I by chance punished my canine’s conduct with a wad of cotton.
Lewis and I are taking part in Dr. Mindy Waite’s husbandry examine on ear cleansing. The purpose of the examine is to have the ability to wipe the canine’s ear with some cleansing resolution on a cotton ball whereas he fortunately cooperates.
The protocol begins with coaching a chin relaxation. We accomplished the steps for the chin relaxation in my lap on a bit of towel (see under), then I proceeded to the steps of lifting his ear, bringing my different hand near his ear whereas it was lifted, shifting a dry cotton ball towards his ear, then touching the cotton to the within of the ear flap.
For every of those steps, he wanted to take care of his place whereas I carried out the duty and never chain in different undesirable behaviors earlier than placing his chin down, corresponding to pawing at me or vocalizing. (Sure, each occurred.)
Once I carried out the step the place I touched the cotton ball to the within of his ear, he began to dodge away after the contact. I used to be in a position to reinforce a couple of, however most didn’t meet standards. I did two transient periods of this as the speed of reinforcement dropped, then I finished and regrouped with Dr. Waite.
We agreed I’d again up a step, to a step that didn’t contain touching his ear. On this step, I introduced the cotton ball to inside one inch of his ear with out touching it.
However the earlier periods had created a conduct change by an aversive occasion. Right here is the fallout.
I sat down within the chair I all the time use, readied the cotton, and put the small towel that capabilities as a chin goal in my lap. .
• Lewis approached the towel and paused
• He put his chin down
• Once I reached to carry his ear, he flinched away
• He lowered his chin once more, I lifted his ear, and introduced the cotton ball to about 1 inch from his ear
• I clicked and handled as he pulled rapidly away (oops, not good timing!)
• He began to decrease his chin, then dodged away as I reached for his ear with one hand and the cotton ball with the opposite
• He put his chin down as soon as extra, then rapidly lifted it away
• Then, whereas nonetheless standing in entrance of me, he turned his head 90 levels to his proper
• Then he turned his head 90 levels to his left
• He checked out me
• He turned to his proper once more
• He walked away
• He walked round, principally off digicam, for twenty-four seconds
• He put his paws up on a desk, I cued him to get down, and he did
• He sniffed round for 15 extra seconds, then headed again to me
• He put his chin on the towel however instantly lifted his head
• He seemed arduous to the best and walked away once more
• He returned, put his chin down, instantly picked it up, licked his lips, and seemed away
• He sniffed and licked his anus
• He sniffed and licked his anus from the opposite aspect
• He walked a couple of steps away and did one other anal examine
• He came visiting to me and nuzzled my hand holding the cotton (thanks for doing that proper after licking your butt, Lewis)
• He put his chin down on the towel, I lifted his ear, introduced the cotton ball shut, and clicked/handled
• I ended the session (one thing I ought to have executed a lot earlier)
Detrimental Reinforcement
The listing above is a roll name of escape and avoidance behaviors. These behaviors acquired negatively bolstered as a result of they launched him from my method to his ear. Additionally, this avoidance was extremely uncommon for Lewis. I’ve by no means seen him depart a coaching session earlier than. The contact of the cotton the day before today was so aversive he couldn’t even tolerate the proximity of it throughout this session.
However there was a extra delicate, much more necessary outcome.
Optimistic Punishment
Lewis’ chin relaxation was positively punished by the mushy contact of the cotton ball to the within of his ear. How do I do know that? Right here’s my evaluation.
This preceded the big-time avoidance session I describe above.
Antecedent: I put the towel in my lap, which is the cue for him to place his chin on it
Habits: Lewis put his chin on the towel
Consequence: I lifted his ear and touched the within with a dry cotton ball
I’d usually put a prediction right here. I’m not as a result of I didn’t make one on the time. However I certain came upon.
Lewis’ price of providing the chin relaxation after that have dramatically decreased. Earlier than this step, Lewis had been fluently performing repeated chin rests for days in our periods. And through this “aftermath” session I acquired solely two, with excessive latency and the fidgety, avoidant behaviors I described.
A few of you’ll be questioning about one other chance. Good pondering! Optimistic punishment shouldn’t be the one mechanism by which a conduct would possibly lower. There are two different well-known prospects (and a few much less widespread ones). The well-known ones are detrimental punishment and extinction.
I can’t consider a means that detrimental punishment might be the method concerned right here. I used to be not contingently eradicating an appetitive stimulus. (Try this text when you want a brush-up on the processes of operant studying.) However we have to take into account extinction, as a result of the speed of reinforcement did drastically drop.
Keep in mind above I discussed that a part of the standards for this husbandry process was for Lewis to not chain in undesirable behaviors like pawing me or vocalizing? These began off as extinction-related behaviors. They occurred when he was annoyed that I had raised standards too quick and he wasn’t accessing reinforcement on the former price.
I do know what extinction-related conduct seems like from Lewis, and this wasn’t it.
That Harmless Little Cotton Ball
I didn’t begin out to be deceptive in regards to the cotton, however I ended up burying the lede about it a bit of. Right here is the lede: Touching a cotton ball instantly on the opening of the ear canal is LOUD. Cotton balls look mushy and innocuous, and touching them to a lot of locations on the physique might be unremarkable. However the sound of the cotton touching his ear was startling and unsightly to Lewis
Dr. Waite saved that in thoughts as she gave us some new steps to carry out. They separated out the sound from the contact. We went fairly far again within the course of, as a result of this robust avoidant response was so uncommon for Lewis. I’m happy to report that we’ve got labored again as much as touching his ear with the cotton ball and he has determined that’s OK!
Watch the Canine and Movie Your Reps
There’s a lesson right here. You don’t want a shock or prong or choke collar for constructive punishment. I feel we focus means an excessive amount of on instruments typically. I don’t use any such collars, I don’t jerk on the leash, nor do I exploit entrance connect harnesses or head halters, however frankly, these make up a fairly low bar. It’s a baseline. It’s not difficult or troublesome to not use instruments that harm. What I discover way more difficult is noticing different stimuli which are unexpectedly aversive, such one thing very mushy utilized to the improper place the improper means.
Lewis was not harm, harmed, or traumatized by the cotton ball, as he would have been with a harsher methodology. However he was sad with the state of affairs, which is the other of what I would like. If I hadn’t been filming, I would by no means have identified simply how sad he was. And if I hadn’t been monitoring reps, I won’t have seen that the chin relaxation acquired punished. I’m glad I did know, even when a bit of late, as a result of I may have made the state of affairs should worse had I persevered.
A clever good friend as soon as described the kind of coaching constructive reinforcement trainers purpose for as “coaching that’s enjoyable for the learner.” It could sound simplistic, however that description is a chic and direct description of my targets and beliefs as a coach. We will say Lewis’ chin relaxation was positively punished. We will additionally say Lewis clearly wasn’t having enjoyable. And let me be clear: I would like Lewis to be having enjoyable as a result of of the coaching, not regardless of it.
Lewis is a difficult canine for husbandry duties. I’m nonetheless, after greater than a 12 months, clipping his nails whereas he licks peanut butter. Once I dry him with a towel, I need to parcel out kibble with one hand whereas I do it, as a result of in any other case, he descends into overwrought wiggling and mouthing. I plan to coach these husbandry duties as a substitute of managing them with distractions, however I haven’t gotten there.
Lewis’ normal discomfort with husbandry was a big a part of what prompted me to hitch Dr. Waite’s examine. It’s extremely useful to me to have a structured method and her knowledgeable counsel. I hope we don’t blow the bell curve!
Copyright 2023 Eileen Anderson
