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Dog Training Workshop, and an element of the Dog Science Network
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Fading
Fading is a behavioral procedure in which prompts, cues, reinforcers, or other supporting stimuli, are slowly removed in systematic fashion, after the response in question has become established.
The purpose of gradually removing prompts, cues, and reinforcers is to increase the probability that the response being conditioned will continue on even when you are no longer present to offer those things.
Fading can also take the form of slowly introducing more challenging stimuli into your dog's environment as you gradually present him with well sequenced stressors, organized in graduated degrees of complexity. In that way, over time, you can teach your dog to remain calm and to follow your commands in every conceivable situation that the two of you are ever likely to encounter together.
There are six types of fading that you can use when training your dog.