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Acquisition ✔✔The acquisition phase in dog training is the first stage in the learning process. This is when the trainer begins marking certain behavior with reward to clearly communicate with the dog a training command and / or hand signal. The dog begins to make associations with these commands.
Anticipation ✔✔When the dog cues off of the handler's body language and anticipates the command before any verbal command is given.
Bite Inhibition ✔✔The process of a dog learning to not put their mouth on us too hard (biting) when they play. This often happens in the puppy stage.
Civil Agitation ✔✔A method of agitating the dog without protection equipment. The decoy works the dog defensively and usually is in street clothing. It is also part of the man orientation phase of training.
Prong Collar ✔✔The prong or pinch collar applies uniform pressure over the skin of the dog's neck. It is also a very natural form of correction that most dogs respond very well to.
Choke Collar ✔✔A collar that slips over the dogs head and when pressure is applied it constricts or chokes the dog. Choke collars are usually metal however they also can be made of nylon and leather.
Flat Collar ✔✔A collar that is flat and can vary from 1/4 inch up to 2 inches wide depending the dog and style. These collars are made from nylon, leather, and cotton. Flat collars are general day to day type of collar that hold dog tags and is usually worn around the home.
Competing Motivations ✔✔Often we use a reward system in training to motivate the dog, such as treats/food, jute roll, or a ball. If the reward presented is challenged by a greater motivator, the dog will not respond to the reward thus creating a problem of competing motivations. In order to overcome the competing motivator a trainer needs to turn to positive punishment, or a correction.
Compulsion ✔✔Compulsion training is also known as escape training, Compulsion is directed to attach a cost to any behavior other than the one we are expecting or encouraging. The dog is called on to execute commands in order to remove the discomfort applied by the trainer. The dog escapes the force by doing the command.
Countering ✔✔Using the dog's opposition reflex to make him counter a particular behavior.
Fluency ✔✔After the dog has acquired the association of the command with the desired behavior it transitions to the fluency stage. This is when the dog begins making an association automatically. The trainer asks the dog to perform a command, and depending on his response, the trainer will administer either positive reinforcement (the dog complied) or positive punishment (usually a correction for doing anything else besides the command).
Generalization ✔✔Making the automatic associations clear in all contexts. This stage is also referred to as the 'Proofing Phase'. The dog is given commands and expected to perform them in various conditions including distractions, new places, and around strange people.
Hardness ✔✔The dog's ability to deal with adversity and also how well it deals with corrections.
Imprinting (puppies) ✔✔A form of learning that takes place at a young age (puppy stage) in which environmental influences are learned through site, sound, and tactile experience.
Nerves ✔✔The dog's ability to adapt or change to a new environment. A few examples of change would be the dog's environment (boarding or travel), or a change in the social situation (new owners, or the addition of a new pet to the family).
Operant Conditioning ✔✔To properly time and mark the behavior of the dog which naturally occurs (sit, down, stand, walk, etc.). Example: Dog sits, trainer marks the natural occurring behavior with reward.
Opposition Reflex ✔✔If you push, the dog has a tendency to push back against you. If you pull, they have a tendency to pull against you.
Passive Bite ✔✔The dog engages (bites) the decoy without agitation. An example in training would be the decoy slips the dog a sleeve and becomes passive the dog then would need to re- engage and bite the decoy without further agitation.
Prey Aggression ✔✔An inherent trait and instinctive motivation to chase, catch, and kill, or in short - obtain food.
Primary Reinforcement ✔✔The reward given to the dog in exchange for the appropriate behavior. Example: food or treat reward is given to the dog for performing the appropriate behavior.
Ritual Display of Dominance ✔✔As it relays to obedience training, the dog resists compulsion by exhibiting certain behavior(s) and not engaging or executing the command.
Temperament ✔✔The specific traits and inherent characteristics of the dog's personality. Specifically, the temperament is made up public sociability, nerves, drives, hardness, focus, and activity level.
Threshold (in the context of behavior modification)? ✔✔The level of stimulus needed to elicit change in the behavior of the dog.
