When you watch dog training videos, try to answer these questions:
- Which training method was used to teach the behavior?
- Which elements of a repetition are present in the video?
- On which level does the behavior in the video begin?
- Understand why an element may not be present in a particular repetition
What a Trained Behavior Looks Like
When Max was a puppy, I train him to place his chin on a towel in my hand to make it easy for me to wipe his face when he is drooling.
When a dog touches a specific body part to a designated location, it’s called TARGETING. In this video, you’ll see Max practice this behavior on level 8 (duration) and level 11 (diversity).
Max knows 40 commands and for most of them, I trained him to follow the verbal command in the absence of the visual command. I wanted Max to be able to follow commands even if we’re not making eye contact. In this video, you’ll see Max following a few verbal commands while standing behind me. It’s trained behaviors like this that cause people to think dogs understand English.