The main tasks of the trainer are to get the dog to perform the desired action (to cause the manifestation of the corresponding without conditioned reflex), as well as develop and consolidate a conditioned reflex to a specific stimulus (sound command or gesture). To achieve this, training uses certain methods and techniques to influence the dog.
There are four main methods of training: taste-reward, mechanical, contrast, imitative.
Taste-reward training method is that the stimulus that induces the dog to perform the desired action is a food stimulus. In this case, the sight and smell of a food stimulus is used to induce the dog to perform the desired action, and the giving of a treat is used to reinforce the action performed.
The taste-reward training method is used when practicing many general and special training techniques. An ardent supporter and promoter of this method was the famous Soviet trainer V.L. Durov, who believed that training should be based on the principle of satisfying a certain biological need animal and above all the need for food.
Indeed, the taste-reward training method has a number of positive aspects. With its help, the dog quickly develops most of its conditioned reflexes. A large dog is observed in performing the skills developed in this way, contact with the trainer is strengthened, and a large dog appears.
However, along with this taste-based training method, it also has certain disadvantages. It does not ensure trouble-free execution of techniques, especially in the presence of distracting stimuli; performance of necessary actions may weaken or disappear during the period of satiety of the animal; It is impossible to develop all the necessary skills using this method alone.
The essence of the mechanical training method consists in the fact that various mechanical stimuli are used as an unconditioned stimulus, causing a protective defensive reflex in the dog (for example, the sitting reflex when pressing a hand on the dog’s croup). In this case, the mechanical stimulus not only causes an initial effect in the dog ( unconditioned reflex), but is also used to reinforce a conditioned reflex (smoothing). Feature of the training method under consideration is that in this case the dog performs the actions desired by the trainer under compulsion.
Positive side The mechanical method of training is that all actions are firmly fixed and reliably performed by the dog in familiar conditions.
TO negative aspects The mechanical method of training is that its frequent use causes in some dogs a depressed inhibitory state and the manifestation of a distrustful attitude towards the trainer (in dogs with a passive-defensive reaction this manifests itself in the form of fear and cowardice; angry dogs try to bite the trainer). It is impossible to develop all the necessary skills using this method alone.
The mechanical method has great importance in the process of training for some special services. Thus, dog training for guard, protective guard and search services is mainly based on the use of mechanical stimuli (movements of an assistant teasing the dog, striking, etc.). In this case, the use of this method is designed to excite a defensive reaction in the dog in an active-defensive form.
Contrast method is the main method of training service dogs. The essence of this method is a certain combination of mechanical and rewarding effects on the dog (giving treats, stroking, command). In this case, mechanical stimuli are used to induce the dog to perform desired actions, and rewarding stimuli are used to reinforce these actions. For example, to teach a dog to perform a landing using the contrast method, the trainer proceeds as follows. Holding the dog on a short leash at his left leg in a standing position, the trainer gives a command. After this, with his left hand he presses on the dog’s croup, pressing it down, and with his right hand he jerks the leash upward. After such exposure to an unconditioned mechanical stimulus, the dog lands. The trainer reinforces this action by giving treats and smoothing, as a result the dog establishes a conditioned reflex to the command.
This method of training has the advantages of taste-reward and mechanical methods.
The advantage of the contrast method; quick and persistent consolidation of conditioned reflexes to certain commands; clear and willing execution by the dog of all actions practiced by this method due to the presence of (food arousal); maintaining and strengthening contact between the trainer and the dog; failure-free execution by the dog of practiced actions in difficult conditions (in the presence of distractions, etc.).
Experience has shown that contrast method speeds up the training process and ensures trouble-free operation of the dog in various conditions environment. This is the main value of the contrast method.
Imitative method used in dog training auxiliary method. For example, with the development of viciousness and the consolidation of barking in a guard dog, the use of an angry, good-barking dog can stimulate the manifestation of viciousness in a less excitable and poor-barking dog. Practicing overcoming obstacles can also be done by imitation. This method can be especially widely used in the practice of raising puppies.
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Used in dog training different methods, and sometimes it can be very difficult to know which one is best for you and your dog. Nowadays it is increasingly used operant conditioning.
A dog can learn in different ways. You choose which teaching methods you like.Such different methods...
There are a large number of training methods in cynology. Quite roughly, I would divide them into two groups:
- the dog is a passive participant in the learning process (for example, the classic, long-known mechanical method: when, in order to teach the dog the “Sit” command, we press the dog’s croup, thereby causing some discomfort and provoking the dog to sit);
- the dog is an active participant in the training (for example, we can teach the dog the same “Sit” command by showing the dog a piece of treat and then placing our palm in the area of the dog’s crown, provoking it to raise its head and, thus, lower the back of its body to the ground).
The mechanical method gives fairly quick results. Another thing is that stubborn dogs (for example, terriers or native breeds) they rest the more, the more you press on them: you press on the croup, and the dog bends over so as not to sit down.
Another nuance: dogs with a more mobile nervous system with this approach very quickly demonstrate what is called a “state of learned helplessness.” The dog understands that “a step to the right, a step to the left is execution,” and if it makes a mistake, they will immediately begin to correct it, and often quite unpleasantly. As a result, dogs are afraid to make their own decisions, they are lost in a new situation, they are not ready to take the initiative, and this is natural: they are used to their owner deciding everything for them.
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I won't judge whether it's good or bad. This method has been around for a long time and is still used today. Previously, due to the lack of alternatives, work was carried out mainly by this method, and we received good dogs who also worked in the armed forces, that is, on whom we could count in real life. difficult situations. But cynology does not stand still and, in my opinion, it is a sin not to use the results of new research, to learn and use new knowledge in practice.
In fact, the operant method has been used in canine therapy for quite some time, which was started by Karen Pryor. She first used it with marine mammals, but the method works with everyone: it can be used to train a bumblebee to kick balls into a goal, and goldfish- jump through the ring. Even if this animal is trained by the operant method, then what can we say about dogs, horses, cats, etc.
The difference between the operant method and the classical method is that the dog is an active participant in the training process.
In operant training, dogs actively participate in the training process and suggest new tricks.What is Operant Training in Dogs?
Back in the 30s of the 19th century, scientist Edward Lee Thorndike came to the conclusion that the learning process, in which the learner is an active agent and where correct decisions are actively encouraged, gives quick and stable results.
His experience is known as Thorndike's Problem Box. The experiment consisted of putting a hungry cat in a wooden box with lattice walls, which saw food on the other side of the box. The animal could open the door by pressing a pedal inside the box or pulling a lever. But the cat first tried to get food by sticking its paws through the bars of the cage. After a series of failures, she examined everything inside, produced various actions. Eventually, the animal would step on the lever and the door would open. As a result of numerous repeated procedures, the cat gradually stopped performing unnecessary actions and immediately pressed the pedal.
Subsequently, these experiments were continued by Skinner.
The research results led to a very important conclusion for training: actions that are rewarded, that is, reinforced, are more likely to occur in subsequent trials, and those that are not reinforced are not used by the animal in subsequent trials.
Actions that are reinforced are repeated by the dog in the future.Considering the operant training method, we cannot help but dwell on the concept of the operant training quadrant, that is, the basic principles of operation of this method.
At the core of the quadrant is the animal's motivation. Hence, the action that an animal performs can lead to 2 results:
- reinforcing the dog’s motivation (the dog gets what he wanted, and in this case he will repeat this action more and more often, because it leads to the satisfaction of desires);
- punishment (the dog gets something it did NOT want to get, and in this case the dog will avoid repeating this action).
IN different situations the same action can be both reinforcement and punishment for a dog - it all depends on the motivation.
For example, stroking. Let's say our dog loves to be petted. In that situation, if our pet is relaxed or bored, stroking the beloved owner will, of course, serve as reinforcement. However, if our dog is in an intensive training process, our stroking will be very inappropriate, and the dog may well perceive it as some kind of punishment.
Let's take another example: our dog barked at home. Let's analyze the motivation: a dog can bark at various reasons, but we will now analyze the situation when a dog barks out of boredom, in order to attract our attention. So, the dog’s motivation is to attract the owner’s attention. From the owner's point of view, the dog is behaving incorrectly. The owner looks at the dog and shouts at it, trying to silence it. The owner believes that this moment he punished the dog. However, the dog has a completely different point of view on this matter - we remember that she craved attention, right? Even negative attention is attention. That is, from the dog’s point of view, the owner has just satisfied its motivation, thereby reinforcing the barking. And then we turn to the conclusions that Skinner made in the last century: actions that are encouraged are repeated with increasing frequency. That is, we, without meaning to, form behavior in our pet that annoys us.
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Punishment and reinforcement can be positive or negative. An illustration will help us understand.
Positive is when something is added. Negative - something is removed.
Pictured: Operant Conditioning QuadrantFor example: a dog performed an action for which it received something pleasant. This positive reinforcement. The dog sat down and received a piece of treat for this.
If the dog performed an action as a result of which he received something unpleasant, we are talking about positive punishment- the action led to punishment. The dog tried to steal a piece of food from the table, and a plate and a pan fell on it with a crash.
If a dog experiences something unpleasant, performs an action as a result of which the unpleasant factor disappears - this is negative reinforcement. For example, when using a mechanical training method when teaching a sit, we press on the dog’s croup and give it an unpleasant sensation. As soon as the dog sits down, the pressure on the croup disappears. That is, the shrinking effect stops the unpleasant effect on the dog’s croup.
If the dog’s action stops the pleasant thing it enjoyed before, we are talking about negative punishment. For example, the dog played ball or tug-of-war with you - that is, it received pleasant emotions. Having played out, the dog carelessly and very painfully grabbed your finger, which is why you stopped playing with your pet - the dog’s action stopped the pleasant entertainment.
The same action can be considered as Various types punishment or reinforcement depending on the situation or the participant in this situation.
Let's return to the dog barking at home out of boredom. The owner shouted at the dog, which fell silent. That is, from the owner’s point of view, his action (yelling at the dog and the silence that followed) stopped the unpleasant action - barking. In this case (in relation to the owner) we speak of negative reinforcement. From the point of view of a bored dog who is eager to get his owner's attention in any way, the owner's cry in response to the dog's barking is positive reinforcement. Although, if a dog is afraid of its owner, and barking for it was a self-rewarding action, then the owner’s cry in this situation is a negative punishment for the dog.
Most often, when working with a dog, a competent specialist uses positive reinforcement and, a little, negative punishment.
At operant training dogs often take the initiative and are more active.(banner_rastyajka-mob-2)
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Pros of Operant Training for Dogs
As you can see, within the operant method, the central and active part of learning is the dog itself. In the process of learning this method, the dog has the opportunity to draw conclusions, control the situation and manage it.
A very important “bonus” when using the operant training method is “ by-effect": dogs that are accustomed to being active participants in the training process become more proactive, self-confident (they know that, in the end, everything works out for them, they rule the world, they can move mountains and turn back rivers), their performance improves. self-control and ability to work in frustrating conditions.
They know: even if it doesn’t work out right now, it’s okay, stay calm and keep doing – keep trying, and a reward awaits you!
A skill that is mastered by the operant method tends to be consolidated faster than a skill that is practiced by the mechanical method. That's what the statistics say.
Now I only work soft methods, but my previous dog was trained using contrast (carrot and stick method) and mechanics. And I’ll be honest: it seems to me that positive reinforcement, when we actively encourage the right behavior and ignore (and try to prevent) the wrong one, gives a stable result a little later than the mechanical approach.
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But... I vote with both hands for working with soft methods, because the operant method is not only training, it is an integral system of interaction, the philosophy of our relationship with the dog, which is our friend and, often, a full-fledged member of the family.
I prefer to work with the dog a little longer, but in the end get a pet that is gushing with energy, ideas and a sense of humor, and has retained its charisma. A pet with whom the relationship was built on love, respect, desire and interest in working with me. A pet who trusts me unconditionally and who is eager to work with me. Because it is interesting and fun for him to work, it is interesting and fun for him to obey.
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TRAINING METHODS
The method is understood as such an influence on the animal that leads to the reproduction (appearance) of the actions necessary for the trainer or the preservation of the necessary poses.
Although, according to K. Pryor, “there are as many methods of training as there are trainers who can come up with them,” the following are the most commonly used.
Pointing method, which consists in the fact that the trainer causes the movement he needs by inviting the animal to follow a piece of food or hand. V.L. Durov called this method “gesticulation” and understood by this “a set of movements that direct the animal to the desired movement.” This method also includes the “target” method described by K. Pryor, which consists in initiating a motor reaction of an animal by moving a hand or some object (target), by manipulating which one can cause quite complex motor behavior of animals. We often instinctively use this method - we pat our hand on the thigh, inviting the dog to come, or on the sofa when we want him to jump on it. When we take a piece of treat in our hand and invite the dog to follow it, we use the guidance method.
Pushing method when the trainer, with the help of guiding (pushing) influences of the hands, leash, does not lead to pain or unpleasant sensations for the animal, achieves the reproduction of the desired action. In this way, we can make it clear to the dog what is required of it, the main thing is to stop the auxiliary actions in time, otherwise the dog will include them in your team.
Passive inflection method, the essence of which is to give the animal the necessary pose or help it make the necessary movement. This method is possible provided that the animal does not resist the trainer’s influences, for example, when teaching a dog to give a paw. In operant training, this method is called “sculpting”, since the trainer sculpts this or that pose as he was. This is the way children are sometimes taught to write letters - an adult takes the child’s hand in his own and helps him make the correct movements.
Behavior selection method when, during the natural behavior of an animal, necessary actions are positively reinforced and unnecessary actions are negatively reinforced. A.V. Durova-Sadovskaya called this method “catching.” According to Skinner, this method consists in the fact that the entire path from the initial behavior (even before the start of training) to the final reaction that the researcher seeks to develop in the animal is divided into several stages.
Let's say that we need to train a pigeon to hit a small glowing circle with its beak, using food reinforcement in the form of a grain. At first, we will give him a grain every time he enters the half of the cage where the glowing circle is located. Next, we will reinforce him only if he not only entered this half of the cage, but also turned his head towards the wall on which the circle is located. At the third stage, it is possible, for example, to produce a grain under a combination of these two conditions, if in addition the animal’s beak is directed towards the circle. Then you can gradually force the pigeon to touch the circle with its beak and, finally, hit it in order to obtain reinforcement. As we can see, with this method of training one moves on to the next stage only when the behavioral reaction necessary at the previous stage has already been formed.
The method of behavior selection serves as the basis for methods that allow not only to practice the characteristic (species-specific) reactions of animals, but also to master skills unusual for their normal behavior:
Amplification method behavioral sign , which consists in reinforcing an increasingly different in the desired direction (or more pronounced) version of the behavioral act. K. Pryor calls this method the “method of successive approximation”; it was this method that she used as the main one for training dolphins, for example, to increase the jump height;
A method of reducing (reducing) a behavioral act to its individual element. For example, by positive reinforcement of only one of the elements. Reducing the behavioral act, V.L. Durov managed to practice the skills of blowing a musical trumpet and pronouncing the word “mother” by a dog.
Alternative method(alternative behavior), in which the trainer creates conditions (sometimes without even directly influencing the animal: for example, with the help of props) that allow only one possible movement. That's the name of one of the old ways teaching the dog to move next to the trainer as he moves with it along the fence - dog to fence.
Method of gaming behavior(especially effective for young or playful animals). In this case, the need for play is used, when the opportunity to play is also a reinforcement. To use this method, a game situation is created and a form of game is proposed, which should represent the action desired by the trainer.
Imitation method(method of imitation), the peculiarity of which is that it simultaneously acts as a method (imitation method of teaching).
A way of acting defensively or avoiding when they achieve the desired behavior with the help of painful or unpleasant influences, avoiding which animals perform the desired action. For example, unpleasant or painful tugs, blows, painful pressure, anticipation of pain (fear), which can cause a change in the animal’s behavior, are necessary for the trainer - defensive behavior. As a rule, this method is used to practice the movement of the dog next to the trainer, landing and laying down.
Method of aggressive-defensive behavior: in this case, the animal is exposed to an influence of such quality and strength that the dog can only get rid of it through aggressive-defensive behavior. The effect of the method is that you can get rid of a dangerous stimulus in two ways - 1) leave (escape) from the sphere of its action; 2) destroy it by attacking. Your job is to make your dog want to follow the second path. Over time, the command preceding the aggressive state and the corresponding instrumental action, or the situation associated with it, become signal ones, that is, not only instrumental reflexes are formed, but also conditioned reflexes to the state.
These methods can be used in any form of learning (training method), but their effectiveness will be different. Very often, when practicing a specific skill, several methods are used sequentially or in parallel.
The choice of one or another method of training is determined by the age and breed of the dog, the task facing the trainer, his experience, intuition, and even taste. And very often the “fast” methods are not the best.
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Training methods are ways of exposing a dog to certain stimuli. It is customary to distinguish between four main methods of training: mechanical, taste-rewarding, contrasting and imitative.
Mechanical method. The mechanical method of training consists in using a mechanical stimulus in various forms as an unconditioned stimulus, which evokes a protective defensive reflex in the dog (see Fig. 100), for example, the sitting reflex when you press your hand on the dog’s croup. In this case, the “mechanical” stimulus not only causes the initial action in the dog (unconditioned reflex), but is used to reinforce the conditioned reflex. An example of this would be one of the ways to train a dog to carry objects. To practice this action, the trainer, having sat the dog, with his right hand brings a light object to its muzzle and, giving the appropriate command, exerts a certain physical effect on the dog. He lifts the dog by the collar. Under pressure from the collar (the action of a mechanical stimulus), the dog opens its mouth, into which the trainer quickly places an object and releases the collar. The trainer's right hand is under lower jaw dog, and when the dog tries to throw the object, the trainer delivers a light blow with his palm under the jaw. This blow, as a mechanical stimulus, is repeated in all cases when the dog tries to throw diarrhea out of the mouth, and it is an irritant that reinforces the action. A characteristic feature of the mechanical training method is that the dog performs passive actions under “coercion”.
Rice. 100. Scheme of analysis of a “mechanical” stimulus
The mechanical training method has the following positive aspects.
1. All actions developed in a dog using this method are firmly established and are performed flawlessly under normal conditions.
2. Using the mechanical training method, you can easily achieve trouble-free execution of practiced actions.
The negative aspects of the mechanical training method include:
1) Frequent use of this method in some dogs causes a depressed inhibitory state with the manifestation of a distrustful attitude towards their trainer: in dogs with a passive-defensive reaction in the form of fear and cowardice, and in angry dogs - in the form of a desire to bite their trainer;
2) the impossibility of practicing all the necessary actions using this method.
The mechanical method is of great importance when training for some special services. Thus, training a dog for guard duty, as well as partly for search, guard, etc., is mainly based on the use of mechanical stimuli (movements of an assistant when teasing the dog, striking, etc.). In this case, the use of this method is designed to excite a defensive reaction in the dog in an active-defensive form.
Taste-encouraging method. The taste-reward training method consists in the fact that the stimulus that induces the dog to perform the desired action for the trainer is a food stimulus, and the giving of treats is used to reinforce the conditioned stimulus (command - gesture).
Using the taste-reward training method, many actions in a dog can be practiced and reinforced, for example, approaching the trainer, sitting, laying down, overcoming obstacles, etc.
The taste-based training method has a number of positive aspects:
1) rapid formation of most conditioned reflexes in a dog when using food reinforcement;
2) the dog’s great “interest” in performing all the actions developed in this way;
3) maintaining and strengthening the necessary contact between the trainer and the dog.
However, this method has disadvantages:
1) does not ensure trouble-free execution of techniques, especially in the presence of distracting stimuli;
2) in a state of satiety, the performance of an action may weaken or disappear;
3) the impossibility of working out all the necessary actions using this method.
Contrast method. The main and main method of training service dogs is the contrast method. The essence of this method is a certain combination of mechanical and “incentive” effects in various forms (treats, stroking, the command “good”). In this case, mechanical stimuli are used to motivate the dog to perform desired actions, and “rewarding” stimuli are used to reinforce these actions. So, in order to accustom a dog to performing a landing using the contrast method, the trainer uses the following procedure for influencing the dog. Having the dog at his left leg, on a short leash, in a standing position, the trainer gives the command “sit”, after which with his left hand he presses on the dog’s croup, pressing him down, and with his right hand he jerks the leash up. As a result of such exposure of the dog to an unconditioned mechanical stimulus, the dog performs the action of landing. The trainer reinforces this action of sitting by giving treats and stroking, as a result of which the dog establishes a conditioned reflex to the command “sit”.
Analysis of this action shows that in this case the conditioned reflex was formed on the basis of a sequential combination of the conditioned sound stimulus of the command “sit” with the forced movement of the dog, accompanied by food reinforcement (muscular-muscular reflex of sitting). As a result of this combination, a certain conditional connection is formed; the action of a sound conditioned stimulus (the “sit” command) causes the dog to sit, and the latter is accompanied by the manifestation of a conditioned food reflex (the dog in the sitting position expects to receive a treat).
The contrast training method summarizes the positive aspects of the taste-based and mechanical methods, and therefore has a number of advantages.
These advantages are as follows:
1) in the rapid and persistent consolidation of conditioned reflexes to certain commands,
2) the dog has interest (conditioned food reflex), as a result of which the dog quickly and willingly performs all the actions worked out by this method;
3) in maintaining and strengthening contact between the trainer and the dog;
4) the ability to achieve failure-free execution by the dog of the practiced actions in complicated conditions (in the presence of distraction, etc.).
Practical training experience has shown that the contrast method speeds up training and ensures trouble-free operation of the dog in a variety of environmental conditions. This is the main value of the contrast method.
Imitative method. The imitative method of training is not of primary importance, but can be used as an auxiliary method: when training a dog’s conditioned reflex to give a voice on the command “voice”, when practicing overcoming obstacles, and can be widely used when raising puppies.
Training is carried out in order to develop in the dog special skills necessary when using it in one or another type of service (search, guard, shepherd, etc.).
Special dog training begins after general training techniques such as walking nearby, calling and holding an object have been mastered. The most difficult and time-consuming is the training of dogs for use in the search service. The greatest difficulty is developing in a dog the skill of clear, active differentiation of odors, which is where special training must begin. detection dogs(Fig. 138).
Initially, they work out a selection of things (“ours” and “strangers”).
Rice. 138. Special training techniques (diagram)
Practicing the skill of “working on the scent” should be attributed to approximately the middle of the second month of special training and begin only after the dog has developed a general “interest” in the smell of a person, the dog has been sufficiently disciplined and the technique of sampling things has been practiced.
Searching the area for search dogs is introduced only after the dog has been transferred to working on a “blind” trail, since the dog, when working on a complex and difficult trail, often switches to searching the area, as the easiest job.
The development of anger and detention, which develops “interest in work” by the smell of a person for search dogs, is introduced at the beginning of the development of “blind” tracks.
Practicing guarding, guarding, grazing livestock and “communication” begins after general techniques disciplining a dog.
PREPARATORY TECHNIQUES FOR A SPECIAL TRAINING COURSE
DEVELOPMENT OF OLfactory-SEARCH RESPONSE
The training and use of most service dogs is based on the use of their olfactory-search response. Therefore, the timely development of this reaction is the main condition for high-quality training of dogs in training units in a short time.
Conditioned stimuli - the commands “Look”, “Sniff” and a gesture - pointing with a hand in the direction of search. Auxiliary team - "Aport".
Unconditioned stimuli - treats, stroking, fetch objects, scent lures.
To do this, you can use the following methods.
First way. On a grassy area, the trainer, in full view of the dog, scatters 3-4 small pieces of meat in different directions. At the same time, he shows the last piece of meat to the dog and lets it sniff it, and when the dog reaches for the meat, he throws it into the grass. Then he sends the dog to search for a treat, controlling it with a long leash. This method should be used as a last resort, when the dog’s search reaction is severely inhibited.
Second way.Good results are obtained by exercises to find a hidden trainer (owner) in the presence of strong contact. While walking in an area with a variety of local objects, the trainer, taking advantage of the dog’s distraction, hides behind cover and, if possible, watches it. With good contact, the dog, as a rule, begins to search for the owner using sight, hearing and smell. In windy weather, the trainer must hide so that the wind blows from his direction onto the dog. This will make it easier to include your sense of smell in the search. When the dog, having discovered the trainer, runs up to him, he is rewarded with a treat.
As the search reaction develops, the trainer not only hides, but also moves 50–100 meters away from the dog. This will encourage the dog to search for the owner using the scent trail. After the dog finds its owner, it is rewarded with games and treats. Subsequently, such exercises are practiced when the trainer ties the dog with a leash to a tree or pole and walks away 300–400 meters so that the dog does not see his movement. After this, the second trainer approaches the dog, unties it and sends for the owner. Following the dog with a long leash, he guides it along the scent trail. If the dog is walking actively follows the scent, then the assistant trainer remains in place and the dog works independently.
Third way. When improving the skill of fetching, it is necessary to use a variety of fetching objects of small sizes, 1–10 centimeters long, in color corresponding to the background of the area.
The exercises are performed like this. The trainer introduces the dog to the smell of the object, then throws it into the grass, bushes or similar odorless objects and after 1-2 minutes, on the command “Look for fetch”, sends the dog after it. In one hour-long lesson, the exercise is repeated 6-8 times. The same exercises should be performed to detect scent objects scattered by assistants.
Systematic repetition of such exercises contributes to the development of the olfactory-search reaction, which is subsequently necessary for searching the area, sampling things, and odorological sampling.
Fourth way. In life (work) the dog is guided by both the lower and upper senses. With the upper scent, the dog perceives odors in the air and in this way determines the location of the source of the smell; with the lower scent, it directly sniffs the soil. Through targeted exercises it is necessary to develop both her lower and upper senses.
For this purpose, 30–40 minutes before the start of the search, the trainer lays out the retrieving objects on the ground so that 40–50% of them lie on the ground, and the rest at a height of 1–1.5 meters from the ground (on bushes, on tree branches, grass stems, etc.). At the same time, each time you start a dog on a search, you must take into account the direction of the wind. Make you walk both with and against the wind, and practice on varied terrain. For each discovered item, the dog should be rewarded with a treat.
Fifth way. Considering the dog’s active reaction to odors of animal origin, it is advisable to use odorous baits - swabs with the smell of blood. Smelling baits (10–15 pieces) are laid out along the intended route of movement of the trainer and the dog at a distance of 15–40 meters from the path. The number of baits changes at each lesson; when moving along the trail, the dog is on an extended leash. For each scented bait discovered, the dog is rewarded with petting and a treat.
During training, each lesson and the development of any special skill should contribute to the development of the olfactory-search reaction of behavior and bring it to perfection.
1. Excessive passion exercises to find pieces of meat scattered around the area. The dog gets used to looking for treats every time he goes for a walk.
2. Incorrect execution of exercises, when the dog finds the owner or objects using sight and hearing rather than smell.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACTIVE DEFENSE REACTION (ANGER)
The skill of distrustful attitude towards strangers, courageous and active struggle with a person attacking a dog, a strong grip on his clothes is the basis for training dogs for search, guard, guard and other special services.
Conditioned stimuli - the command “Face” and a gesture - pointing with a hand in the direction of the assistant.
Unconditioned stimuli - assistant and its various effects on the dog. The skill is developed on the basis of an active defensive reaction. You can use the imitation reaction. The technique is introduced after establishing good contact between the trainer and the dog.
The development of an active defensive reaction should begin during the period of group housing of puppies and continue until they are transferred to the main course of special training.
Methods and techniques of training. The nature of the exercises and the sequence of their complication depends on the age of the dog, the degree of its preparedness, the conditions of detention before the start of training, and the prevailing behavioral reaction. The exercise is performed in the following order. In a selected area of terrain, having covered the assistant, the leader of the lesson gives the command to the trainer to put the dog on a chain, tying it to a tree (post) at a height of 1 meter from the ground so that when tensioned, the chain is higher than the dog’s body and does not fall between its limbs. The chain is held with the left hand along with the leash at a distance of one meter from the collar in order to weaken (soften) the dog’s jerks towards the helper (Fig. 48).
Rice. 48. Development of an active-defensive reaction
At the established signal, the assistant carefully comes out from behind the shelter and approaches the dog, watching its behavior. The trainer, pointing his hand towards the assistant, pronounces the command “Face”. The dog's active reaction is encouraged by stroking. The assistant, approaching the dog, makes attacking actions, hitting the ground with a rod, lightly on the sides of the dog. Once she is sufficiently excited, the assistant runs for cover.
The trainer calms the dog by stroking it. After 2–3 minutes, the exercise is repeated.
After the dog has developed courage and is not afraid of the assistant’s swings with a rod, they move on to exercises to develop a grip on rags and special sleeves. For this purpose, the assistant, having teased the dog with blows of the rod, waves the rag over the dog or hits it so that it can grab the rag. With a weak grip, the assistant pulls the rag towards him, trying to take it away. If the dog holds too tightly, throws this rag and as soon as the dog frees himself from it, switches the dog to another rag. At the trainer's signal, the assistant stops teasing and runs for cover. The exercise ends with walking the dog.
Repeated repetition of exercises to develop anger using rags quickly leads to the formation of an undesirable habit. Therefore, if the dog boldly grabs rags, is not afraid of blows with a rod, exercises are practiced to develop a strong grip by intercepting special sleeves, the dog is taught to fight with the helper by pulling off items of special clothing from him and then grabbing the helper’s hands.
Exercises are practiced with the involvement of two assistants attacking the dog simultaneously and using various mechanical stimuli.
Anger in puppies and dogs with a passive-defensive reaction is developed through group exercises, using the dogs’ ability to imitate. In this case, one of the dogs in the group must be more vicious so that its actions encourage other dogs to react viciously to the influence of the helper. It should be noted that there should be no more than 4-5 puppies or 2-3 adult dogs in the group and teasing should continue for no more than 2-3 minutes. Otherwise, dogs develop an excessive vocal reaction (barking) and become overexcited. nervous system. The number and nature of exercises to develop anger are determined based on individual characteristics dogs - age, severity of defensive reaction and amenability to training.
It is recommended to carry out exercises with puppies 2-3 times daily, and with dogs older than 6-8 months that do not have sufficient anger, in the first 4-5 lessons it is necessary to carry out 5-6 exercises (2 combinations each time) with breaks between exercises 5 -10 minutes. The duration of teasing is 1–2 minutes. Subsequently, the number of exercises is gradually reduced to 1–2 times in each lesson.
The dog can be considered prepared for transfer to the course service training, if she is not afraid of the attacking person, she boldly and actively enters into a fight with him, showing a strong grip and intercepting the assistant’s hands.
Possible trainer mistakes:
1. The assistant’s use of strong mechanical stimuli that evoke cowardice rather than anger in the dog.
2. Using uniform clothing.
3. Conducting classes on the same terrain, at the same time of day.
7. BASIC TECHNIQUES OF SPECIAL TRAINING COURSE
TRAINING IN DETENTION AND GUARDING A PERSON
The skill of detaining a fleeing person, courageously, actively fighting him and vigilantly guarding the detainee on the spot and on the move is necessary when performing a variety of official tasks and is the basis for developing other special skills in the dog.
Conditioned stimuli: basic - the command “Face” and a gesture - pointing with a hand in the direction of the assistant; additional commands “Near”, “Fu”, “Voice”, “Sit”, etc.
Unconditioned stimuli: assistant and its effects, stroking. The skill is developed on the basis of an active-defensive reaction after the dog develops sufficient anger.
Methods and techniques of training.First period . Task: to develop in the dog the initial conditioned reflex of detaining a fleeing person and guarding him on the spot.
Trainer training requirements:
Know the behavioral characteristics of your dog, be able to determine the degree of excitability of the dog;
Master the technique of controlling a dog with a leash when detaining an assistant;
Be able to act as an assistant when other trainers perform exercises with their dogs;
Know the sequence of development of a skill in a dog, and the possible mistakes of the trainer and assistant, which can lead to the formation of unwanted conditioned reflexes in the dog.
Exercises to detain a fleeing assistant are carried out in the following order. A site with natural shelters is selected. The leader of the lesson, in the presence of the trainers, instructs the assistant, indicating the location of the shelter, the order of his actions, and the order of work of the trainers.
The trainer comes with the dog to the indicated place and, holding it in a sitting position on a short leash, gives the command “Listen” and points with his hand in the direction of the expected helper.
When the dog calms down, the assistant comes out from behind the shelter at a given signal and, stimulating the dog with gestures, walks in its direction. Having let him approach the dog up to 3-4 steps, the trainer gives the command “Stop”. At this command, the assistant turns and runs away in the indicated direction (Fig. 49).
Rice. 49. Training to fight with a person
After removing the assistant by 5-10 steps, the trainer, using the command “Fas” and with a gesture, lets the dog into custody with a short leash fastened. The helper runs sideways, watching the dog's behavior and holding one of his arms extended towards the dog. When the dog runs up, the assistant moves his hand upward, entrains the dog, encourages him to grab the sleeve from the jump.
After grabbing one hand, the assistant uses blows (with a rod, a sleeve) on the dog to switch it to the other hand, then again to the first, etc. Having allowed the dog to “satisfy” the spanking, the trainer commands the assistant to “Stop.” At this command, the assistant stops all active actions and stands quietly. The trainer, approaching the dog, takes short leash, slightly pulls it and after a short wait, giving the command “Nearby”, jerks the leash towards himself; if the dog does not let go of the assistant, then he delivers a light blow to the dog with the rod. Having calmed the dog by stroking, he sits it down at a distance of 3-4 steps from the assistant. In the first lessons, after a minute of guarding a calmly standing assistant with the command “Lie down,” the assistant lies down and the dog is walked. Such exercises are repeated 2-3 times a week, and on the remaining days the dog develops a conditioned reflex guarding the assistant on the spot without arrest.
The exercise is performed like this. The trainer with the dog approaches the calmly standing assistant, dressed each time in a variety of special clothes, sits the dog 3-4 meters away from him and gives the command “Guard!” The helper should stand quietly and watch the dog. The trainer gradually moves away from the dog in different directions each time, ensuring that it remains in a sitting position. If the dog tries to grab the helper, the trainer gives the command “Sit” with a threatening intonation and makes him sit down using the leash. The ultimate goal of such exercises is to develop in the dog the skill of warily guarding a person during a personal examination by his trainer (Fig. 50).
Rice. 50. Accustoming to guarding a detained person
The detainee is examined in the following order. The trainer orders the assistant to turn sideways to the dog, spread his legs wider, and raise his arms up. Then, on the command “Guard,” he leaves the dog in place 3–4 meters from the assistant and approaches him from the side, examining him, starting from his hands from top to bottom. At the same time, he watches the dog and periodically repeats the command “Guard.” Having completed the inspection, the trainer walks around the guard at 3 meters and approaches the dog. Orders the detainee to lower his arms, cross his legs and lie down on the ground with the command “Lie down.” After this, the dog is walked.
In the future, the following complications are introduced:
The distance for launching a dog to detain gradually increases to 30 meters;
The assistant changes his uniform;
Classes are held in a variety of terrain and different time days in combination with shooting from weapons at a distance of up to 150–200 meters;
The length of time spent guarding a detainee on site is increasing.
If at first, before the start of detention, the assistant approached the dog and excited it with blows of the rod, then later - by waving his hands at a distance, moving away, each time further and further from the location of the trainer and the dog. Subsequently, the assistant moves calmly and runs away only after the command “Stop”.
In the practice of training, a dog often develops undesirable habits in response to the standard uniform of the helper’s clothing and his monotonous behavior. Therefore, at each lesson you need to change outerwear assistant At the end of the first training period during an arrest, it is advisable for the second assistant to fire the weapon from a distance of 150–200 meters. From lesson to lesson this distance is reduced.
By the end of the first training period, the dog should:
Boldly go to apprehend a fleeing assistant who is moving away to a distance of up to 30 meters, and actively fight him;
Stop fighting with the assistant after the trainer’s command “Stop”, “Nearby” and carefully watch the assistant in place for up to 2-3 minutes.
Second period. Objective: to improve the dog’s conditioned reflex of detaining a person and guarding him in place and in motion to the point of skill.
When organizing and conducting classes, the following rules must be followed:
Strictly follow the exercise regimen, based on the characteristics of the dog;
Conduct classes in a variety of terrain at different times of the day (day, night), changing the assistant’s special clothing;
At each lesson, change the nature of the assistant’s actions, including constantly increasing the strength of the stimuli used;
When performing exercises, always follow a certain sequence - detention, guarding in place, and then in motion, leaving the assistant in a lying position and walking the dog.
In the second period, exercises with the following complications are practiced:
Gradually increasing the distance from the dog to the fleeing helper to 100–150 meters and teaching the dog to behave with restraint when the helper appears;
Training a dog to intercept when fighting a detainee;
Detention of an assistant dressed in different shape clothes and running away from the dog, throwing off his outer clothing;
Performing an exercise in combination with shooting from different sides;
Detention of the helper walking in different directions each time (toward the dog, away from the dog) and at different paces.
The distance between the dog and the helper increases gradually, 10–15 meters every 2–3 sessions, taking into account the terrain conditions, and is increased to 100–150 meters during the day and 40–50 meters at night, while simultaneously illuminating the area with the headlights of the car.
The exercise to develop interception is performed in several ways.
First way. The assistant puts special sleeves on his arms over the training (protective) suit and a rolled-up cloak on his back. When detained by a dog, he acts in such a way that first the dog pulls off his coat, then the sleeves from his right and left arms alternately. The exercise ends with guarding the assistant in place, in motion and walking.
Second way. An assistant, dressed in a training suit, takes wooden knives with blunt ends in one or both hands. At the moment of fighting the dog, he uses them to indicate blows to the dog by moving his hand from top to bottom, lightly touching its back with the knife. The dog, as a rule, grabs the hand that strikes. Then, in the same way, the assistant switches the dog to the other hand 4-5 times. The exercise ends as usual.
Third way. While fighting the dog, the assistant grabs the collar with his hand, waves it and periodically hits the dog’s sides, forcing him to grab the sleeves of his jacket. Wherein Special attention It is necessary to pay attention to the observance of safety measures so that the dog does not grab the assistant’s face.
As a result of consistent, persistent, courageous and skillful work of the assistant, the dog must be trained to actively fight with detainees and intercept all parts of the body.
Systematic training in detention often develops a vocal reaction in dogs to the sight of an assistant, so the following exercise should be carried out periodically. The trainer with the dog comes to the designated place, sits the dog down, crouches next to it and, pointing with a gesture right hand towards the expected assistant, gives the command “Listen”. If the dog gets excited (squeals, barks), then, after giving the repeated command “Listen” with a threatening intonation, he jerks the leashes. When the dog calms down, at the set signal, the assistant calmly comes out from behind the shelter and moves along the indicated route. If anxiety and vocal reactions occur, the trainer calms the dog down. After the assistant leaves for the shelter, he walks the dog. The difficult task is to train the dog to stop fighting with the helper at the trainer's signal. After the command “Near”, the dog must approach the trainer and sit on the left side of the leg, continuing to watch the assistant. The instructor should not come close to the dog while fighting the detainee, as this is unsafe. Therefore, the trainer must control the dog with commands at a distance of no closer than 3–4 meters from the assistant.
If the dog does not come up after the first command “Nearby”, the trainer repeats the command with a threatening intonation and reinforces it with a jerk of the leash or a blow from the rod. Next, it is necessary, by changing the nature of the assistant’s actions, to create a sound environment close to the real one (explosions, gunshots, etc.), using sound recording amplifiers or simulation tools.
By the end of the second training period, the dog should:
Feel free to go to apprehend an assistant dressed in various uniforms, at a distance of up to 100–150 meters;
Actively fight with the detainee, intercepting the arms and legs with which he is trying to hit the dog;
Stop fighting with the assistant after the trainer’s commands “Stop”, “Nearby”, approach him, sit at his left leg and guard the assistant in place and in motion;
Do not be distracted by sound, light or other strong stimuli.
Third period. Objective: to improve the dog’s skill in detaining and guarding an assistant in difficult conditions close to the requirements of the service.
During this period the following exercises are practiced:
Detaining an assistant at a distance of up to 200–300 meters, walking in different directions, using unexpected strong stimuli;
Accustoming to fighting and independently guarding a sitting, standing, or lying person in the absence of a trainer;
Detaining an assistant in the dark with illumination of the area using car headlights, a searchlight, and flares;
Detaining 2–3 assistants with one or two dogs at the same time and guarding them;
Detention of an assistant in non-residential premises, basement, attic, etc.;
Combining detention with other special techniques;
Accustoming the dog to protect the trainer from an attack by the escort;
Periodic repetition of previous exercises, taking into account the dog’s preparedness, if necessary.
In exercises to detain the helper at a long distance, the distance between the helper and the dog increases by 20–30 meters every 2–3 exercises. The assistant does not specifically excite the dog, but acts in ways that are close to natural. Walks in different directions (toward the dog, away from the dog), when approaching the dog, he stops and stands (lies, sits) calmly, and also uses strong stimuli that are unexpected for the dog (attacks the dog with a scream, strikes with his sleeve, sometimes with a rod). In all cases, the dog must fight with the helper and guard him until the trainer approaches. All this is practiced at different times of the day in combination with versatile shooting and area lighting. In this case, the dog is controlled, as a rule, without a leash. To activate the dog’s alertness to the assistant during guarding, during inspection and escort, he periodically attacks the trainer, makes an attempt to escape, etc. In all cases, the dog must, both at the command of the trainer and independently, attack the assistant. After a short struggle, the assistant stops moving, the trainer calls the dog to him, encourages it and continues escorting again. Gradually, the dog develops the skills of protecting the trainer from attack and attentively guarding the assistant. TO detention of two or more assistants it is necessary to cross after the dog actively detains the runaway, and fight against interception.
The exercise is performed like this. The leader of the lesson instructs the assistants and places them behind shelters at a distance of up to 50 meters from each other. The trainer with the dog sits in the indicated place (at a distance of 50–60 meters from the first assistant), unfastens the short leash and, holding the dog by the collar with his left hand, gives the command “Listen”. At a signal from the leader of the session, the first assistant comes out from behind the shelter and calmly moves in the direction of the trainer and the dog. The trainer gives the command “Stop”. The assistant on this command stops, then turns around and runs away in the direction of the second assistant. After 10–15 seconds, the trainer sends the dog to detention with the command “Fas”, and he himself goes after it. When detained by a dog, the first assistant stops fighting and lies down on the ground, covering his head and neck with his hands. At this moment, the second assistant suddenly runs out from behind the shelter with noise and screaming and with his energetic movements attracts the attention of the dog, which, as a rule, stops fighting with the first assistant and switches to the second. The exercise ends with two assistants standing guard in place and in motion.
As the dog develops the skill of independently switching from one assistant to another, the conditions of the exercises change. Helpers come out from behind the cover at the same time and move (run away) in one or different directions. When guarding on the spot and in motion, they attack the trainer and run away.
At the same time, dogs are trained to detain an assistant in non-residential and dark premises. First, the assistant excites the dog and runs indoors. The trainer, on the command “Fas”, lets the dog go into detention, and he himself follows it.
After a little beating, the assistant is escorted away. After 20–30 minutes, the exercise is repeated. Subsequently, the dog is sent to search the premises without prior teasing.
At the end of the training course, the dog must:
Boldly and actively go to detain a person who is in a room (lit, unlit), moving at a distance of up to 200–300 meters, at different times of the day;
Actively fight with the detainee (armed, unarmed, calmly standing, sitting, lying assistant) both in the presence and absence of the trainer;
Stop fighting with the assistant at the trainer’s signal, approach him, sit next to him and warily guard the detainee in place and in motion when driving without a leash;
Actively and courageously defend the handler from an attack by the detainee.
Possible trainer mistakes and their consequences:
1. The use of strong mechanical stimuli by the assistant in the first and second periods of training, causing not anger, but cowardice in the dog.
2. Detaining a helper who is constantly dressed in the same clothes (in shape, color) develops in the dog the undesirable habits of an overly angry reaction to any person in similar clothes and an uncertain reaction or refusal to detain a person in different clothes.
3. Carrying out detention exercises in the same area, at the same time, as a result the dog works actively in familiar conditions, worse in others.
4. Monotonous methods of action of assistants lead to the formation of a conditioned reflex to react, to actively detain a person acting only in a certain order.
5. Excessively frequent repetition of retention exercises without taking into account the individual characteristics of each dog. As a result, dogs develop an overly angry reaction to all strangers, sometimes even to the trainer himself, and the dog often becomes difficult to control.
TRAINING TO SEARCH A PERSON BY SMELL TRAIL
Developing the skill of independently detecting a scent trail and an interested, trouble-free search for a person using a scent trail before his arrest is the main technique for training search and guard dogs.
Conditioned stimuli: basic - the command “Trace” and gesture (pointing with the hand in the direction of the trace); auxiliary - commands “Sniff”, “Look”; additional - commands “Voice”, “Quiet”, “Sit”, etc.
The scent of the trail becomes a conditioned stimulus.
An unconditioned stimulus is a helper. In addition, depending on the individual characteristics of the dogs’ behavior, food, a retrieval object, and the trainer himself can be used as unconditioned stimuli.
The skill is developed on the basis of innate olfactory-search, active-defensive and food reactions of behavior.
The main indicator of a dog's suitability for training it to search for a person by scent trail is the presence of an olfactory-search and active-defensive behavior reaction. You can also train dogs that are strongly interested in fetching and have a predominant food reaction.
Methods and techniques of training.
First period. Task: to develop in the dog the initial conditioned reflex of an active, interested search for a person according to his scent trail.
Before training dogs to search for a person using a scent trail, it is necessary to practice the following preparatory techniques:
Establishing contact and developing general disciplinary skills necessary to control a dog;
Development of anger and distrust of strangers;
Training to detain an assistant on the spot;
Development of physical endurance (cross-country races of 1–3 kilometers);
Development of the olfactory-search reaction;
Accustoming to work in the dark;
Familiarization with environmental irritants in the area where classes will be held to train dogs to work on scent trails.
Requirements for the trainer's preparedness. The basis for success in training dogs is the training of the trainers themselves, therefore the method of teaching them how to train dogs to search for a person by his scent trail should ensure the gradual development in them of courage, confidence, and the necessary initiative in working with a dog on the scent.
The trainer must believe in his abilities, be able to trust the dog, know the peculiarities of its behavior, follow the scent trail, and be well oriented in the area.
By the time of the initial exercises, the trainer should:
Master the techniques of skillful, smooth (without jerking) control of a dog with a long leash on various terrain;
Be able to remember trail routes and navigate the terrain;
Study the behavior of a dog when working on a scent trail;
Freely distribute attention to your actions and control of the dog, the environment, signals from the instructor and others, and also be able to play the role of an assistant trainer:
Lay tracks along the indicated landmarks;
Be camouflaged on the terrain and be upwind of the dog without noise, rustling, etc.;
Accept the dog on a raincoat or on special sleeves, without removing them from yourself, and fight in compliance with safety measures.
In addition, the trainer must be a perfect tracker, a necessary condition to monitor the work of the dog and find the lost trace. For this purpose, it is recommended to conduct tracking training without a dog.
Of course, the trainer and the dog must be well prepared for medium and long distance running.
The first lessons must be carried out in compliance with the following rules. It is advisable to practice early in the morning or at night in an area covered with grass, with a minimum amount of distracting stimuli, i.e., in conditions where the scent trail is well preserved. In the daytime, especially in clear weather, human odors on the grass cover are quickly destroyed by the following reasons: green parts of plants (leaves) as a result of photosynthesis release oxygen, which, as an active oxidizing agent, neutralizes human odors; Due to the temperature difference in the surface layer of the atmosphere and its higher layers, the vertical movement of air (inversion) increases many times, resulting in upper layers atmosphere in the ground layer there is a large (compared to the dark time of day) influx of ozone, which is a strong oxidizing agent organic compounds, including human odor particles; Solar radiation accelerates the destruction of human odor particles.
The area should be familiar to the dog, closed, with natural shelters (bushes, ravines, etc.). During the first period of training, it is better to conduct classes in one place.
The dog should be in a half-starved (hungry) and alert state. Training is carried out in moderate wind (preferably weak), the trail is laid in the direction of the wind. The trainer must know the starting and ending points of the track and the route of the assistant. The place for laying the trail and tying the dog is selected so that it cannot see the direction of the assistant’s movement, or find it by auditory or visual search. In this case, she will be forced to use her sense of smell.
The trail must be laid in a rounded or zigzag shape, 250–400 meters long.
In one 4-6 hour lesson, exercises to work on the trace can be performed 3-4 times.
Depending on the individual characteristics of dogs (their degree of preparedness and the severity of predominant reactions), various methods are used to train them to search for a person by scent trail.
The first method (the main one) - starting a dog along the scent trail of a person without preliminary teasing is used for dogs that have an active defensive reaction. The development of the initial conditioned reflex is carried out as follows. The leader of the lesson (instructor), in the presence of the trainer, gives the task to the assistant to lay the trail, indicating starting point, the route of movement and the end point behind the cover. The trainer is obliged to monitor the passage of the track and remember it well. After the assistant has reached the end point, the trainer walks with
