lil’ rascal
lil’ graduate
Over the past 2 months I have been taking my dog to obedience classes. Today she graduated!!!
While I have trained and fostered dogs in the past, Bailey proved to be a particularly challenging case for me. Mostly, because I was asking her to perform things/behaviors that were in complete opposition to what she was bred for. Bailey is a cattle dog and her natural instincts are to herd and to chase livestock on a farm all day long. She is a working dog and teaching her how to relax and chill was kind of hard, cause well, I dont seem to have an off button either. So naturally, asking a puppy of this energy level to stay inside and not "release the kraken" is a difficult task for them. Amidst my quest to domesticate her, I was also learning about different Ai model training methods and I couldn't help but recognize some of the similarities between my efforts teaching her.
Training AI models involves teaching them to recognize patterns and make predictions based on data, whereas training dogs involves teaching them specific behaviors and commands. While the techniques used in these two types of training may be different, the principles of reinforcement and positive reinforcement can be applied to both. Additionally, understanding how AI models learn and make predictions can inform how we approach dog training by providing insight into how animals learn and process information.
There are several similarities between training an AI model and training a dog:
Both require a clear understanding of the desired outcome or behavior. (what is the objective/goal)
Both involve providing positive reinforcement for correct behavior and negative reinforcement for incorrect behavior. (in her case, we reinforce with HIGH VALUE treats)
Both involve breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
Both require patience and consistency in the training process.
Both require monitoring progress and making adjustments as needed.
Both require a good understanding of the learning process and the ability to adapt to different learning styles. (because situations change and distractions happen)
Both require the ability to identify and address misconceptions and errors in training.
Both require the ability to generalize learned behavior to new situations.
The process of training an AI and training my dog involved providing positive reinforcement for a desired outcome and negative reinforcement or punishment for an undesired behavior in order to shape and modify the subject's actions.