Training Session Reports

[tigger000]

Hey guys,

I wasnt sure where to put this, so please feel free to move it.

As part of my course we are required to write a separate report on how we trained the dog for the assistance skill and the scent detection skill.

Within this report we are supposed to show evidence of our training through training session reports.

I was wondering what kind of information you would put in the session report? I imagine it is like a diary and writing down what you did on each training session...so at the moment my session reports include information such as: The date, the aim of the day, how i am going to achieve the aim, problems encountered, and what i plan on doing the next day.

I have also included the attempts made by the dog and whether the dog passed or failed those attempts. For example, shaping the dogs behaviour from looking at an item to touching it with his nose. Each time he touched it with his nose, he passed that attempt (identified on the report by a tick) and each time he only looked at the item he failed (identified on the report by a cross).

Is this the kind of information you would put in such a report?...is there anything else i should be including (e.g. schedules of reinforcement?)?

Thanks everyone!

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Um what you said plus how many times you rewarded the dog and how many times you withheld reward ie how many correct responses you got vs incorrect responses and how long the session went for.

So you can get rate of re-inforcement ie treats per minute and success rate eg 100 attempts, 80 times right. Though I imagine - it would be more like 10 repeats and 8 right, and then you increase the challenge. Or 10 repeats and 3 right and you make the target behaviour easier to get right. You may also want to record what behaviours the dog tries in order to find the correct behaviour. Eg barking, scratching, offering up previously trained behaviours...

PS I would also record what re-inforcement I used to see - long term - if some work better than others as reward or if the dog likes variety or novelty.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Mrs Rusty Bucket