By Celeste Lacroix
Photo credit to Lisanne Moore
What is Artificial Intelligence?
According to Wikipedia, Artificial intelligence (AI), in its broadest sense, is intelligence exhibited by machines, particularly computer systems.
Some high-profile applications of AI include advanced web search engines (e.g., Google Search); recommendation systems (used by YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix); interacting via human speech (e.g., Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa); autonomous vehicles (e.g., Waymo); generative and creative tools (e.g., ChatGPT, and AI art); and superhuman play and analysis in strategy games (e.g., chess and Go).
There are so many aspects of AI that are currently part of our everyday lives. Our devices will spellcheck, auto complete sentences, create appointments, etc. without our thinking twice about it.
Ethan Mollick, professor of AI at the Wharton school at the University of Pennsylvania specializes in AI and says “It is sometimes hard to know the difference between something that is real and something generated by AI. Humans are bad about thinking about change. We are seeing a rapid change in politics, culture, how we work, how we learn. What happens to the world as a result of AI and how do we use it for good.”
This started me thinking. We’ve all read about so many jobs that won’t exist in 25 years but how does AI affect some of our hobbies? Our training? Our breeding? Our trialing? Our judging? Our availability?
I started my chat with an AI engine by giving it context which allows it to grow. I used ChatGPT which is a free and easy-to-use app that can help you with writing, learning, brainstorming, and more.
I started with the following conversation. I’ll put it in the form of Question and Answer so it’s a bit easier to read in this article:
Q: “You are a sheepdog herding trainer, tell me how to train my border collie. “
A: ChatGPT returned the following:
Training your Border Collie to be an effective sheepdog requires patience, consistency, and understanding of both the dog's natural instincts and the tasks at hand. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
1. Establish a Bond with Your Dog
Trust and Communication: Border Collies are highly intelligent and sensitive, so the first step is building trust. Spend time with your dog, engage in fun activities like fetch or obedience training, and create a bond where your dog feels comfortable responding to you.
2. Basic Obedience Training
Sit, Stay, Come, and Heel: Before you introduce herding, ensure your Border Collie has mastered basic obedience commands. This foundation will help you communicate more effectively when you're on the field.
Focus on Recall: A reliable "come" command is essential, as it ensures your dog returns to you when needed during herding sessions.
3. Introduce Herding Instincts
Encourage Natural Herding Behavior: Border Collies have an instinctual drive to herd, so let them practice with smaller animals like ducks or even a ball before working with sheep. Use a long line or lead to give them some freedom while maintaining control.
Chase and Retrieve: Use a ball or toy to mimic the movement of livestock. Roll it across the ground and encourage your dog to chase and "herd" it back to you. This will help them learn the movement patterns they will need when herding sheep.
4. Introduce Sheep Gradually
Start with Low-Stress Situations: Begin with a few calm, non-aggressive sheep in a contained area like a small pen or field. Allow your Border Collie to observe them from a distance before getting too close.
Encourage Calmness: Border Collies can be intense when they first see livestock. Use positive reinforcement (praise and treats) when your dog is calm and doesn’t react impulsively. The goal is to teach your dog to work steadily and not chase frantically.
Introduce "The Eye": Border Collies often use "the eye" (a fixed, intense stare) to control livestock. Encourage your dog to focus on the sheep while maintaining calmness. Praise when your dog exhibits this controlled behavior.
5. Start Basic Herding Commands
"Come by" and "Away to me": These are essential commands for directing the dog around the sheep. "Come by" means to move clockwise, and "Away to me" means to move counter-clockwise.
Practice with your dog at a distance, giving these commands when your dog is moving toward or away from the sheep. Use a calm but firm voice, and reward when your dog responds correctly.
"Lie down": A critical command for stopping the dog in its tracks to control the pace of the herding. Use it when your dog is too eager or needs to take a break.
6. Teach "Stop" and "Steady"
"Stop" or "Wait": This command is important when you want the dog to freeze or stop in its tracks. Use this when the dog is too eager and needs to refocus or stay back from the sheep.
"Steady": Border Collies can sometimes rush in with too much intensity. This command helps them to slow down and maintain a steady pace when working with livestock.
The document then went on to discuss the following topics at some length:
7. Work in a Controlled Area First
Start in a Small, Enclosed Field: Use a Long Lead: Gradually Increase the Difficulty:
8. Develop Herding Skills
Gathering Sheep: Driving the Sheep: Flanking and Outrun:
9. Refine the Skills
Control Speed: Use a Whistle:
10. Practice Regularly
11. Keep Sessions Short and Positive
12. Seek Professional Help if Needed
Hire a Professional Trainer: If you encounter difficulties or want to speed up the process, consider seeking a professional herding trainer. They can offer guidance tailored to your dog’s specific needs.
With patience, consistency, and the right environment, your Border Collie will become an excellent sheepdog. The key is respecting their natural instincts and providing them with clear, calm guidance. Happy training!
Good luck with your training, and remember that the process is as much about enjoying the journey as it is about achieving results!
I thought I would challenge it with the fact that we don’t use treats. So I entered
Q: “positive reinforcement would be praise and removing pressure instead of using treats”
A: ChatGPT returned the following:
Thank you for the clarification! You're absolutely right—positive reinforcement can certainly be achieved through praise and removing pressure, rather than relying on treats. Border Collies are highly responsive to pressure and release, so this approach will work very well. Here’s how you can incorporate praise and the removal of pressure effectively in your herding training:
1. Pressure and Release
Understanding Pressure: In the context of herding, pressure refers to the subtle cues you give your dog to influence its behavior. This could be your body position, voice commands, or leash (if used). Border Collies are sensitive to pressure and will often respond to the "release" of pressure by relaxing and making adjustments to their behavior.
Removing Pressure as a Reward: When your dog performs the right behavior, you can "release the pressure." For example, if you're guiding them to move around the sheep and they do it correctly, you can ease up on the tension of the leash (if using one) or stop applying any body pressure. This release will let your dog know they've done the right thing.
Gradual Reduction of Pressure: As your Border Collie gets more proficient, you can reduce the level of pressure over time. Initially, there may be more noticeable pressure (body position, firm voice), but as they improve, you can use less force, making the reward more subtle but still highly motivating.
2. Praise as a Form of Positive Reinforcement
Verbal Praise: Praise your Border Collie immediately after they make the right move or show the correct behavior. The key is to be timely with your praise so that they can clearly associate it with their actions. Use a calm, confident voice that expresses approval. For example: "Good job!" or "That’s it, well done!"
Calm and Confident Feedback: Border Collies respond to calm and confident leadership. When you praise, use a tone that matches the relaxed behavior you want to reinforce. For example, if your dog is staying calm and focused on the sheep, give a gentle "Good" or "Steady" to acknowledge their self-control.
Use Praise During Key Moments: For example, when your dog listens to your command and starts moving in the right direction, give them a quick, enthusiastic "Good!" Praise them again when they follow through with completing the task, like driving the sheep or stopping when asked.
3. Use Praise to Maintain Focus
Calm and Focused Work: Border Collies are highly energetic and focused when working, so you can use praise to help them maintain focus. If they get distracted or seem to be losing their attention, you can redirect them by offering praise when they re-focus on the task.
There are so many aspects of AI that intrigue me. A handler recently said to me that he kept track of the scores at trials and could prove that when he set sheep, the handlers' scores were always better. He prided himself on excellent setting skills. At so many of the big trials, the sheep change behaviour consistently over the days and over the time of day. What if AI could normalize the scores minimizing the impact of things that are out of the control of the handler / dog team. How would our breeding strategy and the border collie as a breed change over time if we had broader metrics that diversified our top breeders beyond the champions of the year to benefit breed diversity. As the old proverb says “May you live in interesting times”, we certainly do!
