This study supported the hypothesis that positive reinforcement shaping would improve Josie’s ability to perform increasingly complex tasks. Average latency decreased across all training phases, task completion success generally increased, and engagement remained consistent throughout training. While Josie successfully learned the Pick Up and Drop behaviors, the Toy in Bin behavior was not consistently mastered within the ten-day study period. However, improvements in both latency and success rate suggest that learning was still occurring. I plan to continue this project throughout the summer and add additional training sessions to determine whether Josie can eventually master the complete Toy in Bin behavior. Overall, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of positive reinforcement shaping and provided valuable insight into canine learning and training.
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