April 3rd, 2025
- addi0691
- Apr 3
- 1 min read
Conditioning
Have you ever really broken down how we train dogs? How we teach cues and commands?
We often hear about classical and operant conditioning—but what does that actually mean?
Classical conditioning is like Pavlov’s dog salivating when the bell rings. The dog connects an outside signal (the bell) with something meaningful (food). It’s a learned association.
Operant conditioning, on the other hand, is when behavior is influenced by consequences—like a kid learning that cleaning their room earns them praise.
Timing matters. It’s what tells us which kind of learning is taking place.
Classical conditioning happens before a behavior—it sets the stage. Operant conditioning kicks in after a behavior—it reinforces or discourages what just happened.
Ideally, we want to train in a classical conditioning setting: calm, neutral environment, asking for a response we can shape and reward.
But real life? That’s often operant. So, how we respond matters. Our reactions need to be fair, consistent, and respectful—or else our dogs might stop trying altogether.
Criticism without clarity kills curiosity. And when that happens, learning stalls.
Happy training.
Addi and The Girls
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