The study of eye contact with regard to attention and a dog’s interpretation of environment conditions based on this sensory cue have nearly disappeared during the behaviorist period.
Today, when we talk about attention we often talk only in terms of overt attention (eye contact) Since most of us understand and accept that what a dog is looking at he is thinking about we tend to focus on this one cue and almost ignore other contextual cues such as body language, distance, general training environment and so on.
We know that eye contact, as a contextual cue is a strong one and can trigger the dogs defensive thresholds. (fight or flight) Without going anthropomorphic in my interpretation, I will draw and example that will I hope, explain things in a way most can understand it.
A dog will look a prolonged eye contact in the same way as you or I would look at it if it happened to us. If someone is looking at me for long time I will become a little unnerved by this “unusual” behavior. In fact, the more intense the stare, the proximity and the unnatural calmness of the person a stronger concern will develop in my mind.
As far as I know there has never been a study on the internal brain mechanisms for paying attention or how and when selective attention takes over in a dog.
In people the capacity for selective attention is greater and cognitively more diverse.
Biological influenced behaviors are attached to the temperament. Biologically influenced behaviors ultimately translate into behaviors that individual dog believes he needs to survive and reproduce. Within these Biologically influenced behaviors there are stimulus thresholds and triggers. I call these spatial-temporally distinct behaviors. I hypothesized this concept in order to explain why we have varied degrees of behavior thresholds. It is based on the individual dog’s interpretation and sensitivity of contextual cues. Proximity, sound, conditioned environment, and new environmental conditions all have a place in the greater interpretation and eventual response to the condition.
Because eye contact is so closely tied to the dog’s ability to survive it has a greater influence. The dog will then weigh all the contextual cues against the pressure that is building up from the most pronounced cues that he is facing.
I happen to believe there are internal mechanisms for paying attention to stimulus cues and then responding to them.
I made this model to explain the building of internal pressures that influence a dog’s response to his environment.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Threshold window for biologically influenced interpolations and spatio-temporally distinct interpretations.
(1) Selection - Determining the existence of cue or cues
(2) Division - Cognitive selection against temperament within the dog.
(3) Alertness – Focus
(4) Trigger (response)
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Again you should note that biologically influenced interpretation is directly related to survival and as such, the speed and strength of the response is greater. Once he believes a real threat exist he will respond. (Fight or flight) His response will vary based on his level of confidence in his ability to defend himself. He will continue to monitor and access, on a subconscious level, the context of that perceived threat.
Your eye-contact with him maintains his eye contact with you. Hs eyecontact is what he is thinking about. His focus is peaked and remains at the higher end of his biologically influenced interpretation thresholds for self-preservation.
To ask the question, “Are PSD and PPDs proofed against being "stared down" , or will they do like other dogs , and back away from someone who makes prolonged eye to eye contact.”
No dog is proofed against the biological order of things. The dog’s interpretation of being stared down will be situational, contextual and rooted in the temperament of the animal. His response will be based on these variables.
As a trainer we can condition him to these variables but he we will remain ultimately tied his temperament and rely on instinctive motivators when faced with confusion and high stress situations. Remember you can modify behaviors but you cannot change a dogs temperment. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down. - Robert Benchley
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog. - Edward Hoagland
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