There is so much about learning that happens without the intention to actually learn it.  Reinforcing behaviors in different ways results in learning or teaching. It is interesting to note that the way in which we reinforce behaviors in our dog can be classified with different timings and different schedules.

1. If you don’t always give him a reward for a response it is called a Variable Ratio (VR) Response. It is not unlike what gamblers must go through. Whenever he wins, for him it feels so rewarding that he will keep playing hoping for the same response. This is similar to when your dog wants to take a walk. He never knows when the walk will occur, but he is always ready it, right?

2. Then there are Fixed Ration (FR) Responses. This will be particularly effective when you are wanting your dog to remember a succession of tricks. Without a doubt he knows that the behavior of moving his butt downward when you make the sound of “sit”, that will get him something he wants, the treat. The dog eventually knows that the only way he will get the treat is if he does all the tricks first in just that order; sit, stand up, lie down, rollover, stand up again and sit. With this method a dog can remember more than just one trick. Following a fixed amount of correct behaviors there still occurs the reward system.

3. Then there is Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedules that give reinforcement of the first response within a certain time frame. This is more easily understood with a human example. It is like not being eligible to participate in a contest if it has been less than 60 days since previous participation. Begging usually doesn’t work accepting the times when there are lots of people sitting around a table and then lots of plates stack up to go back into the kitchen. Otherwise he does not even ask for food. He has learned that there is a timing to when and where that miscellaneous treat may happen.

4. Now if the dog gets scraps sometimes now and again, these are called Variable Interval (VI) Schedules. His behavior of “begging” is rewarded at different times. Repeated begging behaviors would be provoked in this way. Even though a dogs expectation of the reward decreases you will probably still see the behavior of begging. Hence, when you now ask him to “leave”, he does so without even a glance back. He has learned now in this case that rewards are varied.

If you consider these different schedules and realize how you participate in all of them, then changing your behavior will get the result that you want. You have taught your dog that is it OK to beg, so he does it. Your fault. If a dog is begging and you ask him to “leave” and he easily does it, then you taught him so. Your learning improves with awareness. Your openess to learn from your experiences will make you a better dog parent. Value the journey!

By

Dr. Marika Zoll

DrDogTalk.com