Clean Run - September 2017 - 17

from the use of thought-producing
food reinforcers than speed-producing
tug games. The sound sensitive Border
Collie may require the Holee Roller to
which he is addicted in order to achieve
the type of speed and focus needed.
There are more emotions at play here
than just "thoughtful/calm" and "energized/adrenalized" too. Some of our
reinforcers invoke disappointment (oh,
I really wanted the tennis ball and all
you brought was the hard rubber ball)
and others, desperation (if I don't get to
bite the udder tug I may die!). Neither of
these emotions are helpful, and there is
an entire gamut of emotional responses
our dogs can and do have to our chosen reinforcers. We are wise to always
consider them carefully.

it could well act to reinforce a behavior!
Likewise, praising your dog while she
waits for release in her two-on/two-off
might be intended to reinforce that behavior, but just as often it may punish it.
Competency

Problem Two-The Training
A failed two-on/two-off might start out
as an emotional issue-the dog is simply too high to engage the self-control
required for that behavior-but merely
addressing the emotions behind it will
not solve the problem once a ring-only
pattern of reinforced failed stops (or
any other failed cue) is established.
Help your dog's arousal state come
back to an advantageous one, perhaps
stop trialing (read: stop practicing undesired responses), and get to the training drawing board! Following are just a
few things to think about.
Sustainable Reinforcement
We've discussed why selection of reinforcers is critical, but the strategy we
use to reinforce is also very important.
Delivering a cookie (or tug, for that
matter) in position is a smart strategy
when first acquiring a behavior, but it
has little ring-sustainability. In order
to understand the "sustainability" of
our reinforcers we must look to what
reinforces behavior in the ring. Each
cue we give reinforces the previous behavior; we never reinforce in position.

Transferring our reinforcement over
to a "release ahead" strategy is a smart
move. We must also think about sustainability in that our dogs should learn
to accept delay of gratification. Planting
reinforcers off course that we can move
to with the dog on a cue (say "cookies!"
then run to the stash that's waiting on
your chair ringside) can be a great way
to help our dogs cope with the lack of
classic reinforcers inside the ring.
Reinforcement and Punishment
Remember that reinforcement and
punishment are forces like gravity-
always in action, and neither good nor
bad inherently. They are defined not by
the actions we often assign them (giving a cookie = reinforcement, timing
a dog out = punishment, etc.), but by
their functions. If behavior is increasing,
reinforcement is at work. If behavior
is decreasing, punishment is at work.
Knowing this and understanding it as
we go forward to repair our broken ring
behaviors will help us to make smart
choices. Leaving the ring with a dog
may or may not act as punishment-

If we liken our sport to car racing and
we compare our dogs to racecars, know
that some are faster, more powerful, and more responsive than others.
Spend any length of time on the track
and you're going to reach for gradually
faster, flashier, and more intense cars.
I make no comment on the types of
dogs people choose to run this game
with until the handler and dog are
mismatched and they are now asking
for my help. Anyone can choose to run
any dog; but some dogs require more
competency in the training department
than others. A very fast imported sports
car requires more driving skill and more
shop time than my minivan; and if I decided to get one of the former, I'd better
step up to the plate.
Taking it upon yourself to become the
trainer and handler that your dog requires-whether that means learning
to motivate your Westie to love agility
as much as you love him for his very
special qualities, or learning to respond
with the same whip-sharp reflexes as
your Kelpie-is a worthwhile venture,
and not one everyone is up for. Taking some time to attend training and
behavior seminars, not just handling
workshops, is a good start. Deciding
that your dog's behaviors are your responsibility, if not your fault, is a nice
next step. Online and in-person learning opportunities abound; take advantage of them.
Next month we will dive deep into testing and soothing our dogs' arousal states
and more specific ways to help us both
avoid and dig out of these arousal problems in our agility companions. D

Sarah Stremming is a dog trainer, a dog agility and obedience competitor, and a dog behavior consultant. Her credentials include a Bachelors of Science degree in
Psychology from Colorado State University, and more than a decade in the field of dog training and behavior. Her special interest area is problem solving for performance
dogs. She is a blogger and podcaster, she coaches teams online via her business The Cognitive Canine, travels to teach internationally, and is a faculty member at Fenzi
Dog Sports Academy. She resides in Seattle with her partner, four Border Collies, and two Australian Shepherds. You can find her at www.thecognitivecanine.com
September 17 | Clean Run

http://www.thecognitivecanine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - September 2017