Two Languages
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:48 am
Is it possible to train in 2 languages and still have good response/results?
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Keep in mind that dog's don't speak any language. When they respond to any verbal cue, it's the sound of the word and the association that has been created, thru repitition, to which they are responding.KRoberts626 wrote:Is it possible to train in 2 languages and still have good response/results?
Xactly!KRoberts626 wrote:I guess it's kinda like their names and nick names, they end up responding to many things other than just their actual call name - it just depends on how you use it!
I just meant like with a child learning to be bilingual it might be slow at first to get her to respond to english AND another language and have the results/response quicklyleih merigian wrote:Xactly!KRoberts626 wrote:I guess it's kinda like their names and nick names, they end up responding to many things other than just their actual call name - it just depends on how you use it!
And, you can't compare the acquisition of language in human children to dogs learning to respond to verbal cues. Apples and oranges, totally.
I don't mean to harp (oh sure), but you're missing the point here, my friend.KRoberts626 wrote:... just meant like with a child learning to be bilingual it might be slow at first to get her to respond to english AND another language and have the results/response quickly
Yeah I understand. It's just my own funky analogyleih merigian wrote:I don't mean to harp (oh sure), but you're missing the point here, my friend.KRoberts626 wrote:... just meant like with a child learning to be bilingual it might be slow at first to get her to respond to english AND another language and have the results/response quickly
You can name any behavior anything...you can use "eggplant" for a cue to sit, and it won't be any different than using "sit" for the cue. It takes no more time for a dog to learn a verbal cue that isn't in English, than it does for the same dog to learn a cue in English.
Now, if you are renaming something, that may take a little more time, but that's easy, too. Just put the new cue in front of the old one...so if your dog knows "sit" and you want to change it to "eggplant," you'd say "eggplant...sit," then reward for the sit. Eventually, you'd just say "eggplant" and see what happened.
One easy example...I use "nose" as the cue for my pup to touch my hand with her nose. Then, I can say "nose" and hold something out to her for her to touch with her nose. Then, to move it along to the concept of "show me," I'll hold something out, say "show me, nose" and she'll touch it. Eventually, I can name an object, and tell her to "show me" and she'll use the original "nose" behavior.
I haven't even named our formal sit yet...I won't, either, until it's perfect. Isn't the French word for sit assi, or something like that? I like it and am thinking that's what I'll use for our formal sit, when I do name it.
So, if I remember, you were thinking about using different cues for your formal/competition vx casual cues. I really don't see how the dog will have a problem with that. Remember that context is a lot to a dog, too. When you're training and doing that kind of work, it's very different than just hanging out in the house.
I really don't think you'll have any problems. If she already does "down" with the speed and accuracy you desire, then adding the new verbal cue shouldn't be an issue, once the learning phase has passed. Of course, rate of reinforcement will be relevant here :fluffy: .KRoberts626 wrote:
I was interested in the end result, as I teach her by saying (for example) "down-couche" that in time she would respond to "down" or "couche" with the same accuracy, or if initially it would be slow, but she would get it without saying "down-couche" every time as one command. Hope I'm making more sense. Not that she's a child learning to be bilingual.
Totally agree, and that's my whole point. It's all about sounds.icvanstra wrote:Also, it's not just spoken commands.