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the 4-step learning

In this article I will talk a bit 'of training and learning in particular.

E 'useful to think of learning as a sequence of four steps.

• Acquisition;
• Fluidity;
• Generalization;
• Maintenance;

It 'clear that the acquisition is the first stage of learning, where Fido acquires a new behavior. If we teach our dog to run the "sit", the dog must learn to move in a certain way, to ground his back to earn his reinforcement.

The second step, the flow, is the phase where Fido learns to be fluid with the new learned behavior. At this stage the dog acquires rhythm, and robotics. At this stage, we could for example, ask the dog to the answers faster and more precise to earn reinforcement.

The third step, is called generalization. The dogs are very good at discriminating, but consequently also less able to generalize. This brings us to the fact that if we teach our dogs in the same place, for example in the kitchen, they will be very good to perform the required responses in that environment, but will be fatally ill-prepared to do the same once you're out in a new environment.

E 'rather important, that Fido learns that what is in our kitchen, which even before the coffee shop, study veterinarian, in the presence of persons, other dogs, animals of different species. In short, the dog must learn to do the learned responses in different circumstances and situations. To achieve this, Fido should be gradually brought back from our kitchen (a quiet and distraction-free) canine expo, chaotic environment, rich in visual and olfactory stimuli. The generalization is an automatic stage of learning that has rarely need special attention.

The fourth step, the maintenance phase in which Fido is a learned behavior that incorporates in its behavioral repertoire. This means that returning to "sit," Fido has always run fast and accurate behavior.

As drivers, we need to ensure that the conduct is maintained at an optimum level. For some dogs, this may require some occasional training session for other many repetitions of the previous steps, to maintain, speed, precision and generalization .

I wanted to dwell a bit 'more about this, to bring home to dog owners, how difficult and complex to teach the dog to respond to a given signal, provided, however, and at the same speed and accuracy. How much work is behind simple behaviors like "sit" or "land" if we really want our 4-legged friend to run with them a degree of reliability and accuracy.

Teaching is never easy, you must have patience, do not get caught up in the frenzy driven by the enthusiasm to run if things are looking good, nor be discouraged and give up if things do not seem to go for the right way. Everyone is different, and this also applies to the dogs (even the same race) and not always what works for one will be fine for another.

Antonio Sciarratta