You walk up to the elevator.
Push the button…… Wait.
Push the button…… Wait.
Push the button…… Wait.
“One more fucking time, and I’m taking the stairs” you say.
Push the button…… PUSH THAT STUPID PIECE OF SHIT BUTTON 55 GOD DAMN TIMES!!!!!!
Quit, and take the stairs.
That’s the extinction burst.
It’s the burst or “trying” that happens just before the quit.
OK. So what’s this got to do with dogs.
When people are training, I watch an epic “Race To The Extinction Burst” play out.
Here’s the scene. They are teaching their dog to stay. The dog breaks once every 3 minutes. The person calmly replaces them. The dog starts to have his extinction burst AND STARTS BREAKING EVERY 5 SECONDS. The people mistake it for them being “dominant”, or “falling apart”. They get exasperated. And start sounding that way when they replace them. Goes from a real easy “no”, to “UUUGHH God Dammit…. NOOOO”.
Dog thinks…… “Hmmmm……. I think Mom/Dad’s about to quit”
And, they’re right. Mom/Dad quits.
And, they just taught their dog to really be persistent if they want a human to give up.
Son of a bitch.
I Think dogs still watch body language. And intention. So, they subconsciously understand what they’re seeing. They can tell you’re breaking.
But, even if you believe that dogs are just classical conditioning machines, you have to see that your frustration at their extinction burst preceded your quitting. That teaches them what your frustration means. THE QUIT IS COMING!
So…..
Understand that when your dog is going through that, you just have to hold on. If you don’t show your quitting “tell”, they will eventually give up and “take the stairs”.
If you do that consistently in the beginning, the dog will have the clarity of knowing you don’t quit! And the whole game of “obedience chicken” will cease. Remember, It’s not the “structure” dogs need. It’s the Clarity.
This concept of consistency, and clarity in training, will make HUGE headway to that end.
Now, get your poker face on and show your dog you don’t quit!