14/11/2024
š§ Learning Without Limits: Fostering Natural Growth in Dogs š§
In a world focused on measurable goals and training outcomes, itās easy to forget that true learning happens through experience. Just like us, dogs thrive when theyāre allowed to explore, play, and follow their instincts. But are we giving them the freedom to learn in ways that honor who they truly are?
I feel we, as humans, often get caught up in goal-oriented learning. Most of our educational experiences are structured around specific criteriaāpass/fail, percentages, or gradesāto create something measurable. But itās a bit strange, really, because learning is happening all the time. Life shapes us through who we are, what motivates us, and the emotions and experiences we encounter. This kind of learning goes beyond formal education.
We should also remember that while some learning is "hard" or binaryālike math, where thereās a right and wrong answerāa lot of learning is subjective. Thereās no absolute right or wrong when it comes to writing a novel or creating art. We also tend to overlook our earliest learning experiences. We might not forget them, exactly, but we donāt value them as much as things like formal assessments.
When weāre young, we explore freely. We have toys, things to draw with, sounds to make, new tastes and sensations to experience, and environments to discover.
I think thatās the kind of learning we need to rethink when it comes to our dogs. As time goes on, we seem to focus more on teaching dogs to meet our goals and expectations. Sometimes we forget that theyāre learning all the time, just like we are.
These amazing creatures we share our lives with have incredible sensory abilities. They need experiences that complement those abilities so they can interpret the world effectively by learning to use those sensory gifts skilfully. Whether weāre aware of it or not, weāre constantly creatingāor missing out onāopportunities for them to learn.
On top of this, we also need to recognize how much of a dogās learning and behaviour is shaped by genetics. Dogs have model action patternsāinstinctive behaviours like chasing, digging, retrieving, or herdingāthat are hardwired into them and that we have actually selected them for and they have desires to exhibit them in some form.
These patterns are a part of their genetic makeup, and allowing them to express these natural behaviour's is crucial for their well-being. When we deny dogs the chance to exhibit these actions, weāre not just limiting their movement; weāre stifling something fundamental to who they are.
My previous background is in automation, where I worked with software and circuits that process information from sensors to achieve specific outcomes. In that world, sensors are essential; theyāre the feedback mechanism that allows the process to happen. The more accurate a sensor, the more accurate the processābut that also depends on how the sensorās information is processed. If thereās a fault in a sensor, a poor setup, or a mismatch between the sensor and the processing power, it can have a devastating effect on the entire process.
This reminds me a bit of how we, as humans and dogs, take in information. In a way, my work in automation is a simplified, rigid version of what happens in a brain and body. We both process external sensory information, like sight, sound, touch, taste, scent, and temperature and we need opportunities to learn about this information and apply it skilfully.
But thereās also internal sensory informationāemotions and feelings like fear, playfulness, lust and grief or even anger, and physical needs like hunger, thirst, or discomfort. Beyond that, we learn through social interactions, trial and error, and the cultural expectations around us.
What Iām trying to get at here is that we, as humans, learn far more than whatās directly taught to us, and this happens naturally through opportunities and experiences. And I believe we owe it to our dogs to offer them the same. Dogs are not humans, but they deserve an environment where they can explore, interact, and interpret the world in a way that honors who they are.
Learning isnāt just about hitting goals; itās about the richness of experiences we encounter. Just like us, dogs benefit from environments that encourage natural curiosity, exploration, and instinctive actions. By giving them diverse sensory experiencesāscent trails, different textures, time for free play to name but a fewāand by letting them exhibit those natural model action patterns, weāre supporting not only their learning but their happiness and mental well-being. Itās a way of respecting the essence of who they are as dogs.
š§ Let's foster environments for dogs that support their true nature and joy in learning! š§
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