Errorless learning is a stimulus fading procedure that can reduce incorrect responses in a stimulus discrimination task. Errorless learning has been described as a beneficial dog training procedure, although minimal research has been performed with dogs to support its use. The current study compared the effects of using an errorless learning to a trial-and-error learning procedure to train a stimulus discrimination in companion dogs. Eight dogs were trained, four in each group, with concurrent stimuli and either through gradually fading in an incorrect stimulus (errorless learning group) or by differentially reinforcing correct and incorrect responses (trial and error group). Correct responses, incorrect responses, frustration-related responses, and non-responses were measured and compared across the two groups. The results showed the errorless learning dogs were more likely to meet the criteria for learning the discrimination, showed faster speeds of acquisition, and displayed fewer frustration-related behaviours compared to the trial-and-error group. These results are discussed in relation to their benefits for training dogs more effectively and with better welfare during training, suggesting errorless learning could be more greatly utilized for canine training and research.

无错学习是一种刺激衰减过程，可以减少刺激辨别任务中的错误反应。无错误学习被描述为一种有益的狗训练程序，尽管对狗进行的研究很少支持其使用。目前的研究比较了使用无错误学习和试错学习程序来训练伴侣犬刺激辨别的效果。八只狗接受了训练，每组四只，同时进行刺激，或者通过逐渐淡出不正确的刺激（无错误学习组），或者通过有差别地加强正确和不正确的反应（试错组）。对两组的正确反应、错误反应、与挫折相关的反应和不反应进行了测量和比较。结果表明，与试错组相比，无差错学习狗更有可能满足学习辨别的标准，表现出更快的习得速度，并且表现出更少的与挫折相关的行为。这些结果与它们对更有效地训练狗以及在训练期间获得更好的福利的好处进行了讨论，这表明无差错学习可以更广泛地用于狗的训练和研究。