Kathy Sdao ‘Could training be a process which animates and gives life to our dogs instead of a process full of correction, behaviour suppression and constantly enforced deference?’
Experts are often free to publish ideas and the pursuit of recognition and the desire to conform to prevailing ideas can overshadow the objective evaluation of evidence. Repetition effect (the tendency to believe in information we repeatedly encounter) and confirmation bias (the tendency to favour information that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses) plays a significant role in the dissemination of knowledge. Moreover, the human inclination towards cognitive efficiency (minimum inconvenience/maximum productivity) often leads us to adopt beliefs and behaviors that require minimal cognitive effort, even if they are not entirely supported by evidence. This can perpetuate misconceptions and hinder progress in understanding complexphenomena[JG1] . [1]
What does all this mean for dogs? Dave Mech is an American biologist specializing in the study of wolves. He is a senior research scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey and an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota. He has researched wolves since 1958 in locations including northern Minnesota, Isle Royale, Alaska, Yellowstone National Park, Ellesmere Island, and Italy.[2]
Now, here is an expert!
In 1970, Mech published “The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species.” The book assembled an enormous amount of research on wolves, covering wolf habits and society, and became a best-seller, a foundational text, read by scientists and laypeople alike. However, Mech became unsure about his book’s ongoing success; since its publication a lot more was learned about wolves and he requested that the book no longer be published, but his requests were ignored. What bothers him most is the section he wrote on pack order. I can understand why: the understanding of wolves based on Mech's observations was extended to their canine descendants and this led to the adoption of training methods that misalign with the true nature of dogs[JG2] .
Dogs have been misunderstood and unfairly treated through unscientific training methods which made humans look at best silly at worst cruel.
In Plenty in Life is Free, Kathy Sdao offers an alternative view of the human-dog relationship which reflects onto more science based and effective coaching methods, in addition to a more reciprocally enriching bond.
Sdao offers a new concept of leadership, based more on education and mentorship[JG3] : humans are no longer the sole authority figures dictating every move; they can instead adopt a more facilitative role, guiding and supporting dogs as they navigate their own paths, empowering dogs to take ownership of their learning journey. By setting up a conducive environment (antecedents), and providing cleverly chosen, frequently, precisely, and intentionally offered reinforcers (postcedent/consequences), humans can help their dogs flourish by nurturing their intrinsic motivation and encouraging them to freely explore and engage.
By reinforcing those freely offered behaviors who happen to coincide with those we intended to encourage, we can help dogs to continue their efforts autonomously, all the while fostering a sense of agency, self-belief, and confidence, which are crucial for navigating life in a balanced manner.[3]
Ultimately, this approach emphasizes collaboration, mutual respect, and trust between the leader and the learner, creating a dynamic and enriching learning experience for everyone involved. The answer is Yes! Training could be a process which animates and gives life to dogs and owners alike[JG4] .
Of course, postcedent could also be punishments, a subtype of operant conditioning in which the probability of a response decreases because it is followed by an aversive event (at worst a positive punishment – +P, the presentation of something felt as aversive by the dog reducing the likelihood of reoccurrence of the behaviour unwanted by the human[4], at best a negative punishment – -P, the removal of a stimulus perceived as pleasant by the dog to discourage the repetition of an unwanted behaviour [5]). But punishment comes with side effects that can have wider than expected consequences: fear, reduced interest, impairment of attention, learned helplessness, aggression. [6] Not to mention that human error is also always probable: if you inadvertently rewarded the wrong behaviour not much harm is done; if you erroneously punished the right behaviour, confusion and loss of trust is to be expected[JG5] .
Even within the positive reinforcement camp, there are those who encourage the NILF approach: Nothing in life is free, where the dog’s every need is used as leverage to form behaviours. Sdao rightly points out that some good things should always be free, such as love, air, water, safety, freedom from pain, terror etc; whilst food, play and attention should not always be dependent on the dog’s correct response to a cue, but can be offered even when the dog is not perfect but just ok. Play and attention in particular can greatly enhance the bond and overall well-being of both parties: they can engage in these interactions when they're in the mood, and they should also have the freedom to decline if they're not feeling up to it. This mutual understanding and respect contribute to a healthy and enjoyable relationship between human and canine companions[JG6] .
Veterinary behaviourist Tom Mitchell[7] explains how to teach dogs general principles (concepts) that can be utilised in different situations. General concepts such as optimism, flexibility, frustration tolerance, calm, focus are achieved first and foremost through management (rehearsal and rehearsal avoidance of behaviours) and games that help shape behaviours through the carefully chosen and applied reinforcement strategy. Both Mitchell and Sdao emphasise the importance of free choice: coercion takes choice away; positive reinforcement shows which choice works[JG7] ; ‘I dare you to do that’ instead of ‘don’t you dare’! Mitchell, being involved in the sport of dog agility, equates choices to tunnels: the tunnel you are going to reinforce the most will be the one the dog favours the most; Sdao refers to the powerful Cherokee metaphor of the bad and the good wolf depicting the internal struggle we all face between our positive and negative inclinations. It underscores the importance of conscious choice in shaping emotions and actions. By consciously choosing to cultivate positive qualities and behaviors, we can tilt the balance in favour of the "good wolf".
[1] Brown, K. (2024) It’s Not A Bloody Trend: Understanding Life as an ADHD Adult. Robinson.
[2] Galchen, R. (2023) The myth of the alpha wolf, The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/the-myth-of-the-alpha-wolf.
[3] Sdao, Kathy. Plenty In Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace (p. 100). Dogwise Publishing. Kindle Edition.
[4] Typical and extreme example is the electric shock to stop unwanted behaviours as soon as they are performed.
[5] Even something as mild as the retention of positive reinforcements is a form of negative punishment that must be used skilfully not to create frustration, for example, in shaping behaviours.
[6] Lieberman, D.A. (1990) ‘7, Punishment and Extinction’, in Learning, Behaviour and Cognition. 3rd edn. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, pp. 287–325.
[7] Mitchell, T. (2017) How to be a concept trainer: Shaping your dog’s personality through games. Zeals, Warminster: First Stone Publishing.
Bibliography
Brown, K. (2024) It’s Not a Bloody Trend: Understanding Life as an ADHD Adult. Robinson.
Galchen, R. (2023) The myth of the alpha wolf, The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/the-myth-of-the-alpha-wolf.
Lieberman, D.A. (1990) ‘7, Punishment and Extinction’, in Learning, Behaviour and Cognition. 3rd edn. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Mitchell, T. (2017) How to be a concept trainer: Shaping your dog’s personality through games. Zeals, Warminster: First Stone Publishing.
Sdao, Kathy. Plenty In Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace. Dogwise Publishing. Kindle Edition.
