#178: How to Apply Errorless Learning Principles in Practical Training Sessions

Drinking From the Toilet: Real dogs, Real training

In his 1968 book, The Technology of Teaching, B.F. Skinner wrote:

Errors are not a function of learning or vice-versa nor are they blamed on the learner. Errors are a function of poor analysis of behavior, a poorly designed shaping program, moving too fast from step to step in the program and the lack of the prerequisite behavior necessary for success in the program. - BF Skinner

And that sounds great. It also sounds like a lot of pressure on the dog trainer. Never fear! In this episode, we discuss what errorless learning actually means and how to apply the principles in our real life training sessions.

In this episode, we discuss the original research on errorless learning by Dr. H.S. Terrace form 1963, what is the difference between errorless training and trial-and-error trainings?, why we care about training with errors - what’s in it for us dog trainers?, designing our training sessions so that we don’t rely on extinction as a training tool, and in fact actively structure our sessions to minimize our dogs’ experience of extinction, strategies allow us to train more errorlessly (fading in discriminations - early and often, using back-chaining, even when shaping small behaviors, introducing a new element between the click and the treat, setting your minimum criteria to earn a click to behaviors your dog is doing frequently, and avoid raising criteria to something your dog has never done, or only done once).

For full show notes, visit: www.hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/178 This podcast is supported by Patreon: www.patreon.com/DFTT