Proofing

How it works

A behavior that works in a quiet room has been taught but not tested. Proofing introduces difficulty on purpose and in controlled amounts, so that failures happen where they can be fixed rather than where they matter. The usual approach is to raise one dimension at a time and drop the others while doing it: adding distraction means shortening the duration, at least at first. A dog failing during proofing is information about the step size rather than about the dog.

What it looks like

A dog with a reliable stay is tested with a person walking past at thirty feet, then fifteen, then six, then with a ball rolled slowly across the room. Each new difficulty starts with a shorter stay than the dog has already mastered.

Commonly confused with

Generalization

Generalization is about the behavior working in new places. Proofing is about it surviving difficulty. A behavior can be generalized to twenty locations and still fall apart the first time a squirrel appears.

Related terms

Where this comes up