Animal Learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

• Specific experiences result in a change in response to a given situation
• Many different ways to get from A to B => many different training methods
• Appropriate training method depends on the situation and the individual animal

Question 2

What can we do with learning & training?

Answer 2

• Increase or decrease particular behaviors
• Improve “manners” and self-control
• Enrichment and confidence-building
• Change the affective state of an animal in response to a particular situation
  
  • Try to reduce negativity of several stimuli

Question 3

Simple Learning

Answer 3

• Animals learn which stimuli they need to pay attention to in their environment
• Which are important & unimportant
• Learn to make smart decisions in specific contexts -> habituation and sensitization

Question 4

Habituation: repeated exposure to the stimulus results in a decrease in response over time

Answer 4

• Can be both positive and negative
• Ex: trying to eliminate fear in dog for specific object by exposure
• NOT the same as acclimation
• Acclimation - physiological and behavioral adjustment to environmental change

Question 5

Sensitization: repeated exposure to the stimulus results in an increase in response, sometimes generalizes to other similar stimuli

Answer 5

• S1 -> R (might see small response)
• S1 -> R (more exposure = bigger response)
• S1 & S2 -> R
• Generalization of sensitization across similar stimuli

Question 6

Systematic Desensitization

Answer 6

• Step-wise exposure to a gradually increasing intensity of an aversive stimulus to decrease the response
• Start around threshold for response - understand how far away the dog can be to not see a response
• Repeat such that no aggression or very low levels are seen - repeat at a level of threshold, every few days
• Increase to next level only when it has shows repeated instances over time, of neutral/calm
• Important to be able to read the animal’s behavior
• Be patient! - slowly incorporate to reduce negative response

Question 7

Flooding

Answer 7

• high level of forced exposure, not a good learning tool & can increase fear response
• Animals often shut down, therefore may see reduced fear & aggression (learned they can’t escape the situation)
  
  • Assess physiological parameters (pupil dilation, heart rate etc.) & rigid posture to assess for extreme fear w/ freezing behavior
• Or can amplify response = increased fear and aggression, which risks safety of people

Question 8

Associative Learning

Question 9

classical conditioning

Answer 9

• strengthen relationship b/twn 2 stimuli
  
  • Unconditioned response - not learned response => ex: provide food & dog salivate
  • Neutral stimulus - should not cause response
• During conditioning we pair the neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus
  
  • Repeat to strengthen the relationship b/twn the neutral and unconditioned stimulus
• After conditioning, neutral stimulus becomes conditioned stimulus
  
  • ex: blow whistle -> dog salivate

Question 10

Counter-conditioning (a type of classical conditioning)

Answer 10

• Can be used to change emotional states associated w/ a situation or procedure by pairing it with something good
• be aware of potential for opposite effects
  
  • Something that was perceived as positive becomes negatively associated due to learned association w/ something VERY negative
• won’t see it occur if trear or reward is high value to animal (toy or attention)

Question 11

operant conditioning

Answer 11

• strengthen relationship b/twn a behavior and the consequence of the behavior
• Outcome is good, behavior occurs more often
• Outcome is bad, behavior occurs less often

Question 12

Key points to remember

Answer 12

• Consistency - need to do things in the same way, repeatedly
• Reward stimulus -> aversive stimulus - high value rewards are important
• Gradually build up the procedure while keeping fear/arousal sub-threshold
• Start off slow, read animal’s behavior
• Separate components where possible - breaking things down may help increase success
• Repetition - short periods of time b/twn training sessions (1 to every few days, not weeks/months)

Question 13

Food training reward fear and aggression?

Answer 13

• Changing an animal’s emotional state w/ food
  
  • treats/food - raise dopamine levels in brain = feelings of pleasure
  • reinforces food seeking behavior
  • changes negative emotional state to positive
• only reward behavior you want to see

Question 14

Animal learning processes

Question 15

positive reinforcement

Answer 15

adding something to increase behavior
- ex: giving treats

Question 16

positive punishment

Answer 16

adding something to decrease behavior
- ex: shock collar

Question 17

negative reinforcement

Answer 17

removing something to increase behavior
- ex: pushing on dog’s rump to make it sit

Question 18

negative punishment

Answer 18

removing something to decrease behavior
- not giving attention to dog to stop it from jumping

Question 19

strategies for deciphering reinforcement/punishment

Answer 19

• what is the behavior
• is the behavior increasing or decreasing
• am i applying or taking it away

ex:
- Use of halti lead collar can influence 2 main behaviors: reduce pulling, and increase walking next to you so leash is loose (positive punishment)
- Want to stop puppy from mouthing/biting by walking away when their teeth touch your hands (negative punishment)

Question 20

Problems with aversive training methods

Answer 20

• negative emotional state
• can cause physical and mental harm
• breakdown of the human-animal bond
  reduced social referencing impacts learning and training
  
  • Avoiding looking at owner for cues is problematic b/c this behavior is important for learning and training
  • Communication = key aspect during training
• only changes the behavioral response, increases negative emotional response = increase chance of aggression

evidence of learning impairments
- Dog performance on a novel learning task was reported to be better for reward vs. positive punishment-based training
- Dogs at training schools using negative reinforcement based methods showed more stress behaviors and those at schools that use positive reinforcement showed more attentiveness
- Increased obedience correlated w/ use of rewards but not positive punishment, and problematic behaviors were related to positive punishment but not rewards

evidence of potential welfare issues
- More stress behaviors in dogs trained w/ shock collars
- Direct reactions to shock suggest pain & more stress behaviors during training & free walking in dogs trained w/ shock collars vs. control dogs
- suggests effects of training using shock collar negatively impact dog even after training during walks w/o shock collar

evidence of potential aggression issues
- Case series of 5 serious dog attacks linked to shock collar training
- Dogs trained w/ confrontational training methods are associated with aggressive responses during vet exams
- Use of physical punishment is associated w/ increases in various forms of aggression in dogs & human directed aggression specifically

Question 21

problems with positive punishment

Answer 21

• doesn’t tell animal the correct behavior = don’t know how they’re supposed to behave
• must be immediately after the behavior and happen every time
  
  • Animals like gambling - intermittent reward very reinforcing
• Ex: counter walking in cats -> positive punishment won’t work well b/c we always have to be there to train them not to go on counters & perching is a highly motivated behavior

Question 22

Not always clear cut…

Answer 22

• aversive training tools: prong collars & shock collars
• for some animals, alternative training tools such as halters can cause discomfort & stress
• take an individual approach to decide which tools to use w/ each animal

Question 23

Unwanted behaviors

Answer 23

• teach an alternative or incompatible behavior
  
  • Ex: dog jumps up when doorbell rings -> train dog to sit on a mat when doorbell rings & give treat
• interrupt & redirect
  
  • Ex: dog jumps up when doorbell rings -> re-direct and distract them as they are beginning to perform behavior, like directing them to sit position
• extinction: breaking association b/twn behavior and the reward by removing reward
  
  • Ex: dog jumping when doorbell rings -> turn away and ignore them and don’t open the door, they’ll learn that jumping is no longer self-rewarding

Question 24

unintentional learning

Answer 24

• Negative experiences or medical conditions can lead to unintentional learning = can evolve into behavioral problems
• ex: cat stops using litterbox b/c of bad experience
• Can be completely out of our control, but we still need to know how to deal w/ it

Question 25

3 key factors affecting learning

Question 26

timing of reinforcement

Answer 26

- the faster the better - assists w/ making the connection between the behavior and reward - ex: clicker training - human error slows down process - helps communicate w/ dog that reward is coming - uses classical conditioning

Question 27

strength of reinforcement

Answer 27

- food is effective for most animals - balance internal vs. external factors for reward value - beware of the "breakfast effect" - train after the hours after feeding - don't want animals so hungry they can't learn - don't have to limit food for most pets - limiting food can be problematic for some => those w/ food aggression issues or food related behavior issues

Question 28

schedule of reinforcement

Answer 28

- how often treats are delivered - Initially reward every time to help solidify the association - Extinction - reduction in behavior when no longer followed by a reinforcer

Question 29

learned taste aversion

Answer 29

- related to neophobia - foods that make an animal ill will be avoided in the future - based on classical conditioning, doesn't require conscious awareness - one trial learning - duration b/twn intake and illness can be delayed - taste/smell most effective sensory cues in animals - in birds, visual stimuli effective - clinical relevance - medications hidden in food make pet sick, may have to switch food

Question 30

3 training techniques

Answer 30

Luring - using rewards (food) to physically encourage a particular behavior - sit: push reward over dog's head - down: lower food to ground - heel: hold reward at hip targeting - train to touch a target for rewards - use target to move animal in desired ways = luring w/ a target stick shaping - training a complex behavior by rewarding successive approximations - Start w/ rewards for behaviors that are close or can be built - Don’t associate command or cue until behavior is complete - Often used for behaviors that don’t occur naturally

Question 31

training tips

Answer 31

- Start w/ reward every time, slowly reduce how often or replace - Only pair w/ command once animal understands what is expected - Start training in a quiet, undisturbed area and slowly increase to “real world” settings - Don’t do too much at once - lots of breaks, multiple short sessions - Remember anyone can call themselves a “behaviorist” - be careful what you read online