Behavior change is hard enough without adding in another piece of homework like data tracking. There are so many factors and contributors to behavior; we can look at antecedent arrangements, learning history, health, species-typical behaviors, the list can go on and on!
So how do we collect information in a way that is helpful and manageable to our behavior change journey?
Successes can feel overwhelmed by the “failures” when we’re tracking behavior, not only in seeing the behaviors occur, but when we fail to record the details we had set as a goal. But that’s exactly why we need to track behavior! It’s hard to look at our experiences without a subconscious lens. For example, it feels like my dog has been barking all day! Is that truly the case, or were you more sensitive to the noise while having a stressful day? Are you perceiving the behavior at extremes at all times, or are there different levels to the behavior? Behavior change occurs in increments, and that can make it hard to see and recognize progress over several weeks.
We’ll talk in this article about different types of behavior tracking with our pets. And then, next week, behavior tracking for our human selves! This can take the form of journaling as an act of self care, making our behavior change journey more manageable when we’ve got more spoons in our corner. Maybe one can lead to the other as a good habit to form!
If you benefit from listening to audio instead of reading, you can check out Allie and Emily’s podcast episode about Data Tracking for some key points! Check back into this article for links and examples, and the addition about journaling after you’ve listened through and come back. We’ll be here!
Successes Can Feel Overwhelmed by Failures, So Let’s Keep Track!
I said it again, because it’s that important. Not only to change behavior, but to track behavior!
Change happens in approximations, which can make change so so so frustrating if you’re impatient like me. Every time the undesirable behavior happens it can feel like we’ve made three steps backward while barely scooting forward.
Remember that what we observe and remember can already start with cognitive bias. What we experience, how we feel about that experience, what our history with that experience is will result in a skewed perception of that experience. The simpler way of thinking about it: we will experience an event through our own lens, based on our learning history (including how much your dog has been barking).
So how are we supposed to know if our training plan is working, if the change is incremental? We’ll break it down into these starting points:
- What is your goal?
- What is your metric?
- How will you keep track of it?
01. What is Your Goal?
Figuring out your goal means we need to focus on one thing for right now. While there are crossover behaviors (this affects that and might affect this, etc.) it will help to simplify at this stage.
Our training plan will include some measures like “what is causing my dog to bark,” “how long does my dog bark,” and “how frequently does my dog bark?” Barking is a species and breed specific behavior so a flat “no barking” goal is unrealistic. Consider what you are looking to change, and as we go through these notes consider what will help you accomplish your goal- or, even flesh out what your end goal is besides simply “no barking!”
If you’re not sure yet about your goals or what you want to accomplish, consider meeting with a trainer or behavior consultant! Functioning in our cognitive bias means taking into account that we may be too close to the situation to see it objectively.
02. What is your Metric?
I would love to be able to track behavior as if we were in a laboratory! What happened before, what happened after, time of day, length and intensity, etc. But that’s not feasible for most people. It’s best to start simple: What is the bare minimum of what we need at this time? And what is plausible for us to implement safely?
As we approach data collecting, remember that notion of what it “should” look like won’t matter here. I have had a number of clients who feel intimidated about compiling information, especially if the last time they did any type of data collection was in school for a presentation in science class. But here’s some fun reminder: it doesn’t have to look pretty! It can be easy, ugly, and still super useful!!
These are the metrics I usually choose between, and some different examples of implementing them (including some beautiful tables from Tiffany, and additional blank resources from teacher and educational forums!).
Frequency: How frequently does a behavior happen?
It doesn’t have to be fancy or complex…but it could be if you’re into that kind of thing. Here are some examples of tracking frequency.
Example: Uhh, see notes below…
The image above is a page in my planner, tracking… okay I’m not proud, but it was the number of times the person next to me in a coffee shop said “um” from the back of their throat. On the right I marked the time. I thought I was being cranky until I recorded the frequency while I was working on this article, and now I feel like noticing the repeated sound was not so irrational when I looked back at my findings. (The squiggles were ‘yeahs’ that sounded like ‘ums’).
Data tracking can be as simple as some tick marks on a notebook or white board. We’ve even seen clients use a sharpie on their own arm (their idea)!
Example: The human remembers what new skills to work on with her dog.
The image above is an example of tracking frequency over multiple days for practicing simple behaviors with a chart drawn in a notebook. The behaviors appear in the first column, and the dates appear in subsequent columns, with checkmarks indicating which dates the skills were practiced.
Example: Practicing skills and behaviors seen on walks.
The image above is a a waaaaaay more complex chart that I made for a dog I was dog sitting. On the left I’ve listed skills we practiced outside like recall and games. Below that in the same column are behaviors I was tracking on walks. The columns to the right are divided by dates and times so I could track several time slots per day, then use an X to indicate the skills we practiced and the behaviors I saw on walks. Along the bottom, in the same column as the time and date, I took some notes, like how many dogs we saw at that time. If I do this again, I would include body language instead of the “huffing” behavior I recorded here.
Example: Frequency of seeing the dog bark at the cat.
The example in the image above is a table in a Google sheet (spreadsheet). It shows the frequency as not tick marks but the exact number of times it happened in a time period. A single behavior (barking at the cat) is tracked by time (first column, 30 minute intervals) and date (subsequent columns), and records the number of times the behavior occurs during that time and date. That’s as simple as it needs to be!
Other examples include this teacher’s form: Frequency Data Sheet
Duration: How long does a behavior last?
Here’s where we can see that your dog hasn’t actually been barking all day! We can track how long a behavior is actually happening. Here are a few examples.
Example: Dog barking at people outside.
The image above displays a table made in Google Sheets (spreadsheet). Here a single behavior (barking) is tracked by where it happens (setting column), when the barking starts (time begin column), when the barking ends (end time column), how long the barking happened (total time column). There is an additional column for any notes about what was happening outside.
Note that the duration can be a rough estimate, but you can also use things like a pet camera or baby monitor to help record and track how long a behavior lasts especially if it is noise related.
You can also look at tracking duration for when your dog returns to a relaxed state! Recovery time is a great metric.
Example: Recovering to a more relaxed state (recovery time).
Our dog reacts to a trigger/stimulus by barking and lunging and has historically exhibited stress signs for up to twenty minutes after a reaction. Getting an exact start time number is not important; start time can be a rough estimate you can make after you are in a safe environment and your dog is not actively barking/lunging. Safety first!
We’ve identified eating treats and sniffing on the ground as good indicators of de-escalation (calmed down state), but you can include body language in this description as well.
The example above is a table in a Google doc. The columns from left to right are Date, Reaction Occurs (time), Time to Eat (how long it took to get to a safe environment where the dog was able to take food), Time to Sniff (how long it took to get to a safe environment where the dog could sniff the ground), Additional Notes.
A blank example of Duration Data courtesy of teacher resources!
Learning your pet’s body language and ladders of escalation and de-escalation are useful for tracking recovery time and intensity, which is up next.
Intensity: How intensely is the behavior happening?
Can we track how intense a behavior is? Some behaviors happen on a spectrum of intensity. Think little “boof” barks vs. very loud barking, or a small grumble vs. a long, deep growl. For intensity, we generally recommend a scale of 1-5.
Example: Dog is barking at noises from the neighbors. For context, I live in an apartment in Chicago, habitualization has obviously not happened for my boofy girl. The scale is based on knowing her body language.
The image above is an illustrated intensity chart with the following ratings:
0 – trigger occurred, little/no response!
1 – alert, eyes, open, stays in position, no boof, stays still ~1min/30 secs.
2 – alert, had up, ears forward, tiny/no boof, some movement, stiff tail
3 – head up, tight lip, ears forward, full back, movement, walking
4 – hackles up, pacing several times before settling, boofs throughout
5 – frequent lout barks, post up at door, doesn’t settle without interruption
While tracking this behavior, I found that I could include frequency by repeating the number, and even could reflect de-escalation!
The image above is a hand-drawn chart from Procreate on iPad that displays days of the week (Monday and Tuesday), with time periods across the top. Underneath are numbers indicating that my dog reacted and I rated it using the intensity scores 1-5 mentioned in the paragraph above.
Example: Dog is barking at the noises from the neighbor.
The image above is a table made in a Google Sheet (spreadsheet). In this example, a single behavior (barking at neighbor sounds) is recorded by date (first column, time of day (second column) location (third column), and is given an intensity score of 1 – 5 (from least to most intense, last column).
A blank example of Intensity Documentation courtesy of teacher resources!
ABC Behavior Tracking: Antecedent, behavior, consequence tracking. Or what happens before, during, and after a behavior?
Example: Dog is barking at the cat.
The image above is a table made in a Google Sheet (spreadsheet), a single behavior (barking at the cat) is recorded in the following columns (left to right): date, time, location, antecedent, behavior, and consequence.
When tracking this way, remember that correlation is not always causation! There may be multiple factors to when a behavior occurs, and sometimes the behavior is influenced outside of what appears to be an A to B relationship (if you’d like a funny way to remember this concept, check out this website).
This manner of behavior tracking takes practice, and good habits of observing in a way that is objective. It’s harder than you’d think! (If you don’t believe me, check out Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning Course, which I highly recommend.) If you are using this method, consider going over your results with a trained professional who has worked with behavior modification to make sure you’re making the most of this method!
A blank example of ABC Observation Form courtesy of teacher resources.
I referred to a couple resources such as Data Collection Forms from the Union County Public School Behavior Support Team and Miss Behavior Blog throughout the above sections, and just wanted to make sure to shout them out individually. Thank you teachers and educators who share their hard work and experience!
03. How Will You Track it?
Your method needs to work for you! Here are some options you can look through to get some ideas of what will work for you. I’ve broken them down in the two most common ways my clients have expressed their preference; as a digital option, or a physical option.
I Need a Digital Way to Track
Try out the following:
- Google Docs, Sheets, or Forms
- There are free downloads so you don’t have to start from scratch, like this one from Miss Behavior’s Behavior Data.
- Other writing or data organizing programs like Word, Excel, etc.
- Apps such as the Dog Log (I also know of people who have used apps designed for parents and their babies!)
- Notes section on phone
I Need a Physical Way to Track
Try out the following:
- Dotted/Graph Paper or Notebooks *recommendations in next week’s blog!*
- Pre-prepped Worksheets
- Post-it Notes
- Pocket-sized notebooks on your person or in easy to reach locations.
- White board on the wall if behavior is location specific
Are there any methods you like to use that you don’t see listed? Please comment and share your recommendations! We’ll look at some options I have tried and recommend in next week’s blog post.
What Equipment Do You Actually Need to Track Behavior?
When you are looking for a physical option to track behavior, remember that all the pretty notebooks in the world won’t make up for utility! (Not that they are mutually exclusive, but utility should sadly be our priority.) Consider what you are likely to use to track behavior, and can continue to use.
Consider the size. Do you want to travel with it or let it live on a shelf? Do you want it to be big and heavy, or small and easy to restart? Do I want to build categories at the beginning of the week or have something pre-written in there?
Have that neuro-spicy sensory aspect to your day-to-day habits? Me too, boo. The texture and feel of the journal and the pens matter, okay!? Check out in person art stores and stationary stores to get a feel for the materials in your hands, and support your wonderful local stores!
Next week we’ll take a look at the complementary practice of journaling, and we can head straight down into the rabbit hole of stationary together!
Now What?
Try out some different methods of data collection! You don’t even have to track an animal’s behavior; try out your observation skills on something you encounter during the day. We’ll focus on just the following three:
- Frequency
- Duration
- Intensity
How many times does your gate squeak during the day? How long does your coffee machine beep before it gives up? How strong do you feel about picking up poop in the backyard at a given time (from a “no problem” 5 to a “please god no” 1)? If you’re not sure where to start, try out a different method every day and see what is easy or hard about those methods. You’ll probably find a couple are easier than others, or that the method you chose is actually harder than you expected.
Feel free to share your results with us! We’re always happy to be a part of others’ learning journey, because we’re on the same journey too! I’m always so impressed with the variety of ways that people have tracked behavior, whether it’s their own or a pets’.
Happy training!
Taylor