Dog Sports Skills, Book 2: Motivation

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This is the second book in the award winning "Dog Sports Skills" series by Denise Fenzi and Deborah Jones; this time the topic is Motivation!


NEWSFLASH:  Winner of the 2014 Maxwell award for Book of the Year in the category "Behavior and Training"!  Book one of this series (Building Engagement and Relationship) won the award last year so we won two years in a row!

 

Title: Dog Sports Skills, Book 2: Motivation

Authors:  Denise Fenzi and Deborah Jones

Foreword by: Ken Ramirez

Subject Matter:

In this second book in the "Dog Sports Skills" series, Authors Denise Fenzi and Deb Jones take an in-depth look at the topic of motivation.   They talk about what motivation is, and what it is not, along with an illuminating discussion of how a dog is unique in the animal world, and how educated trainers can use that to maximum advantage. They consider a range of options for motivating our dogs, and how a trainer can raise or lower the value of specific motivators to get the exact training effect that may be desired at a given time. Temperament is discussed as it relates to issues of motivation to help the reader understand the strong interplay between temperament, motivation and training decisions.

In addition to explaining how to use motivators in training, this book provides specific information on how to reduce their use so that you can eventually get into the competition ring!  

Finally, they provide case studies - lots of them!  The purpose of the case studies is both to cement what the reader has learned in the first chapters and also to help the reader understand how to analyze specific situations and make a plan to apply the concepts.

A student who reads both this book and the first book in the series will begin to develop a deeper understanding of the author's underlying philosophy and approach.  Each book is more than a stand-alone resource; they are pieces of a puzzle that will eventually weave into a tapestry of concepts, thoughts and applications that create both excellence in training and a very deep respect and understanding for another living being.  

 

Dog Sport Skills, Book 2: Motivation

by Denise Fenzi & Deborah Jones, Ph.D. Copyright 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface....................................................................... 9

About Denise Fenzi & Deb Jones .......................... 12

Foreword .................................................................. 13

 

 

Chapter 1: Motivation and Learning ............................................ 15

What is Motivation.................................................. 15

Operant Conditioning ............................................ 17

 

 

Chapter 2: The Dog, But Not the Chicken.................................... 23

The Problem Is ......................................................... 25

Beyond Clean Training........................................... 26

Everything in Moderation ..................................... 28

The Solution: Social Interaction............................. 31

Conclusion................................................................ 32

 

 

Chapter 3: Types of Motivators...................................................... 35

Classic Rewards....................................................... 35

Food .......................................................................... 35

Tug Toys.................................................................... 36

Life Rewards ............................................................ 37

Alternative or traditional Rewards.................. 38

Conclusion................................................................ 41

 

 

Chapter 4: Creating Motivators ..................................................... 43

Training Motivators - Operant Conditioning...... 43

Creating Motivators - Classical Associations ...... 45

Classical Conditioning Affects Everything ......... 47

Conclusion................................................................ 51

 

 

Chapter 5: Factors Affecting Motivation ...................................... 53

The Relative Nature of Motivation ....................... 53

The Power of Choice ............................................... 57

Stress and Motivation ............................................. 59

Conclusion................................................................ 61

 

 

Chapter 6: Changing the Value of a Motivator ............................ 63

Methods for Changing Value ................................ 63

Additional Considerations ..................................... 65

Environmental Considerations ............................. 66

The Subtle Art of Redirection................................ 67

Conclusion................................................................ 69

 

Chapter 7: Changing Criteria without Losing Motivation......... 71

Improve the Quality of the Behavior.................... 72

Work Under Adversity ........................................... 72

Ask for More Repetitions ....................................... 73

Raising Criteria for Continuous Behaviors.......... 75

Thinking Beyond Exercises ................................... 76

Moving Beyond Reinforcements ........................... 77

Silence: Stressful or Golden ................................... 78

Conclusion................................................................ 79

 

 

Chapter 8: Maintaining Motivation When Your Dog is Wrong 81

Non-Reward Markers: Neutral or Not?................ 81

Using NRM’s Correctly .......................................... 83

Teaching the NRM .................................................. 85

The Cheerful Interrupter........................................ 86

Using the Cheerful Interrupter with Heeling ..... 88

Conclusion................................................................ 90

 

 

Chapter 9: Temperament and Motivation .................................... 91

What is Temperament? ........................................... 91

Temperament Tests ................................................. 92

Developing Motivators in a Puppy ....................... 94

Less Than Ideal Temperament............................... 96

The Impossible Training Problem ......................... 98

Conclusion................................................................ 99

 

 

Chapter 10: Case Studies on Motivating Different Temperament Types ......... 101

Sadie: Asking the Right Questions ....................... 101

Jack: The High Drive Bro........................................ 104

Sydney: The Cool Cucumber ................................. 106

Lacy: The Fragile Nerd ........................................... 107

Jem: The Fearful Friend .......................................... 109

Fred: The Enthusiastic Explorer ............................ 110

Tony: The Chow Hound ......................................... 113

Cracker: The Big Bully ............................................ 115

Pickles: The Small and Nervous............................ 118

Conclusion................................................................ 119

 

 

Chapter 11: Case Studies on Motivation and Problem Solving 121

Problem One: Retrieve............................................ 122

Dog #1: Zen .............................................................. 122

Dog #2: Morgan....................................................... 123

Dog #3: Star .............................................................. 123

Problem Two: Sit Stay Exercise .............................. 124

Dog #1: Hannah ...................................................... 124

Dog #2: Katie............................................................ 125

Dog #3: Harvey........................................................ 126

Problem Three: Forging in Heel ............................ 127

Dog #1: Race............................................................. 127

Dog #2: Dash............................................................ 128

Dog #3: Dare ............................................................ 129

Problem Four: Directed Retrieve........................... 130

Dog #1: Copper ........................................................ 130

Dog #2: Max ............................................................. 131

Dog #3: Quackers .................................................... 132

Problem Five: Teeter ................................................ 133

Dog #1: Smudge....................................................... 133

Dog #2: Bruiser ........................................................ 134

Dog #3: Bay .............................................................. 135

Problem Six: Hold and Bark in IPO ...................... 136

Dog #1: Lox .............................................................. 136

Dog #2: Soja.............................................................. 137

Dog #3: Lewis .......................................................... 138

Conclusion................................................................ 139


Pages: 154

Dimensions: 8.5 by 11"; soft cover.

Price: $24 for one book (shipping for one book alone will be $5). Total price with shipping per book: $29

 For orders outside the United States, please search Amazon in your country - this book is available worldwide.