FE345 Imitation and Mimicry - You Can Do It

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!

Course Details

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

Teaching Approach

Lectures will be released at the beginning of each week. Lectures include written and video descriptions of each exercise in a step-by-step approach. .

Video demonstrations of the exercises include the instructor's personal training sessions as well as actual students working the exercises. There are a variety of breeds and sizes represented in the demo vids. Demonstration video length varies between 1-2 minutes. Many of the demo videos are captioned.

Each team works at their own pace and at a level where their dog is showing understanding and confidence for the exercises for that week.

Students will be provided with both general and specific written feedback, often including timestamps for clarity. Students will be able to show their work for any previous weeks as well as the current week’s exercises for continued feedback.

While some students will complete all course material, there is no expectation that all teams will progress at the same rate. Every dog and handler team is different. The detail of the lectures and exercise videos will allow students to continue the process and complete the skills on their timeline through their library.

All exercises can be completed in a fairly small space - the size of a bedroom or other living space.

This class will have a Teacher's Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook study group to help the Bronze and Silver students! Directions for joining that Facebook group will be in the classroom after you register.

Syllabus

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

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. Behaviors in which the handler is a part of will not be suitable (such as heeling, hand touch, circling handler etc - they should be behaviors that the dog can perform independently of the handler and the handler can perform independently of the dog) Before starting class you should have at least 3 solid verbal cues that your dog is reliable with.Your dog should have a wait, stay or station behavior. Please take some time before class starts to strengthen this behavior.It can aid the dog and handler team if at least one or two of the known behaviors that you have on cue are associated with a prop, such as around a cone or other object, getting onto or into an object, touching an object with paw or nose, etc. Handlers should have access to a couple of props such as a stool, or pedestal. Specific props are not required though it is likely that 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 4th, 5th and 6th. 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:

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 under stress

Instructors

Julie Flanery

Julie Flanery (she/her), CPDT-KA has been working professionally with dogs and their handlers since 1993. She focuses on the needs of the dog and helping people form a strong relationship, through clear communication, and positive reinforcement. She has placed Obedience...

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