# I'll sleep on it



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Yes! Sugar is a "thinker," too. It really is quite funny. For example, there's a tunnel (an Agility tunnel) in the yard, and he would pointedly ignore it, even when the other dogs would run through it. One day I went out with the training bag and tried to get him to interact with the tunnel. He did just about everything *but* go through it--touched it with his nose, put his feet on it, jumped over it. Even when I oriented towards the mouth of the tunnel.

But then, the next day, he ran out to the tunnel and went through it about three times in succession, ever-so-casually, as if to say, "Yeah, got it!"

He's that way with many things, from grooming, like you experienced, to a trick I'm trying to teach... Day One, he seems confused. Day Two, he's performing the stunt _in toto_, like a boss. Then all I have to do is refine it. Such a good boy!

--Q


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Funny!

I have noticed my mpoo retains more learning than other dogs I've worked with. Makes training less tedious and is forgiving for when I'm unable to train.


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## oceanrose (Sep 10, 2011)

You're talking about my very favorite type of learning. It's called Latent Learning. It's why a lot of times when we give our dogs, ourselves, or our kids a break in something they're finding frustrating or stressful, they'll suddenly 'get it' the next training session, or even several weeks (or I've even seen months) later.

Basically what's happening is that the brain is still working on the problem in the background, while training isn't going on. It's fascinating and an often overlooked solution to a lot of problems we encounter in training, a few weeks off a lot of times lets that brain catch up and apply itself to the task at hand. 

Here is a link on it, if you'd like to read more. Behaviorism, Latent Learning, and Cognitive Maps: Needed Revisions in Introductory Psychology Textbooks


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

I learned something today! Thank you!


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## oceanrose (Sep 10, 2011)

All my dog training books are packed, but I THINK Excel-erated Learning by Pamela Reid PHD has quite a bit of information on it, and applying it to training. My mind may be placing the information with the wrong book however, so I won't swear by it


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

Edited: I ordered it from the libary and it will be here in a few days.  Thanks for the book suggestion. I think this is untapped potential for my puppy. I am curious to read how it can be applied.


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## pgr8dnlvr (Aug 7, 2011)

Please post an update Tortoise with a review on the book once you get it? 

Rebecca


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