Ought to You Use a Secondary Reinforcer (Clicker) in Counter Conditioning?

Counter conditioning is a robust method to assist reactive and fearful dogs–but it does not want a clicker. Here is why, together with some recommendations on instructing fearful canine to not be afraid.

By Zazie Todd, PhD

A query I’m typically requested is, do you have to use a clicker (or secondary reinforcer) when utilizing counter conditioning with a fearful canine?

The short and simple reply is “No”, however since that is an fascinating query I believed I’d take a more in-depth look. 

Despite the fact that so many people are aware of the story of Pavlov’s canine there may be nonetheless, surprisingly, quite a bit we don’t find out about precisely how classical conditioning works. Nonetheless, most of us know it is a highly effective methodology we are able to use to assist canine (and cats or different animals) recover from their fears by studying to love the factor they beforehand discovered scary.

The principle issues to know are:

• When instructing canine behaviours utilizing optimistic reinforcement, some folks like to make use of a clicker. The press marks the behaviour and is all the time adopted by a deal with.
• When doing counter conditioning with a fearful canine, the intention is to alter the canine’s feelings, so we aren’t in search of a behaviour. Which means there’s nothing to click on.
• In classical conditioning, it is necessary to maintain a very clear relationship in order that the canine is aware of that the factor they contemplate scary is adopted by great snacks. A click on can be an additional complication and distract from that relationship. 

Let’s look in additional element at a few of the explanation why we do not use a clicker when utilizing counter conditioning with a fearful or reactive canine. 

What’s counter conditioning?

To start with, let’s remind ourselves what occurs once we’re utilizing counter conditioning to assist a canine with their fears. We use one thing the canine already likes, which isn’t conditioned, similar to scrumptious meals. That is referred to as the unconditioned stimulus (US).

Technically talking, through the coaching we ensure the conditioned stimulus (the CS) is all the time instantly adopted by the unconditioned stimulus (US, tasty meals). 

Over time, the canine learns that the CS (scary factor) predicts the US (final snack). When working with fearful canine, we are able to keep in mind the terminology by saying that the factor that is Thought of Scary predicts the Final Snack. 

The canine’s response will change from concern to a conditioned response of liking the factor they beforehand thought of scary (the CS).

More often than not this coaching will occur with the scary factor at an depth the place the canine is completely comfortable, as a result of an important factor with a fearful canine is to assist them really feel protected.

What’s a secondary reinforcer?

Now let’s have a look at a secondary reinforcer. The most typical secondary reinforcer that we use in canine coaching is, after all, a clicker. It’s sometimes used to mark the second the canine does a behaviour we would like and is all the time adopted by a reward (tasty meals).

For instance, you cue the canine to sit down and the canine sits, so that you click on after which reinforce the behaviour with a deal with.

This can be a classically conditioned relationship: the clicking predicts a deal with.

A clicker is very helpful when it’s worthwhile to bridge a niche between the canine doing the behaviour and also you giving them reinforcement. Many individuals completely love clicker coaching, however some folks want to make use of a particular phrase (like “Sure”) as a secondary reinforcer as a substitute.

The press is a secondary reinforcer as a result of it tells the canine {that a} major reinforcer (tasty meals) is coming. With out that relationship, it wouldn’t imply a lot. 

One other instance of a secondary reinforcer is cash; we are able to use it to purchase issues (major reinforcers), however by itself it doesn’t have that intrinsic worth because it isn’t vital for survival.

Why secondary reinforcers don’t belong in counter conditioning

So the query is, does it make sense to click on earlier than giving the meals when counter-conditioning? 

Nicely, no. 

In counter conditioning we wish to make it very clear to the canine or cat that the CS (the factor they contemplate scary) is now predicting the US (the tasty treats). 

A click on can be an additional factor occurring between the CS and the US, and it’s one thing that’s already skilled. Technically, this may be referred to as a compound stimulus, and having compound stimuli can weaken the response. So it’s greatest to maintain it easy and never use the clicker. 

As effectively, as a result of the canine is used to listening to the clicking once they do the correct factor, they might affiliate the clicking with their very own behaviour on the time quite than with the CS.

What does the science say?

Utilizing a secondary reinforcer in counter conditioning (as a substitute of a major reinforcer) has been examined with folks, and though it labored, it didn’t work in addition to it may need accomplished (Keller et al 2020). 

Counter conditioning research with folks sometimes begin by conditioning a concern, after which testing methods to do away with it. They most likely aren’t probably the most enjoyable experiments to participate in provided that conditioning a concern typically includes an electrical shock.

In a single examine, folks have been first taught that transferring a joystick specifically instructions (CS) can be related to a painful electrical shock (US) (Meulder et al 2015). That is the concern conditioning half wherein a concern is induced.

Then the scientists tried to do away with that concern response both by extinction (stopping the shocks from occurring) or by counter conditioning (as a substitute of the shock, folks have been promised cash).

On this case, there was no distinction between the 2 teams when it comes to the emotional response. Each counter conditioning and extinction led to the identical degree of discount of concern of a painful shock. 

That is shocking since you would anticipate counter conditioning to work higher.  Possibly it is because cash, the US on this case, is a secondary reinforcer. It may very well be that the expertise of being promised cash just isn’t a pleasing expertise in the identical method that consuming good meals is. Maybe a major reinforcer would have labored higher.

The scientists didn’t take a look at whether or not giving folks tasty meals like chocolate once they made the joystick motion would have labored higher. They counsel that future analysis examine “the subjective appreciation of the reward”. 

After all, there may be one other potential rationalization that persons are suspicious of psychologists doing experiments and perhaps didn’t notice they actually would get the cash on the finish. That’s one purpose why it’s troublesome to match research on folks to these on animals. 

However regardless of these outcomes, the scientists nonetheless suggest counter conditioning as an method prone to work higher than extinction in the long term.

Getting counter conditioning proper

In case you love clicker coaching, maintain the clicking for instructing behaviours. In canine coaching, we’d not anticipate a click on by itself (with out meals) to work. It is necessary to make use of actually nice treats in counter conditioning, similar to items of steak, rooster, or sausage. 

After all, we use a clicker (if we use one) when wanting to alter behaviour. In counter conditioning we are attempting to alter feelings, not behaviour, so it doesn’t make sense to click on. In counter conditioning, the canine will get the US (tasty meals) no matter what behaviour they occur to be doing on the time; it’s merely for seeing (or listening to) the scary factor. (For extra on that, see in case your canine is afraid, keep away from these two errors). 

Though counter conditioning goals to alter feelings, it is nonetheless necessary to concentrate to the canine’s behaviour. If the canine is barking, growling, or lunging when you’re making an attempt to do classical conditioning, that is an indication that they’re struggling. Put a ways between them and the factor they’re terrified of (and nonetheless provide the great snacks). 

It may really feel very troublesome to supply your canine great meals if they’re lunging and barking. Whereas it’s greatest to keep away from these conditions wherein the canine goes off, in actual life it’s generally exhausting to do. If it occurs, it’s nonetheless necessary to do the counter conditioning and provide the meals. Provide the meals even should you do not suppose your canine will eat it; they are going to nonetheless discover it. You possibly can learn a narrative about me doing this with my late canine, Bodger, in Bark!.