Yesterday I wrote about reinforcers, their value, and letting the learner choose what is higher in value to the learner. Today while on our stroll, and occasionally other times, Jackie would literally spit out the food reinforcer I popped into her mouth and it hits the ground with a failing thud to my ears. I’ve experimented with boiled chicken and even beef, hot dogs and lamb (lamb loaf is my favorite for ease of use, ease of storage, ease of prep. I can cut the loaf into individual large medallions the size of a human chocolate chip cookie to store in the fridge, then take out a couple large medallions to put in my bait pouch to easily pinch off a teeny tiny to a bigger bite-ful, and it is simple to jackpot several small bites in a row). However— value of a reinforcer is assigned by the learner, not the teacher, though I am working to build value into “boring” treats.
Jackie isn’t getting the memo on the treats. Anyhow that was my knee jerk thought. In reality the point is that I need to slow my expectations, and follow the good advice to be patient. Jackie is still very much in the honey moon stage of the relationship, everything is still new: sights, smells, and sounds are all different and coming fast and furious at her. The preexisting dogs take for granted things like the sound of the river dam roaring loudly on the day after a heavy rain when the day before it was a calm gurgle, or to ignore the third yard down past the first turn after the trail gait when the two doodles pop up out of their bushes and bark and lunge furiously up and down their wrought iron fenceline as we stroll by, or that the men building a neighbor’s pool house are not menacing and can be safely ignored as they shout to one another over the noise of their construction equipment. Jackie is still learning all this and more.
It can be difficult to pay attention to a piece of chicken or steak when novel (and is it threatening? Jackie does not have a frame of reference yet) stimuli happen in her environment. She is doing a superb job at taking her cues from her family members, since I maintain a calm demeanor and do not push her to any threshold where she is scared or feels in danger. Gunner and Rosco are also teaching her by example what is to be ignored and what is worth paying attention— it’s Mom, she’s worth paying attention— which years of experience (and positive reinforcement of all kinds) have taught Rosco and Gunner.
So I’m giving myself a break on my exuberance to get out in front of Jackie’s education, but also a reminder of the mantra patience, patience, patience. We will get there. Jackie is doing a great job. I want to as well— and it can be done with patience as my guide.
“You don’t really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!”
Pearls:
- Patience
- Patience
- Patience
- You don’t have to be a wizard to educate a dog, you just have to be patient
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