If anyone has ever invented a simplicit bingo game, Lewis and I will win!
About casting shadows
Sometimes, the stimuli we classically seek to condition have multiple aspects that can be sensed, like objects that can be seen or smelled. This type of stimulation is called compound stimulation. It is likely that one simple stimulus will prevent the other/s from fully or at all, so overshadowing phenomena may occur when the compound stimulus is conditioned.
I recently came across a situation where potentially five different stimuli are “competing” so that they are classically conditioned. And of the five, the most likely chance of “winning” conditioning wasn’t what I needed most. It was a training project that was important to Lewis’ well-being, so it had to tackle the issues.
Oromucolsal Medicine Administration
Lewis has been diagnosed with a healthy phobia to fireworks and thunderstorms, and one of his medications is to reach locally localized tissues in his gums and cheeks.
Instructions for administering this medication require human wear protective gloves to avoid touching medicated gels that can be absorbed, for example through cutting of the skin. Gloves are new to Lewis.
I used classic conditioning to think about whether I should help him get a positive response to the gloves and gathered what I needed. I use disposable kitchen gloves for many tasks, so that’s what I put out. Oops! These gloves create unique, noisy rattles when touched or manipulated. Dogs can’t even get them out of the box without them listening.
You’ll probably see where this is heading.
I wanted Lewis to give him a good feeling about the gloves. But what aspects of them? When placing gloves in your hand to put your hands in a dog’s mouth, how many potentially differ for your dog? How about it:
- A view of gloves in hand
- The sound made by the gloves
- Feeling like touching a gloved hand
- The smell of gloves
- The taste of gloves
All five senses could be involved. Gloves show compound stimulation.
bingo?
How about another list? What might bother Lewis about gloves? There’s no need to repeat it. It’s the same list. But knowing him, I think it’s most annoying when his gloved fingers are stuck in his mouth between his cheeks and gums. But of all this, the sound often happens first and is super Notable. How do I classically adjust my mouse touch without being cast by the crackling sound of my gloves?
I want a word about the environment
The plastic kitchen gloves I have are terrible for the environment. I’m going to make another decision now. Although there are no perfect disposable gloves yet, latex is made from rubber, and some latex gloves are biodegradable. Reusable rubber gloves are better than what I have, but with this dog it’s too bulky for this job. Feel free to comment on your suggestions.
Solution to Shading Issues
So, given that classical conditioning is likely to stick to those sounds, how can you make sure Lewis has positive feelings about being touched by gloves? Here’s what I might have considered.
Another gloves: I’m sure some of you are screaming for a solution internally. Get another gloves! Something quiet! good idea. I’m looking for a better choice. But in the meantime, I will proceed with what I have.
Workaround: There are a few things I can try to do about sound. I was able to wear gloves in the far part of the house and play masking sounds while doing it. I then went closer to Lewis and was able to do any step in the planning process. Show him your gloved hand and treat him. Or, touch him with your gloved fingers to treat him. It can prevent some of the predictive power that rattles the gloves. But the gloves still make a fuss when I show him or touch him.
Use an operant training plan. This is the solution I chose. The gloves were not scary for Lewis. They were just new and weird. Therefore, rather than aiming for classical conditioning, we sought desensitization in conjunction with operant conditioning.
In our first session, when I got the gloves, I threw some treats at him. I then sniffed my gloves, held them slowly, targeting them while I touched them. I then asked him to rest my chin on a knee towel with gloves on top. Lewis said, “This is easy!”
In the next session, he held the gloves in his right hand and touched his cheek while holding the muzzle on his left. We have previously worked on this step without gloves.
The video contains excerpts from three training sessions that have progressed from him until he accepts my fingers in his mouth and accepts me I put on gloves Fingers in his mouth. We spent 6-7 minutes of training in three sessions, which was more time than he needed.
If you want to hear how loud the gloves are, look at them (and listen to me saying, “Good boy!”
from now on
The operant worked with gloves. They made them a predictor of what’s good (classic conditioning ran). This piece gave Lewis a great foundation for his next step. That is to place the syringe between his cheek and the gum while he is wearing gloves. Gloves-fitting fingers were an early alternative to syringes.
Combined stimulation
Multiple simultaneous stimuli are constantly occurring. When presenting an object, you can bet that most dogs can not only smell it, but also see it. Many visual stimuli also make noise. As one textbook notes, avoiding multiple stimuli is almost impossible (Pierce & Cheney, 2008, p. 58). This experience made me think more about them. Bingo games aren’t that unusual. I’m happy to find a way to win this time.
We would like to thank some experts who provided material and direct support for Lewis’ breeding training. I wouldn’t have done it on my own!
Copyright 2025 Irene Anderson
reference
- Pierce, W. D., & Cheney, CD. (2008). Behavioral analysis and learning (4th edition). Psychology Publishing Bureau.
