The science of associating something with an activity is
known as classical conditioning. The best example is the
experiment conducted by Pavlov. Whenever he served food to his
dog, he used to ring a bell. In the beginning, the dog used to
salivate by looking at the food. Later he began associating the
bell with the food and at a point of time, he used to salivate
at the sound of the bell. This doesn’t mean that the actual
noise of the ringing bell made him salivate. The dog associated
the ringing of the bell with the food and that food or even the
thought of it made him salivate.
Classical conditioning cannot actually make the dog to sit or
jump at the command, but it does change the way the pet feels
about a particular situation in which it is right now. Classical
conditioning gives explanation about the behavior relating to a
particular place, object or event. It explains how the emotional
response is developed. The responses can be developed in the
animal either wontedly or by chance. Also the trainer must
remember that the change in the behavior is irreversible most of
the times.
One of the most common behaviors dealt with in conditioned
emotional response is fear. The fear can be instinctive, learned
or unknown. For example, if a cat gets scared upon seeing a dog,
this is instinctive fear. If the cat backs off upon seeing a
raised hand, this is learned fear. This can happen in the case
of an abused cat. If there is fear because of lack of exposure
to a particular situation before, this is known as fear of
unknown.
The conditioned emotional responses, which are dislikeable, can
be reduced with the help of classical conditioning. Classical
conditioning further has two concepts namely desensitization and
counter-conditioning. Desensitization is reducing the
sensitivity of the animal towards a particular unavoidable
situation. The bad situation is created again and again until
the animal becomes insensitive or doesn’t feel about it any
more. For example, if the animal is given crate training, it is
locked inside the crate again and again, till he gets used to
staying locked inside the cage.
In counter-conditioning the animal is exposed to a lower degree
of extremity. The intensity is less and as well a positive thing
is presented to the animal. By doing this pet begins to like the
nasty situation. The pet is made to respond in such a way, which
contradicts the current or previous reaction. For example, a pet
doesn’t like to be locked up in the crate all the time. But this
undesirable situation can be made to look pleasant if the pet is
fed with a treat from time to time as long as it stays calmly
inside the cage.
Negative counter conditioning is another technique, but it is
used very rarely. For example, if the cat likes to bite the hand
of the owner very frequently, the person can rub something
distasteful on the hand. When the animal bites the hand, it will
taste the distasteful substance and then associate the bad taste
with the hand and will not bite again, if done repeatedly.
Classical conditioning is used to alter the way of reaction of
the animal in a particular situation. With classical
conditioning it can be made to like an unpleasant situation and
even dislike a pleasant condition.