Training shelter volunteers to teach dog compliance

• Published in: Journal of applied behavior analysis Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 344 - 359
• Main Authors: Howard, Veronica J., DiGennaro Reed, Florence D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2014; Wiley Periodicals, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Animal behavior; Animal euthanasia; Animal shelters; Animal training; Animals; Applied Behavior Analysis; Behavior Change; Behavior Patterns; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Compliance; Compliance (Psychology); discrete-trial training; dog training; Dogs; Feedback; Feedback (Response); Feedback, Psychological - physiology; Female; Generalization; Generalization (Psychology); Humans; Integrity; modeling; Nonprofit organizations; procedural integrity; Program Effectiveness; Role Models; Skills; Social Behavior; Teaching; Trainers; Training; treatment integrity; Undergraduate Students; video modeling; Video Technology; volunteer training; Volunteers; Young Adult; feedback; treatment integrity; modeling; volunteer training; dog training; video modeling; discrete-trial training; procedural integrity
• ISSN: 0021-8855; 1938-3703
• DOI: 10.1002/jaba.120

This study examined the degree to which training procedures influenced the integrity of behaviorally based dog training implemented by volunteers of an animal shelter. Volunteers were taught to implement discrete‐trial obedience training to teach 2 skills (sit and wait) to dogs. Procedural integrity during the baseline and written instructions conditions was low across all participants. Although performance increased with use of a video model, integrity did not reach criterion levels until performance feedback and modeling were provided. Moreover, the integrity of the discrete‐trial training procedure was significantly and positively correlated with dog compliance to instructions for all dyads. Correct implementation and compliance were observed when participants were paired with a novel dog and trainer, respectively, although generalization of procedural integrity from the discrete‐trial sit procedure to the discrete‐trial wait procedure was not observed. Shelter consumers rated the behavior change in dogs and trainers as socially significant. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.