Communicating With The Dog
Dog training is about communication. The handler is communicating to the dog
what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From
the canine perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the
dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions. Without that
inner satisfaction a dog will not work well.
A successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog sends
to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy,
excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration
in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not
learn efficiently.
According to Learning Theory there are a four important messages that the
handler can send the dog:
Reward or release marker
Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, "Free" or "Okay"
followed by a reward.
Keep going signal
Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. For example, "Good".
No reward marker
Incorrect behavior. Try something else. For example, "Uh-uh" or "Try again".
Punishment marker
Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, "No" or more
specific commands like "off," "out," or "leave it."
Using consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to
understand them more quickly. If the handler sometimes says "good" as a reward
marker and sometimes as a keep going signal, it is difficult for the dog to know
when he has earned a reward.
It is important to note that the dog's reward is not the same as the reward
marker. The reward marker is a signal that tell the dog that he has earned the
reward. Many novice dog owners make the mistake of using effusive verbal praise
as both a reward marker and a reward, which can confuse dog and owner.
Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding.
Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward
marker and makes training more difficult.
These four messages do not have to be communicated with words, and nonverbal
signals are often used. In particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used
for the reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important
part in learning for dogs. The meanings of the four signals are taught to the
dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical
conditioning. For example, if the handler consistently gives the dog a reward
marker immediately before he gives the dog a food treat, the dog soon will learn
to associate the reward marker with receiving something pleasant (clicker
trainers call forming this association "charging up" the clicker). Likewise, if
the dog is always given a punishment marker before he is scolded or put outside
for bad behavior, he will soon learn to associate the punishment marker with the
punishment itself.
Dogs usually do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has learned a
command in a particular location and situation may not immediately recognize the
command to other situations. A dog who knows how to "down" in the living room
may suffer genuine confusion if asked to "down" at the park or in the car. The
command will need to be re-taught in each new situation, though it may be
substantially easier after being taught at home where there are fewer
distractions. This is sometimes called "cross-contextualization," meaning the
dog has to apply what's been learned to many different contexts.
