Mite

This is alittle off topic but still relates to my observations. A question first.

How smart do you think a dog really is?

I don't mean cognitive ability like solving a puzzle, but how easy does it learn a behavior or command. I've been thinking about pre-conditioning and how it relates to training. One book, How to train gun dogs train themselves, Joan Bailey gives a pretty good answers that she gained from behaviorist. The rest of the book I question.

Her premiss are:
Dog's capacity to learn within the first year is more than any other years. (using wolves for behavior)
During the first year, the dog learns from the pack leader, ie. tries to keep the pack leader happy.

Now, this question: Do dog's learn by repetition or association?

Let me explain. Alot of training method depend upon repetition. Treat training in particular. You show the treat, command the dog, then reward it. Simple. Repeat as necessary. You now have a condition response. Take away the treat, command the dog.Through repetition the dog makes the mental leap and obeys. You actually changed the conditioned behavior. Now, did the dog actually learned it or is this just another conditioned response?

You try to create a senario that resembles the actualconditions. You repeat the senario until you get the response you want. That's becomes the conditioned response. The dog goes through the motions. Then you hope the dog can make the mental leap.

In this conditioned response, it's basically saying that dogs are stupid. They can't learn untilthey go thrusomething similar over and over. Then transition (if senario is close to actual conditions) should be automatic.

Now, assocation. If the dog learns by assocation then why all this conditioningand repeatition?For example, teaching woah, you teach it once.You only repeatexplaining (showing)what you (pack leader) wants. Then it makes the association Word - do something - leader happy. Then you try different things to make sure it knows it, that is, woah from the back, front, when walking, etc. Those are for your assurance but the dog has learned woah. You are teaching one association but changing the environment.

Final question: are older dogs harder to teach? This is just brain development. In wolves, by age two they are already full members of the pack andare havinglitters themselves. I noticed my dog stop being inquisitive around the same age.

These are just observations I made and my opinions. I'm sure they'll change as time goes. But it seems tome that thepack leadermentality, wanting to make the pack leader happy and a dog learns by association is correct. If correct, then the pup can be taught at a very early ageby actually do it instead of repeating a senario likemock fetching.

As for why did my dogconstantly breakwoah during training, Jonesy hit it. I was reading my dog correctly but my dog wasn't reading me. I wasn't putting enough inflection into my voicewhile praising or I wasn'tdistinct enough with it. I was just saying 'good girl' and pattingher on the head.Well, it wasn't enough to distinquish it between my normal behavior.