Terry's Tips > The Powerful Tool of Extinction

Rewards drive behavior. Extinction is the principle of withholding the reinforcers (rewards) that maintain a behavior. Note! this is different from simply "ignoring" a behavior by providing no consequences. For extinction to work, the behavior you want to diminish had to have been previously been reinforced by contingencies over which you have some control.

Begging Behavior Example: In the past, you have been giving your dog tidbits from the table when she was begging. Assuming that receiving the food has rewarded (reinforced) the begging behavior, removing food should diminish it. Will it? No, not at first.

Extinction Burst

The term extinction burst describes the phenomena of behavior temporarily getting worse, not better, when the reinforcement stop.

Begging Behavior Example: You stop giving tidbits for begging behavior. Your dog's behavior will get worse before it gets better. The begging behavior will temporarily increase in frequency, intensity and/or duration before it decreases. Good news! That means extinction is working! Carry on. Don't give in now or you will have simply taught your dog to play the lottery.

Spontaneous Recovery

Behavior affected by extinction is apt to recur in the future when the trigger is presented again. This is known as spontaneous recovery or the transient increase in behavior. Be aware of this eventuality. It is a part of the extinction process. It's a little ÒtestÓ for you, so be prepared to pass the test! Continue to withhold the reward or you will have placed your dog on a variable schedule of reinforcement Ð the dog will play the odds.

Begging Behavior Example: You have been slipping your dog tidbits during dinner. Then you stop. Your dog will beg with more frequency, or with more intensity and/or duration before she begs less. Even though the behavior is lessened and perhaps stops all together, there is always the chance that begging could return again at the next meal or at a meal several days later. In other words, with no reward, begging will gradually disappear, but may recover again at any time should the trigger be presented.

Extinction and positive reinforcement are the two principles most often used in Legacy programs and other motivational dog training programs throughout the world.