My dog is stubborn! He doesn’t listen!
Wait….really?
Maybe the “stubborn” behavior is the result of your own behavior. Maybe you have inadvertently sent out messages that reinforce the dog to be “deaf”.
Don’t underestimate the power of intermittent reinforcement! If you reinforce a dog’s behavior in some way, he will try that behavior again.
DEFINING A REINFORCER
Any stimulus that increases the frequency of a behavior it follows is by definition, a reinforcer. This is true even if the stimulus does not seem like it should be a reinforcer.
This is where we can get into the area of inadvertent and intermittent reinforcement. For example, let’s say your dog likes to bark to get your attention. You are trying to ignore the barking but secretly you think it is funny or cute and you comment under your breath. THAT is enough to reinforce the behavior if your dog gets any feedback at all. So even if you don’t “feed” the behavior with food you are feeding the behavior with attention. If that is all the dog can get: he will work for it. Especially hard if you only lose your resolve every once in a while. Like a gambler who wins every once in a while your dog realizes that at some point this behavior has worked for him and dammit: it’s going to HAVE to work again.
Another example would be: Your dog jumps up and your hand automatically goes to his head to pat him on the head while he is ripping your favorite dress, albeit just in an enthusiastic expression of excitement and joy. And then you throw in the occasional,: “STOP IT ALREADY!. “THAT’S ENOUGH!” This is a classic example of intermittent reinforcement. No wonder your dog “stubbornly” continues to jump up! You are reinforcing the behavior without noticing what you are doing.
Another scenario would be that your dog might appear to be stubborn when he has learned that a certain action, stimulus or cue acts as a predictor of something unfavorable. For example, you have taught your dog to come to you when called, but in practice the dog has learned that after you call him, and he comes, something unpleasant happens. Such as, we go home from the park or we have to go into the bathtub. The dog has learned that your calling him to come means: oh no! Whatever fun I am having now, it ends here.
So your dog isn’t stubborn, your dog has merely figured out that coming to you doesn’t pay off in a good way. Our dogs are very quick learners and every interaction is a learning experience.
At Dog Relations, we’re committed to using common sense and affirmative training methods to educate dogs. We offer the most thoughtful, individualized and effective dog training and counceling services in New York.
If you have questions about reinforcement or would like to learn more about training your dog in an enjoyable and life-enriching environment, contact us at Dog Relations
