Very few behavior-change programs with canines produce effects that persist beyond the training condition. The present study is an experimental demonstration of a constructional program that established calm patterns of behavior as alternatives to hyperactive ones. Three dogs that exhibited hyperactive patterns were chosen as subjects. Seven conditions common to canine-caretaker relationships were used to determine which factors resulted in the hyperactive patterns. Then, sitting and lying down were taught as beginning points using touch as a reinforcer. The final behavior, maintained by naturally occurring reinforcers, was established errorlessly. The study used a control-analysis strategy of behavior change with a changing-criterion design. The intervention resulted in an immediate reduction in hyperactivity and an increase in sitting and lying down for all dogs.

The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of combining negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement during teaching with the effects of using positive reinforcement alone. A behavior was trained under two stimulus conditions and procedures. One method involved presenting the cue ven and reinforcing successive approximations to the target behavior. The other method involved presenting the cue punir, physically prompting the target behavior by pulling the leash, and delivering a reinforcer. Three other behaviors were trained using the two cues contingent on their occurrence. The results suggest that stimuli associated with both a positive reinforcer and an aversive stimulus produce a different dynamic than a situation that uses positive reinforcement or punishment alone.

The most common type of human animal interaction (HAI) programme used in prisons involves prisoners caring for and training unwanted dogs from rescue shelters, to prepare the dogs for rehoming. Such programmes have been previously developed specifically aimed towards male young offenders, and are claimed to improve emotional, social and practical outcomes. Paws for Progress, the first prison based dog training programme in the UK, was introduced to HM YOI Polmont in 2011. By clearly communicating each step of the 5 Step approach (1. Identify the problem; 2. Review the evidence; 3. Develop a logic model; 4. Identify indicators and monitor the logic model; 5. Evaluate the logic model), it has enhanced our understanding of the development processes required for effective prison based dog training programmes. This evaluation provides the first comprehensive quantitative analysis of short, medium and long term outcomes for Scottish young offenders serving custodial sentences (N = 70) following participation. The aims of Paws for Progress are to improve behaviour, increase engagement in education, develop employability skills, and enhance well-being. Using a mixed design with two control groups and triangulating quantitative and qualitative outcomes, the evaluation assesses the efficacy of the programme in meeting these aims. Systematic analyses of semi-structured interviews pre and post participation in the programme support findings from the quantitative analyses. Analyses of institutional behaviour, measured by Disciplinary Reports, educational progress measured by written assessments and qualifications, employability skills measured by psychometric tests, and prisoner well-being all improved for participants, but such improvements were not shown by control groups. Paws for Progress positively impacts short and medium term outcomes and data on longer term outcomes also indicate the benefits are far reaching. By clearly relating programme aims to the outcomes achieved, and considering the contribution of Paws for Progress to future desistance from crime, the value and relevance of these findings are evident. The evaluation contributes to our understanding of effective methodologies in this applied context, which can be utilised to improve research practice in interventions in criminal justice and in human animal interaction.