FE340 Beyond the Basics: Shaping Advanced Skills

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Shaping Skills

Pre-Class Lecture:

Selective reinforcement

Why shaping? Why NOT shaping?

Making operant subjects

Module 1: Basic concepts

Active vs. calm markers

Active vs. stationary behaviors

Setting up a successful session

Props vs. body movement

Proper technique

Treat placement

Jackpots

Skill Challenge 1: Human Shaping

Module 2: Targeting

Touch this with that!

Skill Challenge 2: What's the Target Behavior?

Module 3: Retrieves

Pick up all the things!

Skill Challenge 3: What's YOUR Target Behavior?

Module 4: Precision & topography (heeling & positions)

Do it exactly like this!

Skill Challenge 4: What's Your Criteria?

Module 5: Duration (stationary work)

Do nothing for longer!

Skill Challenge 5: Duration without Frustration

Module 6: Trainer’s Choice & Instructor’s Challenge

Skill Challenge 6: Best Laid Plans

Module 5: Duration

Do nothing for longer!

Building duration is most difficult for dogs who have learned that shaping always means doing something active. The concept of doing nothing, or simply holding a position, doesn’t make sense to them.

Once you have shaped the basic behavior and are building duration it is vitally important to reinforce often. A high rate of reinforcement tells your dog he is doing the right thing. If you withhold reinforcement for too long it gives your dog time to think, and then he starts to try some different variations of behaviors. So, as soon as you see your dog go into “offering mode” you need to increase your rate of reinforcement for stillness.

Using a variable duration reinforcement schedule will allow you to build up the time your dog holds a position while keeping motivation and interest high. Rather than constantly increasing your requirements you are bouncing around for each repetition. Some shorter, some medium length, and a longer one here or there. Too many short durations won’t improve your dog’s performance. Too many long ones will lead to repeated failure. Mixing it up and being unpredictable is the best way to go.

When working on duration all other criteria should be low. So reduce distractions and distance while increasing duration. Once you have a reasonable amount of duration add those back in one at a time.

If your dog makes an error while you are working on duration release him from the position, reset, and start again with a faster rate of reinforcement. If he continually breaks position then something is going wrong and we need to take a look at it carefully.

Class exercise 5A:

Take a behavior that you’ve taught that doesn’t have any or much duration, possibly some sort of target behavior. Practice increasing duration with this behavior.

Adding duration to a down on side:

Adding duration to focus with distraction:

Class exercise 5B:

Choose an obedience position (sit, down, stand) and work on increasing duration with this behavior.

Adding duration to the stand: