Product Description

"...this book should be on every animal trainer′s bookshelf for future reference. How Dogs Learn covers the content of an undergraduate course in learning and behavior, but the examples are taken from dog training it is practical and very useful without sacrificing scientific and technical accuracy." ––Jack Michael, PhD, Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University

How Dogs Learn explore the fascinating science of operant conditioning, where science and dog training meet. How Dogs Learn explains the basic principles of behavior and how they can be used to teach your dog new skills, diagnose problems and eliminate unwanted behaviors. It′s for anyone who wants to better understand the learning process in dogs. Every concept is laid out clearly and precisely, and its relevance to your dog and how you train is explained.
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27429 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From the Inside Flap
How Dogs Learn explains the fascinating science of operant conditioning. The authors, recognized experts in this field, are also experienced dog trainers, and they explain each operant conditioning principle using dog training examples. For the first time, behavioral procedures that are used with humans, such as Behavioral Diagnostics and Functional Analysis, have been translated for applications with dogs. How Dogs Learn will help all dog owners solve canine behavior problems and improve their proficiency as trainers.

From the Back Cover
"...this book should be on every animal trainer′s bookshelf for future reference. How Dogs Learn covers the content of an undergraduate course in learning and behavior, but the examples are taken from dog training it is practical and very useful without sacrificing scientific and technical accuracy." —Jack Michael, PhD, Department of Psychology, Western Michigan University

How Dogs Learn explore the fascinating science of operant conditioning, where science and dog training meet. How Dogs Learn explains the basic principles of behavior and how they can be used to teach your dog new skills, diagnose problems and eliminate unwanted behaviors. It′s for anyone who wants to better understand the learning process in dogs. Every concept is laid out clearly and precisely, and its relevance to your dog and how you train is explained.
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

About the Author
MARY R. BURCH, PHD, is a Certified Behavior Analyst. She has also been approved as a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist by the Animal Behavior Society. Her behavioral research has been published by the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Burch has trained dogs to the advanced levels of obedience and is considered a national expert on the topic of therapy dogs. She is the author of Volunteering with Your Pet and The Border Collie, published by Howell Book House. Dr. Burch has won the Maxwell Medallion from the Dog Writers′ Association of America for her writing on dog–related topics. She is a founding member of the Animal Trainer′s Forum in the Association for Behavior Analysis.

JON S. BAILEY, PHD, is a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. Dr. Bailey is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and was on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Dr. Bailey is a past editor of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. He is the author of the book Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis, the co–author of Behavioral Diagnostics, and is one of the most widely published researchers in the field of behavior analysis. Dr. Bailey serves as an expert witness on behavioral issues.

Customer Reviews

At last an authoritative book on the science of dog training
Drs. Burch and Bailey have brought together their considerable talents to produce an important book for both dog owners and professional trainers. Dog owners will find the book to be a valuable resource for understanding how dogs learn, making their training efforts more positive and rewarding--both for themselves and for their dogs. The professional trainer will find the book to be an informative introduction to basic learning concepts and techniques; they will also appreciate the authors' balanced approach to explaining operant technology. Overall, the authors have done an excellent job of introducing operant methods (such as clicker training) and explaining how they can be used to improve the dog's behavior. Finally, the book is written in a lucid and accessible style, but be forewarned, there is not much in the way of entertaining fluff here, although the book is nicely illustrated with many wonderful anecdotes and examples that both the novice and expert will appreciate. Dr. Burch is a highly respected Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, whose efforts to improve dog training and to develop humane methods for treating behavior problems are well-known within the dog world. Dr. Bailey is a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. Among his impressive credentials, he is past editor of the Journal for Applied Behavior Analysis. If you are serious about dogs and training, you should read this book!

Professional Trainer
As a professional police dog trainer this book is the only dog training book that I have read that addresses the heart of in my field training. Late in life I decided to learn about the science behind training and now a student of behavior science. This book should be a must read for every trainer. Information here goes directly to applied behavior modification something every trainer should have at very least a working understanding of.

A theory-based explanation of how animals learn
This is an easy to read book based on learning theory. Although the examples predominantly apply to dog-training scenarios, the fundamental principals apply to all organisms. There is a lot of psudo-science out there. This book cuts through all the garbage and gives you the definitive answers. Fasinating reading.