Which technique relies on capturing a behavior as it occurs and may require fading the prompt later?

• A. Capturing
• B. Prompting
• C. Shaping
• D. Targeting

Answer: (A)

Capturing a behavior as it occurs focuses on reinforcing a response at the exact moment it happens in the dog’s natural environment. You look for moments when the desired action naturally pops up and reward it right away, which helps that behavior become more likely in the future. If a prompt was needed to bring that moment about, you gradually fade the prompt so the dog can repeat the action on its own. This approach differs from prompting, which relies on cues to elicit a response every time; from shaping, which builds a final behavior by reinforcing successive, closer approximations; and from targeting, which centers on teaching the dog to interact with a specific object or location as part of training. The key idea is seizing the natural moment and strengthening it through reinforcement with prompt fading as needed.