Play can be used as a highly valuable reinforcement, but in order to use play in our training a greater awareness of breed specific play styles and canine communication must be understood.
Alasdair will discuss the importance of play, play styles, appropriate and inappropriate play and thoughts on motivation and how to use play as reinforcement to both the handlers and dog’s benefit.
2. “It’s fun to have fun but you
have to know how.”
The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
3. The Importance of Play
• Practise social skills
• Increase motor skills, coordination & problem solving
abilities
• Exploratory behaviour increases
• Teaches communication without confrontation
• Builds relationships built on fun, trust & compromise.
4. Designing and testing the function of play:
– Play includes the individuals mental and emotional state.
– Play behaviours are fundamentally similar to non play
behaviours.
– Everyone will read the behaviours differently making
studies difficult (studies differ in interpretations).
Difficulties in Defining Play
5. Lack of Play – An Emotional Marker
• Medical Issue
• Stress
• No Social Connection
• Fearful
• Hunger
• Lack of experience
6. Common Play Signals
• Play biting, grabs.
• Paw movements
• Pouncing, ambush
• Vocalisation
• Play bows - punctuation
8. Social Play
Between 2 or more individuals (inter-species or intra-species)
• Excellent Communication
• Boundaries are Learnt
• Role Reversal
• Self Handicapping
• Cooperation
12. Object Play
• Allows an animal to explore novel stimuli
with minimal risk.
• Edible, ignore or interact?
• Facial Dexterity?
• May involve: pouncing, vocalising,
guarding & killing of toys
13. Play Fighting
• A means of refining the
skills necessary for
combat (Fagan, 1981).
• Involves the use of species
specific patterns of
agonostic behaviours in a
non-serious context (Fagan,
1981)
15. • Each dog or type will have specific play styles
• Dependent on breed and previous experience
Canine Play Styles
• Genetics provide the
potential - the
environment creates the
opportunity.
16. Mixture of Play Styles
Please click the following link to view the video
https://youtu.be/2ko5NQbG8U4
17. Appropriate Play with Other Dogs
• Roles should be acceptable to both
dogs.
• Healthy play self interrupts.
• Correct and similar play styles
• Physical space is respected by both
• Relaxed, not rigid, enjoyable and
FUN
21. DOG TO HUMAN PLAY
The Frequency of play between two individuals is a
measure of their mutual affection.
Gunter Tembrock
22. • “Where there is no play, there is no relationship or
meaning.” People who play sincerely with their dogs
can’t help but develop a connection with them.
(Lindsay, 2006. Miller, 2008)
• We humans, if we’re not careful, can forget about the
importance of having fun. We may fall into the trap of
allowing others to do our playing for us (Miller, 2008)
The Importance of Play With Humans
23. Successful Dog – Human Play
• Eye contact and focus from the human
• Eye contact from the dog alternates between toy and
human.
• Mirroring behaviour, lunges, running together,
grabbing at toys, hand slaps may create a play bow.
• Self handicapping during physical games (tug etc)
24. Tug Games
• High Value Reinforcer
• Help to Train and Build Retrieve
• Can Teach Confidence
• Can Teach Impulse Control
• Can Teach Sharing
25. Play, It’s Personal
• Empathetic
• Reciprocal
• Fun for both
• It’s not about winning and loosing, it is the taking part.
Please click the following link to view the video
https://youtu.be/zoVIt2ad7zE
26. Play Together, Stay Together
P. McConnell
Please click the following link to view the video
https://youtu.be/_Qvjq8DgExI