Socialization and Temperament Training

Let me say a few things from the start, then we can get into the details. I am not going to include most of what I have researched on this subject for it's way to much. First those sites that talk about Temperament Testing are really testing how a properly socialized dog would perform. So we will discuss a couple of these then talk about Socialization.

Our first site for testing is thanks to National Rat Terrier Association. It has some general rules you need to follow.

• Always observe a dog for awhile before interacting with it. Compare the behavior of the dog you are looking at to other dogs.
• Before doing a temperament test on a grown dog, you should take some precautions. If the dog makes no attempts to be friendly, is agitated, has a stiff stance, or is hyper-active, do not attempt to evaluate the dog. Where the chart says stop, make sure to stop.
• Test only one dog at a time. Remove that dog away from other dogs to a quiet and neutral environment.
• Make sure the dog has had a chance to do its business before testing and don't test at right before or after meal time for best results.
• Remember to be realistic about the type of temperament that will fit into your household. Most people, especially first time dog owners, want a responsive, adaptable dog.

This is a good way of evaluating your dog to determine what are its strengths and weakness are. You can get to their testing page HERE. After you have tested your dog, you know which socialization methods to work on.

The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) is a national not-for-profit organization for the promotion of uniform temperament evaluation of purebred and spayed/neutered mixed-breed dogs. If you are thinking about Therapy training this is a good certification to have.

ATTS was established to:

• Provide for a uniform national program of temperament testing of purebred and spayed/neutered mixed-breed dogs.
• Conduct seminars to disseminate information to dog owners, dog breeders and evaluators (testers) concerning dog psychology, motivation, reaction and other aspects of temperament testing.
• Recognize and award certificates to dogs that pass the requirements of the temperament evaluation.
• Work for the betterment of all breeds of dogs.
• Select, train, prepare and register temperament evaluators.

The test simulates a casual walk through the park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.

DACHSHUND (MINIATURE LONGHAIRED, 86.4% Passed the test.

DACHSHUND (MINIATURE SMOOTH), 76.9% Passed the test.

DACHSHUND (MINIATURE WIREHAIRED), 81.0% Passed the test.

Types of Behavioral (Socialization) Training

Habituation: An elementary form of learning that involves no rewards. It is merely the cessation or decrease in a response to a stimulus that results from repeated or prolonged exposure to that stimulus. The stimulus can be positive, neutral, or negative. As would be expected, stimuli associated with potentially adverse consequences are more difficult to extinguish with habituation than other stimuli. In such circumstances, prolonged exposure to the stimulus may be associated with hyper vigilance, exhaustion, and increased anxiety. In fact, this is one explanation for the feedback between anxiety and environmental events, even in situations when the anxiety is pathologic and potentially maladaptive.

Spontaneous Recovery: This phenomenon is associated with habituation. If there is an extended interval between the time the animal last experienced a stimulus to which it had habituated and re-exposure to the stimulus, the animal may again react. Habituation usually occurs more rapidly following spontaneous recovery if no overt fearful associations are involved.

Dishabituation: The reinstatement of a habituated response as a result of exposure to a stimulus that provokes a response similar to the original. Rehabituation is the rule unless the event is compounded and made more fearful, or the animal’s reaction is extreme (suggesting something innate about the animal’s response, not the event itself).

Conditioning: Associations between stimuli and responses. Classical conditioning does not require a reward structure to make these associations, while operant or instrumental conditioning uses a reward structure. In operant conditioning, learning is fastest if the positive reinforcer occurs immediately (within 0.5 sec). Delayed and intermittent reinforcements slow the acquisition of the response but work well to reinforce its maintenance. In addition to timing (quantity), value (quality) is also important—the more an animal values a reinforcer, the more quickly and reliably it will acquire the response. Hence, a food treat that dogs do not usually get (eg, cheese, boiled chicken, etc) will be better than their standard kibble in teaching them a new behavior. It is important to realize that not all dogs value food above all else—some prefer interactive play or petting.

Reinforcement: The application of a stimulus or an event that increases the probability that a certain behavior or class of behaviors will be repeated. A positive reinforcer is a stimulus or an event that occurs after a response that leads to an increase in the response in the future. A negative reinforcer is an aversive event or stimulus that increases the frequency of a behavior, but does so through escape or avoidance. Because people tend to use negative reinforcers in a way consistent with the potential for abuse, they should be avoided by those who feel less than absolutely confident in their timing and control. Negative reinforcement is not to be confused with punishment. Punishment is the application of an aversive or negative stimulus after a response, which leads to a decrease in the frequency of the response. Negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive stimulus that then leads to an increase in a response.

Second-order reinforcer's are signals that can be used at a distance to convey that the reward or the valuable stimulus is coming. Commonly used second-order reinforcer's are words (“Good girl!”), hand signals, and clickers or whistles. By carefully pairing these with the reward with which the response to the command has already been paired, second-order reinforcer's can elicit the same response as the reward would (at least temporarily—suddenly switching from a first-order reward to only a second-order one should not be done without at least intermittent pairing of the first- and second-order rewards). “Positive” training and “clicker” training have recently become fashionable. It is possible to do an excellent job at positive training without using any secondary reinforcer's. Clicker training requires frequent practice and excellent timing. In situations involving problem behaviors, the animal must be confused as seldom as possible. The incorrect use of clickers may hinder, rather than expedite, a behavior modification program. However, the correct use of clickers is an excellent way to immediately “mark” desirable responses or to associate a positive emotional response with the stimulus.