BBC-clip: COAPE's *kirsty with *tina and HTM-performing k9

leashedForLife · #1 (**permalink**) 31-07-2010, 04:25 PM

BBC News - Do dogs imitate their owners?

the premise of the headline is Dogs Imitate -
*tina specifically says, no - they are taught behaviors on cue, which are rewarded and thus become more-frequent;
the reinforcement over time makes the behavior itself, enjoyable.

but ~imitation~ sounds So Much Better,

...

ah, well, its a nice clip, and the dog does great; too bad the media-headline is fluff.
4 paws-up!

**** and 2 thumbs, too

enjoy,
--- terry

lucysnewmum · #2 (**permalink**) 31-07-2010, 11:31 PM

~imitation~ is the highest form of flattery!!! might explain why owners choose to believe thats what their dogs are doing!

leashedForLife · #3 (**permalink**) 01-08-2010, 02:38 PM

the study can be purchased at this site:

Sign In â€” Proceedings B

OR: Sign In â€” Proceedings B

Quote:

Abstract

After preliminary training to open a sliding door
using their head and their paw, dogs were given a
discrimination task in which they were rewarded with
food for opening the door using the same method (head
or paw) as demonstrated by their owner (compatible
group), or for opening the door using the alternative
method (incompatible group).
The incompatible group, which had to counterimitate
to receive food reward, required more trials to reach
a fixed criterion of discrimination performance
(85% correct) than the compatible group.
This suggests that, like humans, dogs are subject to
‘automatic imitation’; they cannot inhibit online the
tendency to imitate head use and/or paw use.
In a subsequent transfer-test, where all dogs were
required to imitate their owners' head and paw use
for food reward, the incompatible group made a greater
proportion of incorrect, counterimitative responses
than the compatible group.

These results are consistent with the associative
sequence learning model, which suggests that the
development of imitation depends on sensorimotor
experience and phylogenetically general mechanisms
of associative learning.
More specifically, they suggest that the imitative
behaviour of dogs is shaped more by their developmental
interactions with humans than by their evolutionary
history of domestication.

ArwenLune · #4 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 06:27 PM

I do love to see her interact with the dog in such a sweet and light manner. You have to hope some of the people who believe in alpha **** see what a lovely relationship that is and start to think...

leashedForLife · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 12:19 AM

tina + chandi knock their sox off...

YouTube - Tina and Chandi - Britain's Got Talent 2010 - Auditions Week 1
i saw them compete at CRUFTS - it was terrific!

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