Passive learning is a straightforward but it requires understanding and planning.

There is minimal effort from the dog therefore it is ideal for very young puppies right through adolescents (who will have very little brain space available for active learning) and new learning for adults.

As we learn there will be an emotional association with that experience. If the learning is too complex it can affect our confidence, if too confusing we can lose interest, if unpleasant will be avoided.

We arrange the learning as a positive, not negative, experience for our dogs. Every time there is a positive experience, which can be any activity, comfort, eating, relief from hunger, playing, chasing, exploring:  passive learning is also happening by association. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. This can be a signal, activity, or sound, that occurs during, immediately before or immediately after the event.

Repetition will ensure the association is part of the dog’s memory. It only takes a surprisingly small number of repetitions to make an association, but continual top-up will secure more reliability.

In this video Merrick is enjoying running around with her toy. This is how she enjoys a toy, it is her choice and self taught. As she runs towards me I can associate the action and direction (running: towards me) with a sound (I whistle). I can use this whistle in the future as a cue to run towards me and it will have a pleasant response.

The pleasant activity or experience can also be associated with the location where it occurs. In this video she is enjoying this in the garden, the garden will have pleasant association.

It is logical that a dog needs to remember where both good and bad things happen. If they have been successful in capturing dinner, they will not need reminders or a map to know where that place is. They will return there at every opportunity even over several years. If they received a threat from a dog when passing a garden, they will avoid that location. Dogs are designed to remember WHERE they are (location) what is nearby and the experience that occurred. This can be a negative association as well as a positive. Management in conjunction with passive learning is about avoiding the negative and arranging the positive.

Wait at the corner

When I take my dogs for an “uncontained” walk there are some locations where I wish them to hold their position until I have visually checked it is safe to go ahead.

One is a blind corner. On our first outing in this location I call the dogs to me, stand still and have treat games at this location. We may even enjoy some active learning in a short session. Even if a youngster has yet to learn the return to me signal, the engagement of the other dogs ensures the pup would not want to be left out and they will join the group activity.

With only a handful of repetitions I do not need to prompt the dogs at this location. If they are at the location before me they will wait for me and as a consequence get to enjoy the treat games.

In addition to the location prompting the waiting, I can also use my activity, standing still when treats games are employed as a stimulus for them to join me.  

The key success to the waiting element is to ensure that the waiting, or stillness, is the behaviour that is rewarded, AND that it happens only when I am standing still. If I only rewarded for the return or was moving as I rewarded the waiting element is unlikely to occur. At that location the dogs are only likely to check in to see if the treat-games are likely to occur, but also keep moving.

I use the same technique for all open gateways around the farm. I want two safety protocols:

Stop at a gateway BEFORE you go through, and WAIT for me

After we go through, STOP, and check in with me before you blast off.

You can employ the same technique everytime you:

Prepare to take your lead off the dog – stand still and orientate to me (not look longingly and dream about the wide open space you are going to enjoy)

Open the car door – stand still where you are

Get out of the car – stand still and orientate to me.

Much of this passive learning is occurring in conjunction with management, in particular containers and door gates. Indoor learning with young pups is the perfect start to outdoor learning.

Door gates are preparation for field gates, street gates, park gate ways.

Container openings are preparation for car safety.

We cannot ignore it ….

It is our habit to focus on teaching the dog a specific thing: pee in the garden, walk calmly, carry this object etc, but where this is happening, or being overwhelmed, how difficult the puzzle, or simply getting tired is also going to be learned.

Passive learning is surrounding us all the time and it requires our attention. It can be a very effective and efficient way of adding dimension to learning and experience when used thoughtfully.