Exploring the Psychology of Training Dogs
The fascinating world of psychology and dogs intersect during training. Lets explore the basics of how psychology plays a crucial role in shaping behavior and what training leads to in the real world.
Ivan Pavlov and his Dogs
Today’s canine training is based in the observations and theories of behavioral psychologists in the early 1900’s. In 1902, Ivan Pavlov conducted experiments designed to elicit a response using canines and involved the use of stimuli and response. Pavlov paired food with a bell to create a conditioned stimulus that resulted in a condition response. To accomplish this, Pavlov first elicited a salivating response by presenting food. He then presented the bell without food and there was no saliva. Next the food and bell were paired, which resulted in the dog salivating. Finally, the bell was rung without food, and the dog salivated because the food had been paired with the bell. This theory was termed Classical Conditioning [1].
B.F. Skinner Goes Further
Fast-forward thirty-five years and psychologist B.F. Skinner delved deeper into the concept of conditioning. Skinner’s theory became known as Operant Conditioning, a learning method that involves discipline as the driver of behavior. Through experimentation it was found that reinforcement of behavior, whether negative or positive led to a repeat of the desired behavior. Likewise, punishment would stop an unwanted behavior. Skinner discovered that both reinforcement and punishment could be categorized further into positive (adding) and negative (removing) across both concepts [2].
Training Today's Canines
The work of Pavlov, Skinner, and other behavioral psychologists, is still being applied to canine training in our modern society. The use of reinforcement and punishment is still the primary method for training desired behaviors in canines, whether a house dog or a working dog. But debate rages about the use of positive punishment, which includes such things as correction collars, e-collars, and other methods of pain infliction [3], [4]. There is continuing research into the best methods to achieve the desired results and how to develop safer equipment [5].
