Me and My Dog Milu - A Demonstration in Operant Conditioning

[Candorsmayhem]

Technically, this is luring, not shaping. You show the treat to the dog, to induce the behavior. This is becoming a cue. He's learning your hand movements are what induce the treat dispensing, not his body position. There's nothing wrong with this, but it does take longer for the dog to associate his behavior with your voice command. For something as simple as a bow, I'd suggest free shaping, or capturing it. The end result, is much more effective, and you don't have to kneel to get him to do it

[supernaturalbc2009]

Wow! I wish I could have done this type of project when I took my psych and animal behavior courses! What great fun! A tip that you likely realize by now, you were using luring. Your body position and hand were actually the cue. The verbal cue was not needed.

If you get a chance, try "free shaping" where the dog thinks about what it is offering and is only rewarded after she offers a behavior. Check my 2008 videos for an ex of freeshaping a dog to turn off light switch.

[ZandersStory]

Nice work. You guys did very good!! And your video was put together so nicely. 5*s! -Brittany and Zander

[jimsim3]

Just maybe Milu's beautiful gentle eye,s and soft furry body is reconditioning you. Had you given that any though. she might be reinforceing you. she gets a dry warm bed, food on demand and a lot of love and affection, and has allso assured DNA linage. So! who really has the clicker? all it takes is a look and we smelt. it,s funny whats probably started as a hunting or guarding Behavior has us ending up as tickling stick for a pooch. make's me think if applied Psychology is a genetic trait.

[pibbleluvr]

That was luring, not shaping. The dog wasn't being rewarded for correct choices. She was just being rewarded for following the reward...and you added the cue "bow" WAY too early.

[DemiGod212321]

oh.. : )

[pinkchardonnay]

Amazin video, i used it in psychology, great demonstration, thnakyou

What a lovely dog aswell

[straylght]

i don't understand what you taught the dog, shouldn't the dog bow or stand without your hand guiding the dog?

it just looks like you taught the dog to follow your hand.

great video by the way!

[PVPMETHODS]

I have to agree, the conditioned stimulus was confused with the guiding of your hand.

[kelly4clay4ever]

Awesome video! Thank you so much for uploading it!! :)

[FrankJfc10]

i love your video! it was used in a lecture for my psychology class =)

[darrenrodd]

I met Skinner twenty some years ago. He thought that the 'Science of Behavior' could have been the salvation of mankind but unfortunately it is most utilized by the gambling industry, advertising, and the military. He thought that 'mankind would be a sad story with no one left to tell it.' Really liked you and the dog though.

[spanish4you]

I love Positive Reinforcement but you wont always have a clicker handy when you "Capture" a dog doing something that you like so i use a word insted like "YES" or "ALLRIGHT" and load up the word the same as a clicker.

[tofrakennels]

Great video! Personally I would be shaping rather than luring, keeping treat out of sight so Milu would be listening for the click not looking at and following the hand movement. I think it would have made Milu a bit more enthusiastic. You did have the clicker very close to the ear! I train with clicker out of sight too so that the dog has to focus to be able to figure out what exactly the click was for. I liked the video wish I knew how to clip and edit videos like that. Thanks!

[cuddlesdead]

Hi, im a student from the San Diego City College and we are going through the operant conditioning. I was wondering if a dog can be trained no matter how old the dog is, and also, if my dog learns how to respond to the clicker, should i keep using the clicker or just the command would do it? I want to train my dogs on how to sit, stand up, and stand still.

[Lingacreations]

In my experience, dogs are never too old to learn new tricks - I taught my seven year old boxers to lie down successfully (which is quite an achievement if you know how stubborn boxers are)!

[Lingacreations]

In terms of whether or not to stick with a clicker, I actually trained my dogs with treats and commands originally and then incorporated some clicker training later on, however I do know a lot of people who solely use clicker and swear by it, I guess it just depends on what works best for you and your dogs. Good Luck!

[squerlhide]

I studied this in my psychology class as well, it is quite intriquing; psychology and the mind in general are.

[runta07]

not naturally....sometimes need but somtimes forget.

[GomezMarga]

Thanks for the video. It was great to see the training unfold. Will Milu bow without getting a treat.

[Lingacreations]

sometimes ;-)

[phaedress]

You are both amazing...

[papademanu]

I have a dog and am working with him over here in Buenos Aires. I wonder about 'post reward' behavior (for lack of proper terminology) and have hesitated to train with food because of the behavior of my last canine companion. Charlotte, a dalmatian that lived to be 15, was food trained, and was forever dominated by the cravings of her stomach. Her desired response to many commands often depended of the presence of a food reward. Can we look for a follow up video without the kibbles and clickers?

[Lingacreations]

we'll see...perhaps when I'm done with my studies. Thanks for your interest.

[gadfly72]

the fading of a food-reward is an important step - and sadly often neglected by the trainer! (smile) food is NEVER a lifelong reward for desired fluent-behaviors - it is used only for initial-training, or as a now and then treat. real-life-rewards of praise, play, release to a game, walks, etc, are lifelong consequences that can be used to reinforce desired-behaviors, once they are learned. toys, tug, praise... indeed ANYthing that the subject finds rewarding, can sub for food.

[kirid23]

It works...don't knock it. :-) Why would anyone have a problem feeding their dog treats as a reinforcer? As you say you can use ANYTHING the subject finds rewarding...that includes food doesn't it? And food is THE most important one because without it the dog wiould be dead! Don't get much more 'real life' than that.

[DjThatsTheName]

wow thank u so much, truely amazing video

[ienjoylife]

Linda & Inger.... you both do really nice work. Thanks!!!

[josafas]

Your video is GREAT! Fantastic! A suggestion for future videos would be presenting the extentions of it to human behavior, for example, teaching kids in a Social Skills training group. Keep on the great work!

Warm regards from Brazil!

[jlcarlton1]

I'm a psychology professor, and my students had to find a video clip that demonstrated operant conditioning. Many of them found yours, and I want to commend you on your work! The video was excellent quality and editing, and, of course, you did a great job training Milu! Good work!

[Lingacreations]

Thanks so much. It really means a lot to me that this video has ended up being useful to others.

[michaelDmambo]

Hey, I have a question...

now the learning process is completed, do you feel the need to click on something each time Milu bows ? :))

[mars955]

Hi! I'm a South African living in New Zealand and we are doing a little bit of operant conditioning in my management class, anyway, yesterday our lecturer showed us your video in the lecture! Awesome...

[Lingacreations]

Cool! :-) Thanks for telling me about it.

[klaithal]

I´m a spanish student of psycholgy very interested in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Your video has really amazed me, and I have to show all my friends. I would like to contact with you to share information about EAB.

[Lingacreations]

Hello, thanks so much for your comment and your interest. Sorry for the late reply, I have just moved house. It'll be great to get in contact.

[chdtar002]

i am in psy1001W 2007 & its encouragin to know that some1 can actually do such amazing work from wat we learn...mean puttin it into practice this is just so gr8. Milu is a luvly dog.

[heldergusso]

Congratulations Linda, Beautiful project!

But it was not clearly for me if Milu was under control of the instruction or your hand position. Could you tell us about this, please? Hélder (brazilian behavior analyst)

[Lingacreations]

Hi Helder, thank you for your comment. In order for Milu to initially learn to bow I needed to use my hand position to guide her. By saying the command 'bow' along with the clicker and only treating her when she was actually bowing, she is slowly starting to associate the word 'bow' with the disired action. At first my hand postion is guiding her, but with time and practice I will be able to control her just with instruction and no longer need to use hand positions.

[heldergusso]

Thanks for yout attention and congratulations again! :)

[Tibzw]

Linda, i am in ur psy3008F class, and i have to say that this is an amazing video!!! i commend you on it! WOW!!!

[peevishpear]

Hi Linda =) I'm a first-year psych student -- we're learning about classical and operant conditioning now. Your video is great -- congratulations! It's been a huge help to see operant conditioning applied in a 'real life' situation. Brilliant video.

[wnbtar]

Good work, Linda! I especially liked the dog animations.

[zimbabwe7]

Good video! Its nice to see Milu again. and learning so well!

[Lingacreations]

Thanks! :-) Milu sends her love!