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The Four D's of Training
The four D’s of dog training are probably something that
you haven’t heard much about.
However to be truly successful at training your dog (or any animal for that matter) an understanding of the four D’s will help you immensely.
The four D’s are:
Difficulty
Duration
Distance
Distraction
However to be truly successful at training your dog (or any animal for that matter) an understanding of the four D’s will help you immensely.
The four D’s are:
Difficulty
Duration
Distance
Distraction
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Difficulty
How hard is it for your dog to do? Are you asking your dog to perform a behavior that needs some physical conditioning (examples could include a hand stand, core stability training and balance discs). Or are you asking your dog to do something that may be harder to do than what they have been previously trained to do. An example is ducking out of sight when your dog is in a sit stay. |
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Duration
The time that a behavior is performed over. Initially in dog training, you need to keep your duration short (1-2 seconds) and build up to longer time periods (2-3 minutes or longer). |
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Distance
Distance in training can be the distance between you and your dog, or your dog and another thing. It can also either need to start short or big depending on what you are training. Training a dog to wait or stay, you will want to start at a distance that is easier for your dog to work at. So a small distance between you and the dog, initially no more than 1 m. However, if you have a dog that is reactive towards other dogs/people/objects, you will need to start at a bigger distance between the dog and thing it reacts toward this makes it easier for your dog to focus on you. For some dogs this may need to be the length of a football field, others may just be across the road. |
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Distraction
A distraction is anything that distracts your dog and draws their attention and focus away from the task at hand. Distractions are a part of life. Many things can be distracting for dogs. Some distractions might be:
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When adding distractions to your training, always start
with the lower levels of distraction and build up to higher levels as your dog
improves.
Putting the D’s into
action
To set yourself and your dog up for success try not to increase more than one D at a time. In fact, if you are going to increase one D, decrease your criteria (expectation of what your dog should be able to do) for the other D’s. As your dog gains confidence, increase another D. Do so one at a time.
When you start considering the four D’s in your training, you will be able to examine where your training may be falling down, and what you can do to help your dog.
A good example is the STAY exercise.
If you have been noticing your dog breaking stays, not coming when called, reacting at some dogs and not others or perhaps door dashing during sit & wait at doors, you may want to reconsider one or all of these three D’s in your training protocol. (Michaels, 2010)
Stay is an exercise that I consider a safety exercise, and one that I would rather you spend time training and proofing (Ideally never having your dog break the position).
So let’s consider the four D’s. Those that people tend to rush over are duration and distance, and then add distraction way to soon.
If you are teaching your dog to stay, practice at home with fewer distractions and don’t take the behavior out of the house/yard, until your dog can reliably stay for 10 seconds (duration), at a distance from you of 10m (distance).
When taking out and about into the real world (say a bike track or council park) decrease your criteria for the duration and distance to say 2 seconds and 1 m. By adding the new environment for your dog you have added Distractions.
Once your dog has increased in the distracting environment up to the 10 seconds and 10 m distance at the park, add in the difficulty of going around a corner out of sight (ensure your dog is safe and don’t drop your lead unless in a dog leash free designated area). Again in doing so, decrease your other D’s (distance, duration and distraction). Choose a quiet time with fewer people, bikes, dogs etc, decrease your time to a few seconds and most, and the distance to no more than what is required to duck around a corner and be out of site.
Have fun, and get up, walk away from the computer and begin training your pet!
To set yourself and your dog up for success try not to increase more than one D at a time. In fact, if you are going to increase one D, decrease your criteria (expectation of what your dog should be able to do) for the other D’s. As your dog gains confidence, increase another D. Do so one at a time.
When you start considering the four D’s in your training, you will be able to examine where your training may be falling down, and what you can do to help your dog.
A good example is the STAY exercise.
If you have been noticing your dog breaking stays, not coming when called, reacting at some dogs and not others or perhaps door dashing during sit & wait at doors, you may want to reconsider one or all of these three D’s in your training protocol. (Michaels, 2010)
Stay is an exercise that I consider a safety exercise, and one that I would rather you spend time training and proofing (Ideally never having your dog break the position).
So let’s consider the four D’s. Those that people tend to rush over are duration and distance, and then add distraction way to soon.
If you are teaching your dog to stay, practice at home with fewer distractions and don’t take the behavior out of the house/yard, until your dog can reliably stay for 10 seconds (duration), at a distance from you of 10m (distance).
When taking out and about into the real world (say a bike track or council park) decrease your criteria for the duration and distance to say 2 seconds and 1 m. By adding the new environment for your dog you have added Distractions.
Once your dog has increased in the distracting environment up to the 10 seconds and 10 m distance at the park, add in the difficulty of going around a corner out of sight (ensure your dog is safe and don’t drop your lead unless in a dog leash free designated area). Again in doing so, decrease your other D’s (distance, duration and distraction). Choose a quiet time with fewer people, bikes, dogs etc, decrease your time to a few seconds and most, and the distance to no more than what is required to duck around a corner and be out of site.
Have fun, and get up, walk away from the computer and begin training your pet!
References
Aplaceforpaws.com, (2015). A Place for Paws - Columbiana, Ohio - The Four Ds of Reliable Response. [online] Available at: http://www.aplaceforpaws.com/reference-articles/dog-training/the-four-ds-of-reliable-response.html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].
Burch, M. and Bailey, J., 1999. How dogs learn. 1st ed. New York: Howell Book House
Handelman, B., 2008. Canine behavior. 1st ed. Norwich, VT: Woof and Word Press
Horwitz, D. and Mills, D., 2009. BSAVA manual of canine and feline behavioural medicine. 1st ed. Quedgeley, Gloucester [England]: British Small Animal Veterinary Association
McConnell, P. and London, K., 2009. Feisty Fido. 1st ed. Black Earth, WI: McConnell Publishing
Michaels, D. (2010). The three D’s of dog training and why you need to know about them | Dog Star Daily. [online] Dogstardaily.com. Available at: http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/three-d%E2%80%99s-dog-training-and-why-you-need-know-about-them [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].
McConnell, P. and Moore, A., 2006. Family friendly dog training. 1st ed. Black Earth, WI: Dog's Best Friend.
Members, A., 2010. Top Tips From Top Trainers. 1st ed. Neptune City: TFH Publications
Overall, K., 2013. Manual of clinical behavioral medicine for dogs and cats. 1st ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier
Reid, S. (2013). The Three D’s of Dog Training. [online] The Dogington Post. Available at: http://www.dogingtonpost.com/the-three-ds-of-dog-training/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].
Aplaceforpaws.com, (2015). A Place for Paws - Columbiana, Ohio - The Four Ds of Reliable Response. [online] Available at: http://www.aplaceforpaws.com/reference-articles/dog-training/the-four-ds-of-reliable-response.html [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].
Burch, M. and Bailey, J., 1999. How dogs learn. 1st ed. New York: Howell Book House
Handelman, B., 2008. Canine behavior. 1st ed. Norwich, VT: Woof and Word Press
Horwitz, D. and Mills, D., 2009. BSAVA manual of canine and feline behavioural medicine. 1st ed. Quedgeley, Gloucester [England]: British Small Animal Veterinary Association
McConnell, P. and London, K., 2009. Feisty Fido. 1st ed. Black Earth, WI: McConnell Publishing
Michaels, D. (2010). The three D’s of dog training and why you need to know about them | Dog Star Daily. [online] Dogstardaily.com. Available at: http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/three-d%E2%80%99s-dog-training-and-why-you-need-know-about-them [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].
McConnell, P. and Moore, A., 2006. Family friendly dog training. 1st ed. Black Earth, WI: Dog's Best Friend.
Members, A., 2010. Top Tips From Top Trainers. 1st ed. Neptune City: TFH Publications
Overall, K., 2013. Manual of clinical behavioral medicine for dogs and cats. 1st ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier
Reid, S. (2013). The Three D’s of Dog Training. [online] The Dogington Post. Available at: http://www.dogingtonpost.com/the-three-ds-of-dog-training/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2015].