behavior never happens in a vacuum so we must be painfully aware of the circumstance in which we expect our dog to perform or “obey” - a concept that makes me cringe. 

If we learn to pair handsome reinforcers for expensive behaviors suddenly we noticed that our pup is more able to comply with our ever demanding and never-ending requests. Paying appropriately produces great outcomes, because both parties are getting something they really want. 

As you learn to be more generous with your dog and your dog is more successful in coming to you— to cite an example, the more you will see the behavior take place. What an amazing bonus for being fair and savvy! 

And yes, in case you are wondering... ANY behavior that we want to see in our dogs (or children or spouse) must be reinforced in some way. When behavior is not reinforced it goes into extinction.

An interesting concept beyond the value of the reinforcer needed, is the frequency at which the reinforcer needs to be doled out in order to keep behavior strong and fluent. 

Recap: here is your recipe for success:
1. Ask yourself: how “expensive” is the behavior I am asking for my dog?

2. What would make it worthwhile for him?

3. Rinse and repeat many, many, many times... 

4. Witness your dog blossoming because you have become a generous and fair partner.

You Can’t Hurry Love

I am having a conversation with John who works in the solar industry. We are discussing the fact of how safety protocols - which are abounding in his profession - are sometimes in conflict with what the client wants: less downtime and more production.

As he is sharing with me this everlasting conflict, I begin to think about how it is kind of the same in the world of dog training.

Protocols, and I am defining a protocol as: a methodology & list of “steps” or conditions to follow are there for a reason. So what happens then when we (professionals) succumb to client’s pressure that it is taking too long or too much money to reach their goals?

I can think of at least a few instances where the breaking of protocols or just hurrying the process along can have grave consequences. Most of the work I do is helping clients with their fearful or aggressive dogs. Neither scenarios are easy or speedy in resolution.

Think, for example, of a dog that has demonstrated either fear or aggressive behaviors in a certain context and has not yet learned the skills to deal with the situation differently. Now the dog is exposed to the offending stimulus. As a result, we will not only undue the strides made in teaching the dog new behaviors and most importantly change his emotional conditioning, but it can very well result in someone getting badly hurt.  Or sued… which is really the bottom-line for most folks dealing with aggression.

Another situation that is really sensitive to working at the dog’s pace and making sure the protocols established are polished to a high degree of execution is when the well-being of the dog is at stake. Yes, I can argue that a dog that is afraid (or aggresses) can fall under this criteria.  It is definitively very taxing to be afraid a lot of the time. Especially if we are having to confront the object of our fear on an ongoing basis.  Aggression, by the way, is most of the time the quantifiable symptom of a dog that is under some sort of duress.

So what is one to do? First off I think it serves us to recognized that cutting corners and being in denial of how long it will take to reach our ultimate goal are part of the human experience.

As such, it behooves us to be on alert so that we can monitor our own natural tendency to do just that - cut to the chase.

Once we realize that cutting corners or hurrying love can really undermine our ultimate goals, we can reevaluate them. Here lies again one of the reasons why it is so hard to convince folks to stick with the training recommendations.  It is difficult to remain motivated when the reinforcer is not at our grasp… The ever present scenario of short-term gratification spans long-term (lasting) goal.  Just look around- it is a malady!

One of the strategies that I think that can really serve us in not only reaching our goals, but remaining motivated to do so is to exercise empathy for our dogs when they need us to be their advocate.  As well as exercising empathy for our situation when our culture screams at us on a daily basis to move faster and faster… taking a mini-break from goal-reaching while keeping everyone out of trouble and distress is also a valuable strategy for staying in the “game.”

Finally, and I cannot say this any clearer, keeping some sort of factual record of the positive changes and improvements in our dog’s behaviors will keep us focused on the task at hand because the truth is that life in general is more of a mix of good- and- not so good news and we tend to see all the bad news all the time. Acknowledging progress is oh, so good for the soul!

So remember, the next time you are considering the temptation to hurry the process or altogether skip a protocol think that any relationship worth having or any goal worth attaining requires that we agree to not hurry love- but to stay put for the long haul.

Is giving praise good enough?

Recently I was asked in class by a participant if she could stop using treats and instead praise her dog to motivate her to do the behaviors they were learning.

I know that every single trainer that uses food as a reinforcer has heard this same question thousands of times. A different variation to the question is: when can I stop feeding my dog for doing “x” or “y” thing?

While I think it is crucial for owners to question procedures, this one in particular amuses me and frustrates me at the same time. It frustrates me because I think people in general lack generosity and empathy towards their dogs when it comes to requesting the dog to do something they want but expect the dog (or the child, the spouse, yes, fill in the blank - it applies to all of us) to just change their behavior or comply with us because WE want them to! This is the amusing part!

Using food as a reinforcer is a wise choice. Food is what we call a primary reinforcer.

That means in plain English that the dog does not have to learn to “love” it. It is something dogs want or would work for and if they don’t, well they die.

Other primary reinforcers are: water, mating (sex), control of environment and play/social interaction. Each of these reinforcers, or anything that is reinforcing for a dog, are also valuable to us as a way of achieving behaviors that we want from them.

So where does praise fall under as a potential reinforcer? For some dogs praise might be really high on the list of powerful reinforcers. However, if this is the case it is because praise has been paired (associated) with another powerful reinforcer for the dog. i.e.: a primary reinforcer. So the dog has learned that after the happy tone of voice: Good girl!, Great!, etc. comes the treat, the toy toss, attention, etc. Or at least and this is important no harsh consequences! It will take a very twisted person to praise and then smack the dog. Ugh!

Here is an analogy that will hopefully explain the above: When your boss tells you that you have done a terrific job, you will most likely experience many positive emotions such as pride, happiness and even anticipation for something that most people want: recognition in some salient way such as a perk - that they value such as a promotion or an increase in salary.

Now, if one gets lots and lots of: 'good job!' but nothing else comes of it… how long will this person continue to do terrific work just to earn the 'good job!' from their superior? Or, how many of us would continue to go to work (joyfully) because:

A. I should do it (moral stance)
B. Strong work ethic (value stance)

Now, wouldn’t you feel much happier going to work if you not only get told you are a valuable member of the team or something like that, BUT you are also getting paid for it? In other words, money is a very powerful (primary) reinforcer for almost everyone!

Yes, of course, there are other reasons why we do things: ego, sense of obligation, etc. But I assure you that this will not last if none of the above reasons on their own are not a primary reinforcer.
The bottom line - and this is not my opinion but straight from research done in over 200 different species of animals other than dogs - in our case, dogs need a reason why to comply with our request. To clarify, punishment (something the animal wants to avoid or escape from) can also a very powerful reinforcer. BUT how very sad to have our dogs comply because they are so afraid of being hurt, being afraid so escaping the blow becomes the motivation… not my game!

The good news is that our dogs have to eat!!! Otherwise they will… die. So why not use their daily food to train them to be happier dogs, more obedient dogs (ugh, I hate this term; feels so one sided…) -so let’s say instead: dogs that are wonderful, joyful companions - who love to participate in our requests of coming when called, getting off the sofa, waiting politely at the front door, etc. because there is something of value to them?

Giving your dog treats for his complying is not buying his love. Same thing with our significant other: They most likely (unless you just started dating :)) are not taking the garbage out or bringing our favorite wine home because they want to make sure we love them. It probably has to do more with being in relationship and as such we both are getting something that we truly want.

My suggestion to my client was to think of having a (fair) relationship with her dog by paying her handsomely with what her dog wants and to use those reinforcers to her advantage. Remember: whenever we think: my dog should do…. our dog is asking 'Why should I?' There is nothing strange or wrong about this. It just proves that our dogs are alive and as such, they too need reinforcers to continue engaging with life.

Praise or Petting?

Have you ever wondered if your dog is truly reinforced by your petting? Do you think that your dog would find your petting to be more reinforcing than that of a stranger? And what about praise? Is it a relevant and sought-after reinforcer for dogs? The answers may surprise you…

In a recent study conducted by Erica N. Feuerbacher and Clive D. L. Wynne of the University of Florida
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408722/pdf/jeab-98-01-105.pdf)
with different breeds involving shelter dogs and dogs living in homes the researchers found that petting was a reinforcer for all dogs. What’s more, the dogs in the study did not satiate from being petted.

Surprisingly so, the dogs that had an owner did not favor the owner’s attention from a complete stranger when it came to petting! I know, kind of heart-breaking huh? :(

Another interesting finding of the study was that shelter dogs whom one would assume are more deprived of reinforcers than dogs in a home environment would consider any positive interaction with a person a reinforcer- in the case of the study being verbal praise. But to the surprise of the researchers this was not at all true. Even for the shelter dogs in the study, verbal praise was “considered equal in value” as no social- interaction at all.

So why do these findings matter? I think for several reasons. First, I think it is so easy for people to make assumptions about anything in general and in particular about dogs. If we only go by our “hunch” or what appears to be “common sense” we can be persuaded to think of something as “true” when it is not.

On the other hand, such findings point to some of the intricacies and dog preferences when it comes to relating to us.

From a practical standpoint, knowing now that dogs in general disregard verbal praise as a reinforcer and much rather have tactile contact, can help us in delivering something that the dog truly wants. Now, even though per the study verbal praise is apparently no more than “noise coming from our mouth” to dogs it does not mean that your dog or a dog in particular cannot learn (or has not already learn) to enjoy verbal praise.

The trick here is to classically pair (building an association) a reinforcer such as food, games, etc. and petting with verbal praise. The order of events do matter however: The verbal praise should be followed immediately (but not at the same time) by something your dog really likes. In time and with perhaps hundreds of these pairings you can sing to your dog and have him dancing with joy!

Another important aspect of understanding reinforcers and using them correctly is that the more reinforcers your dog has the easier it will be for you to find the right motivator at any given time. For example, some dogs just do not like to “play” or interact with toys, for them it is all about food (or something else). Now, if we teach our dogs to enjoy toys and playing with us we can effectively use this when food is not available, the dog is sick, etc.

A final consideration regarding petting and it being a reinforcer for dogs is that we must take into account the past experience a dog has had with petting or the lack thereof. So all things being equal, we can correctly assume that a dog that has not been socialized at an early age with human contact will not necessarily find this reinforcing and it can in fact find this kind of social interaction aversive. As a general rule I never pet a dog (with the exception of my own) if the dog does not approach me first and does not shy away from my hand.

My take-home message from this study is to use petting more as a reinforcer with my own dogs and when appropriate with my client’s dogs in addition, of course, to other valuable motivators.

Ever So Subtle

I am coming in the front door with Deuce in tow. Rio was home and had just finished a play date with a pal of hers. Deuce also used to play with Dash prior to Dash exhibiting a full-blown case of testosterone. For now, Deuce does not join in on these play sessions until Dash is altered since Deuce was beginning to target him as many unuttered males are by neutered ones. In essence, it's as if the unaltered dog is wearing a target on his back that reads: Hit me! Hit me!

In any event, as I walk through the door with Deuce, a bouncy Rio comes to greet us. I am watching her say “hi” to Deuce and I noticed Rio licking Deuce’s muzzle with Deuce reciprocating as well. All kissing out of the way we are now in the kitchen, which is adjacent to our living room. Rio body blocks Deuce by swiftly and comically moving in front of him while she nudges him on the face - this time with more determination thus preventing him  from continuing to move forward directly to one of their beds located in a corner of our kitchen area.

Dogs are masters at managing each other via use of space. Their signals and body language are oh so subtle for the untrained eye that if you do not know what you are looking for, you will miss it all together.

I am amused by Rio’s reaction to Deuce. I realized now that it makes sense that she is once again trying to manage his whereabouts since we are in the kitchen – a quasi “sacred” area for Rio - all things food captivate her! Come to think of it, the fact that John and now I were also in the kitchen makes it even more probable that goods are going to be dispersed, but only if they are lying on their beds.

So here is a fun challenge (or called it a game) that you can play with your dog:

• Stand in front of your dog.
• Make eye contact and gently move ever so slightly to one side.
• Watch your dog closely and see if he mirrors in any way your sway motion. Perhaps he will rotate his eyes or an ear, move his hips in the same direction (opposite since he is facing you but same direction you moved).
• Try swaying to the other side. What now?
• See if you can observe the tiny movements your dog makes in response to your own movements.
• You can step it up a notch and lean (feet remain on the ground) towards your dog, again very slightly. Observe your dog's response.
• Try the same, but leaning backwards…

Now you are both good dance partners!

Just like how Rio controlled Deuce’s movements by taking up his “personal” space, we can learn to do the same with our dogs when we need them to move in a certain direction. Think, for example, of using your own body to block the front door from your dog as he makes a beeline to the great outdoors. Or moving your dog away from where you prepare food in the kitchen and back to their beds.

Not only is this way of managing our dogs and their whereabouts more humane than the ubiquitous grabbing of the collar or the scruff (ouch, who would like being moved that way) but also your dog will get it!

We humans are also sensitive to our personal space and we would most likely respond as our dogs do when someone (especially someone we do not want close) moves too close to us. I think the difference is that dog’s have a much more subtle body language.

Now back to our dogs. I am not much of a proponent of exercising “control” over our dogs. I try to not use this phrase much because it has a negative connotation for me.

Animals as sentient begins and individuals need to also have their needs met and controlling them does not support this.

This is one more reason why I encourage people to move their dogs when needed in a manner that the dog can understand. Your dog might be just so impressed by your good manners that he will comply oh so readily!

I am working with a client who has mobility issues and a very exuberant strong dog. One of the exercises we have been working on is teaching his dog to back up when my client needs to walk without having the dog jump on him or block his path. On our session yesterday, the dog was responding nicely to me when I asked him to back up after I had taught the dog what that meant. Now it was my client’s turn to work with his dog as I watched.

Initially the dog would either look at me for a reinforcer (treat in this case) instead of moving back as requested. After a little troubleshooting my client was able to successfully use his body to request his dog to move back giving him ample space to move safely. I too got my reinforcement when I saw my client’s expression of success as I heard loud and clear his cheerful good boy!! directed at his dog.