Karen Pryor's New Book

[corvus]

Every snippet I've seen of Karen Pryor's new book makes me want it. I've already used an anecdote from that book to try to re-tame my hare. It sounds as though it goes beyond operant conditioning and touches on The Black Box *gasp*. Given I'm spending all my free time reading about animal cognition, arousal, and emotions and how they affect behaviour at the moment, sometimes I forget about OC all together. Then someone reminds me to stop worrying about what emotion is driving the behaviour and just treat the behaviour instead. Would love to see it all come together, though.

So, has anyone got it?

[Aidan]

Yes, a very good read.

The Black Box isn't so dark any more. It hasn't been for a long time. Objective measurement of things outside of basic physiological responses and overt behaviour has been possible for a very long time, and some of it is quite applicable to pet dog trainers. Karen Pryor does a pretty good job of bringing it to the people, as she has always done.

[corvus]

A lot of what I've read lately I think is applicable to dog trainers, especially regarding arousal, anticipation, and dopamine mediated reward systems. This hare of mine is really testing me at the moment. I certainly need more than just OC with him. I suspect all his dopamine hits come from avoiding danger. I will be so freaking triumphant if I ever get his cooperation to touch him again.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I am about halfway through it. Liking it a lot so far.

Although I'm not sure it's as easy as she says to tame feral kittens.

[Aidan]

A lot of what I've read lately I think is applicable to dog trainers, especially regarding arousal, anticipation, and dopamine mediated reward systems. This hare of mine is really testing me at the moment. I certainly need more than just OC with him. I suspect all his dopamine hits come from avoiding danger. I will be so freaking triumphant if I ever get his cooperation to touch him again.

Have you tried an approach/retreat protocol? You retreat if he stays put, use successive approximation to decrease proximity. You could even used a conditioned "safety signal" every time you leave.

[corvus]

Hey, I've already got a conditioned safety signal! Great minds think alike.

The problem is he has a couple of safe spots in his cage where he can hide. He got into the habit of going into his safe spots whenever someone came into his cage. It coincided with me being away a lot and he doesn't like strangers coming into his space. So while he used to come out and talk to me he got into the habit of hiding when someone comes in and now he has to be in a hidey place to feel safe when I come in as well. He is quite relaxed when I'm in the cage with him as long as he's in his safe spot, but won't budge from it until I leave. I don't want to push him because at the moment he's VERY skittish when caught out of his safe spot and that just perpetuates the intense attractiveness of being in the safe spot.

Now that I'm home during the day a lot I've started feeding him small amounts multiple times during the day. That started out well, but he quickly got used to the new routine and just went back to hiding in his safe spot. So now when I feed him I leave (with the safety signal) and because he's hungry he'll come out to eat quite quickly and is more motivated to stay there, then I sneak back and come back in and leave some tasty treats in his bowl and leave again. I'm trying to get him to the point where he'll eat while I'm hanging around outside his cage in sight. Then just reduce the distance a step at a time. And I'm trying to associate the treats more strongly with myself. I can toss them to him while I'm in the cage, but he doesn't really like the tossing movement and it's hard to get them somewhere he'll notice them. The other night I was tossing bits of banana to what I thought was him lurking behind his cardboard box only to realise he was actually behind me in his other safe spot being absolutely still and silent. I was throwing bits of banana to a rat.

[Aidan]

There is now strong evidence (which you may already be aware of?) that giving a conditioned safety signal can have an anti-depressant effect. So you might be able to now give the safety signal when you arrive, then reinforce any pro-social operants by giving it again, then leaving.