What is an Extinction Burst?

Has your dog lost his training MoJo?

You have introduced a new training regiment to your dog.  Just as you start to see  real improvement in your dog’s behavior, he appears to lose interest in the training process. He may even revert back to behaviors that you thought were things of the past.

This behavior is completely normal and is often a sign that you are making progress!  This behavior is called an extinction burst.

Hang in there! It is imperative not to give in to this lack of enthusiasm! This often happens at the 70% mark in training and is your dog’s way of attempting to buck the new system. He is trying to see if the old behaviors still pay off. Completely ignore this phase and  continue with the training protocols. This phase rarely lasts a week or two.

Photo: courtesy of daoro@flicker

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