Breed Behaviour and Enrichment
Herding breeds were originally developed to perform what task? Does this make them more or less likely to need enrichment?
Moving and controlling livestock. Yes, these breeds need more mental stimulation than most due to their super hyper-vigilance brains/instinct
Adding something desirable after a behaviour to increase its occurrence is an example of this.
Positive reinforcement
What training cue is often easiest to teach first?
What emotion most commonly drives aggression in veterinary settings?
Fear
True or False: A wagging tail always means a dog is happy.
False (what else could it mean?)
Which breeds are more prone to digging – and why?
Terriers and dachshunds, due to what they were bred for hunting animals in burrows
terrier - "going to ground"
dachshund - "badger dog"
Removing pressure from a leash when a dog walks correctly is which learning principle
Negative reinforcement
What is an example of classical conditioning that does NOT involve a bell?
Leash sound/held up
Open can of food
Sound of cheese wrapper
Opening of the garage/beep of car unlocking
Sight of towels
Why should treats be used in many veterinary visits?
To create positive associations and reduce fear.
A dog repeatedly licks its lips while no food is present. This is an example of which of the Four F's?
Fidget
A) What is enrichment? B) When would you use it?
A) Activities that promote mental and physical well-being.
B) As often as possible, especially during times of inactivity (post surgery, winter, crate training)
Giving a dog a treat when it sits is an example of what?
Positive reinforcement
Why is consistency important in training?
Animals (and people) learn faster when expectations and consequences remain the same
A dog freezes during handling. What should this indicate to staff?
The dog is stressed and could escalate to aggression. Always try to minimize fear.
When the white of the dog's eye is visible, often indicating stress, fear, or discomfort, this is referred to as what?
A whale eye
Give 3 examples of enrichment for dogs.
Puzzle feeders
Snuffle mats
Food toys
Scent games
Training sessions
What famous scientist is associated with classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov
What should immediately follow a click during clicker training?
A reward (treat, ball, praise etc.)
What does FAS or FASC refer to?
Fear, Anxiety, Stress or Fear, Anxiety, Stress, Conflict
Name two body language signs associated with fear.
Tucked tail
Flattened ears
Wide eyes/whale eye/dilated pupils
Cowering/hiding
Trembling
Making themselves smaller
Avoiding eye contact
Lack of enrichment can contribute to which behavioural problems?
Destructive behaviour (digging, chewing)
Excessive barking
Anxiety
Stereotypic behaviours
A clicker used to mark desired behaviour paired with a treat reward is most commonly associated with what 2 types of training?
Classical conditioning (the click sound) with positive reinforcement (treat)
Why is a head halter or flat collar preferred over a choke chain/pinch collar for everyday walking?
Flat collars and head halters offer predictable pressure, unlike pinch collars that are a punishment method.
Flat collars/head halters do not inadvertently cause a positive punishment (addition of an unpleasant stimulus) in the wrong moment, or by accident – which could backfire
Positive and negative reinforcement are proven to be much more effective and humane than any punishment techniques.
When at the vet clinic, this one of the four "F"s can be mistaken for stubbornness or calmness.
Freeze
This one of the four "F"s can be mistaken for play or even "the zoomies"
Flight