Fenzi Dog Sports Academy - FE345: Imitation and Mimicry

Course Details

Are you ready for the next step in your journey with your dog? Are you ready to communicate in a way few have explored? You’ve heard of it! You know you want to do it! You can! And so can your dog! Teaching dogs the concept of mimicry has come to the attention of many dog trainers through the work of Claudia Fugazza and Ken Ramirez. In this course, you’ll explore the cognitive abilities of your dog and how they view your behavior in relation to their own. You’ll learn a step-by-step protocol to teach your dog to mimic your behavior and then transfer that understanding in the teaching of new, unknown behaviors. In teaching your dog to imitate and mimic the behaviors you demonstrate, you'll achieve a unique way to connect and communicate to your dog, and I can’t wait to share that with you!

This course is based on Dr. Claudia Fugazza’s “Do as I do” protocol.

Note: This class WILL use a Teaching Assistant in the Facebook study group. If this is important to you then please read the directions in the discussion forum of this class for how to join after you register.

Registration

There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please subscribe to our mailing list for notifications.

Registration will begin at 10:00 am Pacific Time.

Enrollment limits: Gold: 12 students, Silver: 12 students, Bronze: unlimited.

Gold Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to post questions and videos to the course forums. Students will receive instructor feedback on written and video assignments.

Silver Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to participate in the discussion forum. Students may ask GENERAL questions about course materials and may submit two, one-minute videos for instructor feedback. Any questions specific to your dog MUST be accompanied by a video.

Bronze Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to read all questions and answers posted in the class forums. Students will not post questions or submit written or video assignments.

For more details, refund policies, and answers to commonly asked questions see our FAQ page.

Syllabus

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Imitation: A Form of Social Learning

Getting started: Choosing Behaviors

Choose your “do it cue”

Adding Verbal Cues to Behavior

Why Verbal Cues?

Cue discrimination – Testing your Cues

Facilitating Imitation through a Cueing Protocol

Teaching the "do it cue"

Rules of the Game

Maintaining Integrity of your Mimic Cue

Generalizing your Mimic Cue

Adding Behaviors

Changing Handlers

Changing Props

Creating Chains

Teaching New Behaviors

Adding New Cues

Prerequisites & Supplies

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Use of markers or clickers will be prevalent in this course. Handlers should already be using markers in their training and dogs should have an understanding of the click/treat relationship.

Dogs should have experience learning verbal cues and have 3-6 behaviors either on verbal cue or close to being on verbal cue. We will solidify verbal cues the first part of the class. These cues should be of behaviors that the handler can replicate and perform without too much difficulty.

It can aid the dog and handler team if at least one or two of the behaviors are associated with a prop, such as around a cone or other object, getting onto or into an object. Handlers should have access to a couple of props such as a stool, or pedestal. Specific props are not required though some may be used. It is likely you will already have any needed props in your home.

It will be helpful in generalizing the concept to have a helper that is known to your dog, though not totally necessary during the course of the class.

Sample Lecture

WK 4 GENERALIZATION 2.0

This week continue to generalize your dog’s mimic cue, as you continue to work all 6 behaviors in random order and quantity. Remember to keep your sessions short. You might even consider taking a day or two off. Allow your dog’s brain to rest a bit. This is hard work!

More ways to generalize:

Have someone else give the demonstrations: If you have a helper that can do the same demonstrations, this can be a great way to test, strengthen and generalize your dog’s understanding of their mimic cue. Be sure to coach your helper well. Have them do a session just with known cues to ensure the dog will respond to those. Work with the new handler on the demonstrations before you bring in the dog. And how to support with the known cue if needed. Work 3 to start, then see if you can change out to add the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th. Not everyone has a helper available so don’t worry if you don’t.

Use different props: Try changing out your props. If you have been using a cone for going around, use a chair or a coat rack. Will your dog still go around it on your mimic cue? If you have been using a particular target to step on, use something else. If you have been asking him to pick up an object, can you change out the object? The process is still the same.

Support with the known cue if needed.

Try not to do more than 2 repetitions of the same behavior in a row

Start over if there is an error

Keep your sessions short, and take a break if your dog seems stressed

Same prop, different behavior: Try using the same prop for two different behaviors. In the below vid you’ll see me ask Kashi to do both 2-feet up and go around the same stool.

Sequence of two behaviors: If your dog knows spin and four up on a table, can you jump on the table and spin for him to mimic? Which (if any) of the 6 behaviors your dog knows now, could you sequence together? This is hard! And you may choose to remind them with their 2 cues.

The below vid is 3 sessions where I was generalizing several behaviors and had a couple of surprises! The sit pretty was a brand-new behavior to her (untrained prior to her mimicking me in a previous session) and added to the mix. You can see, that not un-like shaped behaviors she wants to offer it.

The circling me was on a whim. Something we had talked about in my live class as to whether a dog could understand this as a concept (I circle you, you circle me). I was shocked when she did it. Jumping the jar was a surprise as well, so we went with it!

You’ll also see some errors that have likely occurred for you, that have also occurred in my sessions as well.

Towards the end of week 4, start to consider what new (unknown) behaviors you want to work with your dog to mimic. Think of the issues you ran into the last few weeks. Consider how your choice of new behavior will be demonstrated. You might start with something that is known yet in a brand-new context. For example, if your dog has mimicked you pushing something such as a ball or rolled up mat, can you push a cabinet door closed for him to mimic? If he knows how to mimic you picking something up, can he mimic you picking it up and putting it in a box?

Before trying any brand new behaviors, assess your 6 current behaviors and try some of this week’s exercises. Don’t rush! It will happen when it happens. And remember: