a lesson in learning

[kizkiznobite]

Anyone that has had my written stuff or had my help knows that I always say and do assessment and evaluation – to test the learning.  When I was a kid, dad was always going on and on –‘have you tested the learning? Test the learning, what was the test of learning?’ blah blah – it used to do my head in and invariably I would answer ‘yes daddy, have done daddy, blah blah whilst muttering under my breath – ‘the dog can do it mumble mumble'. I know folk also do this to shut me up so here is a story for you.
When I was about 11 I got given a pup to train to work all by myself, I was sooo excited – dad finally trusted me and she was a little star – so she gets to about 5 months and I announce –‘going to start dummy work’ – ‘humph’ was the reply but being the stroppy kid I was off I started – and we did good – dad would see me going off and would shout – ‘don’t forget to mark the dummies properly and test the learning’ my turn to humph!  Early one Saturday morning gets up lays a trail 12 dummies – came home without 10 of them and was made to make more that night with grumble grumble about not marking dummy spots in my ear. Next morning off we go again dummies marked and ready – and she gets 9 – the next day she got everyone – all 12. ‘Dad she trained to dummies’ ‘mmm right’ ‘can we go do it up the rocks?’ ‘No she wont be ready’ humph! So we did it some more and nag nag nag until eventually dad says ‘ok – tell you what – I will come up with you to the fields tomorrow – if you do ok we will move to the rocks’.  Next morning there is the trail; and I made it real hard showing off – she gets everyone. ‘Can we go up to the rocks?’ ‘No she not ready’ – humph temper tantrum. The next morning dad wakes me up real early – come on ‘trails laid – 15 dummies 4 not scented’, me in I’ll show you mode – strop strop – we get up to the fields and she failed – totally –got 2! 
There was not any pink ribbon markers on the tree’s and bushes.
‘Not fair – you tricked me’ screams I, ‘no I didn’t – you tricked yourself in to thinking she had got it – and missed what the dog was actually doing – and how fair would that have been to her people or her when she moves on?’
I always assess, I always evaluate myself and have done ever since then.

[Joly]

Hey thats really interesting kiz -  im going to have a sit and think about this 

[Mudgie]

So to test the learning.....

Elaborate Bev.......... 

We talking mixing it right up so end result same but different places, different distractions, different scents to ensure 100% focus.

[parker]

hmmm so you are saying that instead of learning to find the scent she learned to look for the pink bows and then knew there would be a scented dummy there?

[kizkiznobite]

yes - she realised that at each tree/bush where there was the same marker the dummy would be on the floor - which is very very clever in itself - but i was training for scent first - visual as in dummy colour second - the lesson i was being taught is do not assume the dog has understood and has learnt the behaviour you think it has - test the learning - evaulate your training.

mudgie - you got an example - the 2 step - behaviour on the left - assessment on the right and comments in blue - the self evaluation in red??

and to test a learning - does it happen with and/or without other influences.  for example - on one of my sheets is the conditioning of a self taught behaviour of hollie's to avoid being neck snapped by brose when entereing the house at the time brose was learning to be a manager.  brose used her right to come into the house first and then remind them she was their dog manager by snapping at the necks - hollie hated it but wanted to avoid fighting her - so hollie took to going around the front and knocking the front door hehe - brose would be waiting at the back door - it cracked us up at the time - when we realised why she suddenly started doing this - my dogs are cued to come to the back door so it was odd -  i tested the learning - she only ever did it if brose was at the entrance to the kitchen near the back door - if brose was out with me or still down the garden she came in the back door - with me?

[Mudgie]

Fantastic - they are so clever...  This is what I meant in other post with kong.  Nacho has learnt that when mum and dad are "suited" he is in crate until Doggie Walker comes.     He makes me feel guilty as he does his best to delay us going.  Lies across me, paw on my foot so I cant walk away... 

He goes for wee and then stands by fridge door....     As soon as kong comes out he is in crate in down position (legs to side) awaiting kong... It is hilarious....  One of the few things that I didn't have to train him to do over and over..........   

[kizkiznobite]

right - you had my conditioning stuff - write this out -clue - you will realise you do not have to feel guilty
 

[Mudgie]

I don't feel guilty - he tries to make me feel guilty.    

If I thought he wasnt happy I would not be working.  Pooch comes first..

[kizkiznobite]

no he doesnt - do the exercise

[Joly]

thats very good kiz!!!

yes - she realised that at each tree/bush where there was the same marker the dummy would be on the floor - which is very very clever in itself - but i was training for scent first - visual as in dummy colour second - the lesson i was being taught is do not assume the dog has understood and has learnt the behaviour you think it has - test the learning - evaulate your training.

mudgie - you got an example - the 2 step - behaviour on the left - assessment on the right and comments in blue - the self evaluation in red??

and to test a learning - does it happen with and/or without other influences.  for example - on one of my sheets is the conditioning of a self taught behaviour of hollie's to avoid being neck snapped by brose when entereing the house at the time brose was learning to be a manager.  brose used her right to come into the house first and then remind them she was their dog manager by snapping at the necks - hollie hated it but wanted to avoid fighting her - so hollie took to going around the front and knocking the front door hehe - brose would be waiting at the back door - it cracked us up at the time - when we realised why she suddenly started doing this - my dogs are cued to come to the back door so it was odd -  i tested the learning - she only ever did it if brose was at the entrance to the kitchen near the back door - if brose was out with me or still down the garden she came in the back door - with me?

[kizkiznobite]

We talking mixing it right up so end result same but different places, different distractions, different scents to ensure 100% focus.

no mudgie that is testing that the behaviours happen at higher criteria's - this is different - this is about testing that learning has taken place in the way you think it has or understand it has

[parker]

Wow that is excellent so.... to test the learning..

if you are placing bows around the trees to mark where the dummies are at first then to test you will remove a bow at a time?  Or you will test it somewhere else but then wouldnt that just be a different criteria?

How do you keep it all up in your head

[kizkiznobite]

hehe - learnt dont use ribbons haha - i use twists of grass - corn - sticks - anything from the surrounding environment - to test on the dummies - dad had it correct - put unscented ones down - so you have dummy dummies  that way you know if you cue rabbit and get unscented then the dog not ready


bunnydummybunnydummyyummydummy  amiloocando

[Joly]

ahhh now i get it!!!! been thinking about it but it all makes sense now!!


lol ami im sure you can sweetie!   

[parker]

oooo yes now I understand you testing the scent learnt   so you cue rabbit they bring back duck not learnt the scent just to find and retrieve the dummy