1. The N tional Dog Training Academy
The History
Classical & Operant Conditioning
The N tional Dog Training Academy e.

2. An Overview Of How It All Started
(The links will take you to further reading on classical & operant conditioning)
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov (1849/1936) - Pavlov’s dogs
John Watson ( tested the theory of association by developing phobias in Little Albert 11mths old.
Further information available at
Operant Conditioning
Edward Thorndike (1874 – 1949) studied the way different consequences to a behaviour caused different effects. He used rat & cat boxes for his work.
B. F. Skinner (1904/1990) influenced by Pavlov & Watson he furthered Watsons work using a rat box.
Further information available at e.

3. Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov – Pavlov’s dogs (1849/1936)
So let’s start by looking at Pavlov’s dogs. Don’t get too hung up with the terminology. You just need to get an understanding about association and how things of no relevance can come to have meaning to a dog, either by accident or through training.
Pavlov, many of you I’m sure will be aware, carried out an experiment to cause dogs to salivate when they heard a bell ring.
Most of the experiments in the following would never be allowed today. e.

4. The dog was in a sealed room constricted by a harness
Retrieved from

5. The Development Of Classical Conditioning
Pavlov noticed that a dog salivating when food was delivered was something over which the dog had no control.
He then noticed that this response (salivating) also happened when he or his assistant appeared without food.
The dog had associated the presence of Pavlov & his assistance with food. Pavlov went on to develop this using a bell for association.
This was the development of Classical Conditioning.

6. Pavlov’s Dogs Experiment
Salivating is an unconditioned response (UR), a dog does this when he sees food. He can’t help it, it just happens.
The food is therefore an unconditioned stimulus (US). It automatically causes the dog to salivate, a reflex – no thinking about it.
Ringing the bell just before food arrived developed an association for the dog between the bell & food.
The bell ringing meant food was coming.
The bell initially meaningless i.e. neutral stimulus (NS), now had meaning and became a conditioned stimulus (CS). So even without the delivery of the food the bell would make the dog salivate.
Salivating to the bell now becomes a conditioned response (CS).

7. Pavlov’s Dogs
McLeod, S. A. (2013). Pavlov's Dogs. Retrieved from

8. Food For Thought? Two Theories…
Tobias Gustavsson suggests two theories about the dogs learning in this experiment:
1. Cognitive Model:
The bell (CS) makes the dog think of food (US) therefore it is the food that causes the salivation (response).
2. Behaviour Model
Suggests that the bell (CS) causes the response as it has gained the same status as food. The dog may not necessarily be aware that the bell precedes food.
What do you think?
More reading on this in Tracking Dogs Scents & Skills Tobias Gustavsson et al 2015 e.

9. And Of Course There Is The Dog’s View!
Retrieved from

10. JB Watson – Little Albert
Watson took the study out of the lab and conducted an experiment using a young boy, Albert, of 11 months old (some studies say he was 9 months).
Albert was at first encouraged and allowed to play with a rat.
Then every time Albert reached out to touch the rat a loud, frightening noise was made.
Within a week of this happening, every time the rat was shown to Albert he would cry.
This conditioned fear spread to other animals too.

11. Classical Conditioning Simplified
Associating two events with each other.
Classical conditioning has occurred when the dog understands that one event predicts or leads to the other.
Classical condition is about associations e.