Dog Trainer Test 1 Flashcards

A dog shows whale eye, lip licking, and a tucked tail when approached by a stranger. What do these signals collectively indicate?

Answer: The dog is experiencing fear or stress

Whale eye, lip licking, and a tucked tail are classic calming signals that indicate a dog is stressed or fearful.

Which schedule of reinforcement is most effective for maintaining a well-established behavior?

Answer: Variable ratio reinforcement

Variable ratio reinforcement produces the highest and most consistent response rate because the dog cannot predict which repetition will be rewarded.

During a group training class, one dog lunges and barks at other dogs. What is the most appropriate immediate action for the trainer?

Answer: Increase distance from other dogs until the reactive dog is below threshold

Increasing distance reduces the intensity of the trigger, allowing the dog to return to a calmer state where learning can occur.

What is the key difference between flooding and desensitization as behavior modification techniques?

Answer: Flooding exposes the dog to the full-intensity stimulus at once, while desensitization uses gradual exposure

Flooding involves full-intensity exposure which can be highly stressful, whereas desensitization gradually increases exposure starting below the fear threshold.

A trainer is teaching a dog to go to a designated mat and stay. Which training approach breaks this into the most effective sequence?

Answer: Shape going to the mat first, then add duration, then add distance

Breaking the behavior into components and building each criterion separately prevents the dog from becoming confused or frustrated.

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of 'premacking' in dog training?

Answer: Allowing a dog to chase a ball after it performs a reliable recall

The Premack Principle uses a high-probability behavior like chasing a ball as a reward for performing a lower-probability behavior like recall.