Psy 331.03 Advanced Laboratory in Operant Behavior Dognition Laboratory One Research Team: Dog: I. Let s see how well your dog can observe pointing signals. Procedure: 1. You will need treats, 2 cones, a designated researcher and a designated pointer person. 2. Set up 2 cones, approximately 3 feet apart. The pointer and dog will sit on one side of these cones, approximately 3 feet away from the cones. The researcher will sit on the opposite side, within reach of the cones. 3. For each trial: a. The pointer will distract the dog while the researcher places a treat under one of the cones. b. The researchers will verbally inform the pointer which cone contains the treat (LEFT or RIGHT). c. The pointer will position the dog so the dog can see both the cones and the pointer. The pointer will then face directly towards the cones (in the middle) and raise one arm and POINT toward the treat cone. d. Record whether the dog follows the point and goes first to the correct cone. 4. Repeat the trials 10 times. Record the percentage of correct and incorrect responses. Trial: Position of cone (L or R) Correct or incorrect? 1 L R C I 2 L R C I 3 L R C I 4 L R C I 5 L R C I 6 L R C I 7 L R C I 8 L R C I 9 L R C I 10 L R C I Total Correct responses: 170
II. Procedure: NOW: Let s see how human preference can affect a dog s choice. 1. You will need 2 paper plates, lots of treats and a designated researcher and human. 2. There will be 3 sets of trials: a. 10 vs. 1 treat b. 1 vs. 1 treat with human preference c. 10 vs. 1 treat with human preference d. Vary the location of the 2 plates on each trial. 3. 10 vs. 1 treats: a. Place 10 treats on 1 paper plate; place 1 treat on the second paper plate b. The human will hold the dog while the experimenter places the plates approximately 2 feet in front of the dog and about 2 feet apart. c. The experimenter will show the dog each plate by slightly lifting and tilting the plate towards the dog. d. The human will then release the dog and let the dog make a choice. Record the plate the dog goes to FIRST. 4. 1 vs. 1 treat. a. Place 1 treat on 1 paper plate; place 1 treat on the second paper plate b. The human will hold the dog while the experimenter places the plates approximately 2 feet in front of the dog and about 2 feet apart. c. The experimenter will show the dog each plate by slightly lifting and tilting the plate towards the dog. d. The human will then release the dog, but strongly urge the dog to choose either the L or R plate; release the dog and let the dog make a choice. Record the plate the dog goes to FIRST. 5. 10 vs. 1 treat. a. Place 10 treats on 1 paper plate; place 1 treat on the second paper plate b. The human will hold the dog while the experimenter places the plates approximately 2 feet in front of the dog and about 2 feet apart. c. The experimenter will show the dog each plate by slightly lifting and tilting the plate towards the dog. d. The human will then release the dog, but strongly urge the dog to choose either plate with 1 treat (rather than the 10 treats). Release the dog and let the dog make a choice. Record the plate the dog goes to FIRST. 10 vs. 1 Be sure to vary the position of the 10 treats vs. 1 treat: Rotate which side (left or right) that you place the plates of treats. Trial Choice 1 10 1 2 10 1 3 10 1 4 10 1 5 10 1 6 10 1 7 10 1 8 10 1 9 10 1 10 10 1 Total number of choices for the 10 treats: 171
1 vs. 1 Choice Be sure to vary the position of the treat you are trying to entice the dog to: Rotate which side (left or right) to which you try to lure the dog. Trial Choice 1 1 human pref 1 not human pref 2 1 human pref 1 not human pref 3 1 human pref 1 not human pref 4 1 human pref 1 not human pref 5 1 human pref 1 not human pref 6 1 human pref 1 not human pref 7 1 human pref 1 not human pref 8 1 human pref 1 not human pref 9 1 human pref 1 not human pref 10 1 human pref 1 not human pref Total number of choices for the human preferred treat: 10 vs. 1 Human Preference Be sure to vary the position of the 10 treats vs. 1 treat: Rotate which side (left or right) that you place the plates of treats. Trial Choice 1 1 human pref 10 2 1 human pref 10 3 1 human pref 10 4 1 human pref 10 5 1 human pref 10 6 1 human pref 10 7 1 human pref 10 8 1 human pref 10 9 1 human pref 10 10 1 human pref 10 Total number of choices for the 10 treats: Compare your results: Free choice 10 treats: of 10 treat preferences selected Human preferred treats: of human preferences selected 10 treat vs. human preferred: of 10 treat preferences selected How did your dog do? How did having the human preference affect the 10-treat choices? 172
Psy 331.03 Advanced Laboratory in Operant Behavior Dognition Laboratory TWO Research Team: Dog: Dog Intelligence Test (adapted from The Intelligence of Dogs by Stanley Cohen) Test 1 - Problem Solving: Place treat under the cup. Repeat three times. Scoring: 5 Dog gets treat in 0-5 seconds 4 Dog gets treat in 5-15 seconds 3 Dog gets treat in 16-30 seconds 2 Dog gets treat in 31-60 seconds 1 Dog tries to get treat and fails Test 2 - Problem Solving: Quickly throw a large towel over the dog's head and shoulders. Scoring: 5 Dog gets free in 0-15 seconds 4 Dog gets free in 16-30 seconds 3 Dog gets free in 31-60 seconds 2 Dog gets free in 1-2 minutes 1 Dog doesn't get free within 2 minutes Score: Test 3 - Problem Solving: Place treat under a small towel. Repeat this three times. Scoring: 5 Dog gets treat in 0-15 seconds 4 Dog gets treat in 16-30 seconds 3 Dog gets treat in 31-60 seconds 2 Dog gets treat in 1-2 minutes 1 Dog tries to get treat and fails 173
Test 4 - Short Term Memory: Let the dog see you place a treat in the marked locations in the classroom, then prompt him to find it. Repeat this three times, using a different location each time. Scoring: 5 Dog goes straight to the treat 4 Dog searches systematically and finds the treat 3 Dog searches randomly but finds treat in under 45 seconds 2 Dog searches but fails to find treat 1 Dog shows no interest Test 5 - Long Term Memory: Let the dog see you place a treat in the marked location of the classroom (a different corner than the one in the test 4). Engage him with obedience cues (sits, down, stay, etc.) for 5 minutes, then prompt him to find the treat. Scoring: 5 Dog goes straight to treat 4 Dog goes to the corner from test 4, then the correct corner 3 Dog searches systematically and finds treat 2 Dog searches randomly but finds treat in under 45 seconds 1 Dog searches but fails to find treat Score: Test 6 - Problem Solving and Manipulation: Place treat under a low platform or chair (too low and far enough back to reach with mouth). Scoring: 5 Dog gets treat in under 1 minute 4 Dog gets treat in 1-3 minutes 3 Dog uses paws and muzzle but fails to get treat 2 Dog uses muzzle only a few times and gives up 1 Dog doesn't try to get treat Score: 174
Test 7 - Language Comprehension: Leave dog as if for a recall and in your usual voice. Repeat this three times. 1. Call "Refrigerator". 2. Call "Movies" 3. Call " (dogs name), Come" Scoring: 5 Dog does not move to incorrect/comes within 3 seconds to name. 4 Dog moves slightly but stops to incorrect name/comes within 5 sec to name. 3 Dog takes steps towards but stops to incorrect name/comes within 10 sec to name. 2 Dog comes to incorrect name and actual name within 5 seconds. 1 Dog comes to incorrect name and actual name, but with delay of 5 or more seconds. Test 8 - Problem Solving: Dog is shown a treat through a slit in a large cardboard barricade. Dog should not be able to get treat through the slit. Handler encourages dog to get treat. Repeat three times. Scoring: 5 Dog goes around barrier in 0-15 seconds 4 Dog goes around barrier in 16-30 seconds 3 Dog goes around barrier in 31-60 seconds; Handler stops encouraging dog after 1 minute 2 Dog goes around barrier in 1-2 minutes 1 Dog tries to reach through slit and gives up Interpretation: Total up your dog s scores: 36-40 = Genius!!!!! 32-35 = Highly Intelligent!!!! 28-31 = High Average!!!!!!! 20-27 = Average!!!!!!! 16-19 = Low Average!!!!! 12-15 = Borderline!!!!!!! 0-11 = Deficient!!! (a Really dumb dog!) My dog s score is: 175
Did your dog get faster across trials on the multiple trial items? Which score would be a more reliable estimate of ability, the first trial, the third trial or the average of the three trials? Could being a shelter dog versus a dog that is in a stable living situation alter the score for that dog? Why or why not? Do you believe that the score your dog obtained accurately reflects his/her ability to problem solve? Why or why not? Don't take this I.Q. scale too seriously. A dog's performance on these tests will no doubt be affected by many traits other than "intelligence", such as confidence, greed, activity level, and previous experiences. It should be interesting, however, to see how different dogs react to these challenges. Maybe it will help you to understand your dog a little better! 176