Exercise R Us

Question:

> >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >> >time, every time, through installing a >> >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >> >These exercises can be taught in about one >> >hour. >> >Learning how to do them will probably take >> >two hours.

That’s a direct quote from me, Jerry Howe. The fact is, the exercise must be repeated a maximum of only sixteen times. If a conditioned reflex is installed correctly, by definition the command is in the dogs reflexive memory, and beyond his ability to consciously refuse to perform it. That’s why it’s called conditioned reflex. >…I have taught >"totally reliable recalls" in as little as ten minutes. >And totally reliable sits, and many other exercises >as well. One command = proper response. Because >we TEACH the dog, we don’t "condition" him.

The above is a quote from Stefni. I haven’t read her manual, and cannot comment on what she is doing. > According to these sort of time schedules, it should be possible to > teach a dog all of the Novice, Open, and Utility exercises within two > weeks and then go out and get the titles.

Theoretically, yes. But I do not use reflexive conditioning for training anything other than recall.  It limits the dogs thinking, scope, and function. After training the come command as a reflex, I switch to other techniques to develop the dogs ability to think, rationalize, and solve problems. Those are learned qualities. Once the learning centers in the brain are challenged, they will continue to grow, to be able to solve greater problems. I think it’s called functional reserve capacities, but what would I know. > Obviously many if not most > of us in obedience competition are spinning our wheels and wasting our > time since we can take months if not years to train our dogs.

Absolutely true. Weeks and months, as opposed to months and years. That is a big difference. And not just the competition people, either. Look at the guide dogs and police dogs. They don’t hit the job until they are one and a half or  two years old. They should be working by one year of age. > Oh, let me ask one question.  If you are teaching the dog (and mind you > I am no especial fan of the clicker method per se), how do you manage > to cover all the conditions under which the dog must obed the recall > in ten minutes.

Why would you need to cover any more instances than the sixteen that are necessary to install the conditioned reflex?  If something works… > Let’s see, that’s you must come when I call you even >  - when there is food on the ground >  - when there is another dog to play with >  - when there is a cat to be chased >  - when there is water to swim in >  - when there are neighborhood children to play with >  - when there are birds to chase and bark at >  - when there is all kinds of nummy stuff to smell & roll in >  - when another person is calling and whooping at you >  - when another person has a ball or toy you like

Yup.  First time, every time. By definition, a conditioned reflex will work until it has been deconditioned. > So how do you set all that up in ten minutes?

I start by scheduling an appointment with the dog, on his off hours so he’s not preoccupied thinking about the office. >  Reliability comes with > proofing.  Understanding the exercise is not complete until the dog > understands there are no exceptions.

Understanding has nothing to do with performing a conditioned reflex. That’s the beauty of it. Sixteen properly timed examples, and it’s done. Period. > –Cindy > (sarcasm alert)

Why not… You would have read all about it in the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual, but were only skimming the text, not reading and understanding what I am explaining. Because the text is written to avoid lots of nice scientific terminology that gets us beginners all confused, you wouldn’t have noticed the scientific and psychological nature of the instructions. There is no table of contents or index. I don’t want people breezing through to try to learn something, and miss the whole concept by taking something out of context. The most difficult students that I work with are the engineer types, they try to analyze too much. I guess it’s their linear thinking. Necessary for electronic design, not useful in dog training. The second category of most difficult student is the experienced dog person. The more training background and experience you have, the harder it is to break old habits and accept ideas that don’t fit with what you already know and are comfortable with. I won’t treat a serious question sarcastically.  You did raise some good questions. Now, maybe you’ll go back to the manual and try out the above and then the heeling pattern exercise. Download the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual at: http://www.doggydoright.com Sincerely, Jerry Howe, Director of Training, Wits’ End Dog Training – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> — >    WAGGERY   U-CD Terrell’s Chocolate Deduction CGC CDX–Hershe   LABRADORS >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >> >time, every time, through installing a >> >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >> >These exercises can be taught in about one >> >hour. >> >Learning how to do them will probably take >> >two hours. >…I have taught >"totally reliable recalls" in as little as ten minutes. >And totally reliable sits, and many other exercises >as well. One command = proper response. Because >we TEACH the dog, we don’t "condition" him. > According to these sort of time schedules, it should be possible to > teach a dog all of the Novice, Open, and Utility exercises within two > weeks and then go out and get the titles.  Obviously many if not most > of us in obedience competition are spinning our wheels and wasting our > time since we can take months if not years to train our dogs. > Oh, let me ask one question.  If you are teaching the dog (and mind you > I am no especial fan of the clicker method per se), how do you manage > to cover all the conditions under which the dog must obed the recall > in ten minutes. > Let’s see, that’s you must come when I call you even >  - when there is food on the ground >  - when there is another dog to play with >  - when there is a cat to be chased >  - when there is water to swim in >  - when there are neighborhood children to play with >  - when there are birds to chase and bark at >  - when there is all kinds of nummy stuff to smell & roll in >  - when another person is calling and whooping at you >  - when another person has a ball or toy you like > So how do you set all that up in ten minutes?  Reliability comes with > proofing.  Understanding the exercise is not complete until the dog > understands there are no exceptions. > –Cindy > (sarcasm alert) > — >    WAGGERY   U-CD Terrell’s Chocolate Deduction CGC CDX–Hershe   LABRADORS

Response:

> >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >> >time, every time, through installing a >> >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >> >These exercises can be taught in about one >> >hour. >> >Learning how to do them will probably take >> >two hours.

That’s a direct quote from me, Jerry Howe. The fact is, the exercise must be repeated a maximum of only sixteen times. If a conditioned reflex is installed correctly, by definition the command is in the dogs reflexive memory, and beyond his ability to consciously refuse to perform it. That’s why it’s called conditioned reflex. >…I have taught >"totally reliable recalls" in as little as ten minutes. >And totally reliable sits, and many other exercises >as well. One command = proper response. Because >we TEACH the dog, we don’t "condition" him.

The above is a quote from Stefni. I haven’t read her manual, and cannot comment on what she is doing. > According to these sort of time schedules, it should be possible to > teach a dog all of the Novice, Open, and Utility exercises within two > weeks and then go out and get the titles.

Theoretically, yes. But I do not use reflexive conditioning for training anything other than recall.  It limits the dogs thinking, scope, and function. After training the come command as a reflex, I switch to other techniques to develop the dogs ability to think, rationalize, and solve problems. Those are learned qualities. Once the learning centers in the brain are challenged, they will continue to grow, to be able to solve greater problems. I think it’s called functional reserve capacities, but what would I know. > Obviously many if not most > of us in obedience competition are spinning our wheels and wasting our > time since we can take months if not years to train our dogs.

Absolutely true. Weeks and months, as opposed to months and years. That is a big difference. And not just the competition people, either. Look at the guide dogs and police dogs. They don’t hit the job until they are one and a half or  two years old. They should be working by one year of age. > Oh, let me ask one question.  If you are teaching the dog (and mind you > I am no especial fan of the clicker method per se), how do you manage > to cover all the conditions under which the dog must obed the recall > in ten minutes.

Why would you need to cover any more instances than the sixteen that are necessary to install the conditioned reflex?  If something works… > Let’s see, that’s you must come when I call you even >  - when there is food on the ground >  - when there is another dog to play with >  - when there is a cat to be chased >  - when there is water to swim in >  - when there are neighborhood children to play with >  - when there are birds to chase and bark at >  - when there is all kinds of nummy stuff to smell & roll in >  - when another person is calling and whooping at you >  - when another person has a ball or toy you like

Yup.  First time, every time. By definition, a conditioned reflex will work until it has been deconditioned. > So how do you set all that up in ten minutes?

I start by scheduling an appointment with the dog, on his off hours so he’s not preoccupied thinking about the office. >  Reliability comes with > proofing.  Understanding the exercise is not complete until the dog > understands there are no exceptions.

Understanding has nothing to do with performing a conditioned reflex. That’s the beauty of it. Sixteen properly timed examples, and it’s done. Period. > –Cindy > (sarcasm alert)

Why not… You would have read all about it in the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual, but were only skimming the text, not reading and understanding what I am explaining. Because the text is written to avoid lots of nice scientific terminology that gets us beginners all confused, you wouldn’t have noticed the scientific and psychological nature of the instructions. There is no table of contents or index. I don’t want people breezing through to try to learn something, and miss the whole concept by taking something out of context. The most difficult students that I work with are the engineer types, they try to analyze too much. The second category of most difficult student is the experienced dog person. The more training background and experience you have, the harder it is to break old habits and accept ideas that don’t fit with what you already know and are comfortable with. I won’t treat a serious question sarcastically.  You did raise some good questions. Now, maybe you’ll go back to the manual and try out the above and then the heeling pattern exercise. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> — >    WAGGERY   U-CD Terrell’s Chocolate Deduction CGC CDX–Hershe   LABRADORS >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >> >time, every time, through installing a >> >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >> >These exercises can be taught in about one >> >hour. >> >Learning how to do them will probably take >> >two hours. >…I have taught >"totally reliable recalls" in as little as ten minutes. >And totally reliable sits, and many other exercises >as well. One command = proper response. Because >we TEACH the dog, we don’t "condition" him. > According to these sort of time schedules, it should be possible to > teach a dog all of the Novice, Open, and Utility exercises within two > weeks and then go out and get the titles.  Obviously many if not most > of us in obedience competition are spinning our wheels and wasting our > time since we can take months if not years to train our dogs. > Oh, let me ask one question.  If you are teaching the dog (and mind you > I am no especial fan of the clicker method per se), how do you manage > to cover all the conditions under which the dog must obed the recall > in ten minutes. > Let’s see, that’s you must come when I call you even >  - when there is food on the ground >  - when there is another dog to play with >  - when there is a cat to be chased >  - when there is water to swim in >  - when there are neighborhood children to play with >  - when there are birds to chase and bark at >  - when there is all kinds of nummy stuff to smell & roll in >  - when another person is calling and whooping at you >  - when another person has a ball or toy you like > So how do you set all that up in ten minutes?  Reliability comes with > proofing.  Understanding the exercise is not complete until the dog > understands there are no exceptions. > –Cindy > (sarcasm alert) > — >    WAGGERY   U-CD Terrell’s Chocolate Deduction CGC CDX–Hershe   LABRADORS

Response:

teaching your dog to come to you, the first >time, every time, through installing a >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >These exercises can be taught in about one >hour. >Learning how to do them will probably take >two hours.

And that, Virginia, is the problem with using "operant conditioning" as a training tool. Much better, faster, and more effective to use what I call "optional conditioning" –  a process in which we give the subject (dog) CHOICES, and respond in such a way as to communicate whether his choice was a good one or not. I have taught "totally reliable recalls" in as little as ten minutes. And totally reliable sits, and many other exercises as well. One command = proper response. Because we TEACH the dog, we don’t "condition" him. Stephanie Biernacki http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/dogspeak/index.html

Response:

>The Family Pack Leadership Exercise, and >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >time, every time, through installing a >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >These exercises can be taught in about one >hour. >Learning how to do them will probably take >two hours.

So you can teach a totally reliable recall in 3 hours? I don’t think so. Toni www.irish-wolfhounds.com

Response:

Yes, ma’am, It’s a scientific technique, and it’s in the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual. Why not try it for yourself, and then tell me it doesn’t work. If a person tells me it doesn’t work, usually one or two questions will determine what the handler did wrong, and the situation will be corrected on the next attempt. You people just seem to know more about the wrong things than is good for you and your dogs. Otherwise, there would be not so many problem dogs, and people wouldn’t spend months and longer teaching elementary commands. Nature, to be mastered, must be obeyed.     -Sir Frances Bacon- The abilities to think, rationalize and solve problems are learned qualities. Thinking centers in the brain, once challenged, continue to grow exponentially.     -Jerry Howe- anonymous. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->The Family Pack Leadership Exercise, and >teaching your dog to come to you, the first >time, every time, through installing a >conditioned reflex, will prevent this. >These exercises can be taught in about one >hour. >Learning how to do them will probably take >two hours. > So you can teach a totally reliable recall in 3 hours? > I don’t think so. > Toni > www.irish-wolfhounds.com

Response:

>Our labrador who has always been very well behaved on walks has suddenly taken >to running back in opposite direction when let off his lead.he is 9months >old.He normally runs ahead towards the fields etc but this running in wrong >direction means he runs back onto the road which is very worrying as although >quiet, cars do come at some speed We cannot work out why he does this.he seems >to know it is wrong and when caught behaves well afterwards.We have tried going >in other directions but it still happens.It isn’t every time so perhaps he gets >the scent of something?Has any one else had to deal with this? Maeve in France

Teenager.  Nine months seems to be the magic age for Labradors.  You need to keep him on leash and keep training him as though he has literally forgotten any obedience – because he probably has.  The phase will pass, but it’s better for him to not get into any bad habits.  Five or six months of control will get you twelve or thirteen years of obedience.  A good tradeoff in my opinion. Dog FAQs: http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/

Response:

(MAEVE56) writes: >Our labrador who has always been very well behaved on walks has suddenly >taken >to running back in opposite direction when let off his lead.he is 9months >old.He normally runs ahead towards the fields etc but this running in wrong >direction means he runs back onto the road which is very worrying as although >quiet, cars do come at some speed We cannot work out why he does this.he >seems >to know it is wrong and when caught behaves well afterwards.We have tried >going >in other directions

Try keep him on a lead until he is older, trained and better able to handle the responsibilty of off lead Bob Maida Dog Training/Problem Counseling since 1969 Manassas,Va

Response:

The Family Pack Leadership Exercise, and teaching your dog to come to you, the first time, every time, through installing a conditioned reflex, will prevent this. These exercises can be taught in about one hour. Learning how to do them will probably take two hours. All of these details and more, are available for free, in the not for profit Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual at:   http://www.doggydoright.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Our labrador who has always been very well behaved on walks has suddenly taken > to running back in opposite direction when let off his lead.he is 9months > old.He normally runs ahead towards the fields etc but this running in wrong > direction means he runs back onto the road which is very worrying as although > quiet, cars do come at some speed We cannot work out why he does this.he seems > to know it is wrong and when caught behaves well afterwards.We have tried going > in other directions but it still happens.It isn’t every time so perhaps he gets > the scent of something?Has any one else had to deal with this? Maeve in France

Response:

Our labrador who has always been very well behaved on walks has suddenly taken to running back in opposite direction when let off his lead.he is 9months old.He normally runs ahead towards the fields etc but this running in wrong direction means he runs back onto the road which is very worrying as although quiet, cars do come at some speed We cannot work out why he does this.he seems to know it is wrong and when caught behaves well afterwards.We have tried going in other directions but it still happens.It isn’t every time so perhaps he gets the scent of something?Has any one else had to deal with this? Maeve in France

Response: