Why Not! Be Open to Learning New Tricks
By Julie Wininger

I recently got a new puppy.  The wonderful people offering the litter of six pups for adoption  had a screening process to ensure the dogs would get a good home.  They also required each new owner to complete an approved puppy training class.

My first reaction to the required training was that I already knew how to train a dog.  I’ve had many dogs in my life and even had one who competed in obedience trials.  But I allowed myself to realize that maybe I didn’t have all the answers.  It had been, after all, 14 years since I had a puppy in the house.       

So I enrolled in the class, somewhat grudgingly giving up my Sunday afternoons for 4 weeks.

And I'm glad I did!

I learned so much from this wonderful class.  Gone are the days of choke chains and yanking down dramatically to make the dog sit or lie down.  This class exclusively taught positive re-enforcement techniques.

The training method used a clicker to mark the behavior and then rewarded with a treat.  If the puppy naturally sits down, you click then treat.  The pup soon discovers the click means something good will happen and repeats behaviors that ‘caused’ the click.

Positive motivation can be used to shape more complex behaviors too.  Look at the way professional trainers work with Killer Whales.  To get a Killer Whale to jump over a rope high in the air, for instance, requires rewarding steps toward that goal. At first just swimming over a rope lying on the bottom of the tank is rewarded.  Then after the whale begins to make the association, the rope is gradually raised.

These are universal principles.  Pets and people are more willing to work for rewards. Typically, they do more of what brings them pleasure and less of what gives them pain. 

How can we use these practices in everyday life?  With our kids/spouses/co-workers?

People thrive on attention and rewards. Make sure you are rewarding the behavior you want repeated.

Tips:

·         Catch your spouse/child/co-worker doing something good and give them direct, specific feedback. 

- Don’t just say ‘You are doing a good job.’ Be specific.  It’s better to say something like, “I like the way you present your ideas.  You are clear and precise and always include recommendations for how to implement specifics.”

·         Find at least one thing each day you can give someone positive feedback on to re-enforce behaviors you would like repeated.

·         Tailor rewards to the person.  For some people just being asked their opinion is a reward.  It gives them the attention they seek.  For your children, it may be time with a video game or a treat after dinner.  Find out what motivates the person and reward accordingly.

Positive Reinforcement can be used with the people in your life as a technique to get more of the behaviors you want.   Why Not! start now.  You may find you really can teach an old dog new tricks.