Massed and Distributed Training in a Canine Match-to-Sample Task: A Single-Subject Exploratory Study

Abstract

The scheduling of practice may influence learning performance, behavioral engagement, and response speed across species. This exploratory study compared massed and distributed training in a visual match-to-sample task involving a three-year-old male mixed-breed domestic dog. A single-subject within-subject design was employed in which the dog underwent both training conditions. The massed condition consisted of 15 planned trials conducted in one continuous 12-minute session, whereas the distributed condition comprised the same number of planned trials divided across three sessions separated by four- to six-hour intervals. Performance was assessed descriptively through task completion, accuracy among completed trials, response latency, behavioral engagement, and positional choice. The dog completed 11 trials during massed training and 12 during distributed training. Accuracy remained broadly comparable, increasing from 64% under the massed condition to 67% under the distributed condition. Average response latency decreased from 3.0 seconds to 1.5 seconds, while fewer nonresponses and greater behavioral engagement were observed during the distributed condition. However, a pronounced left-side preference emerged during distributed training, indicating that reinforcement placement or other unintended environmental cues may have influenced performance. The findings are descriptively consistent with the potential value of spaced practice for maintaining response speed and engagement, but they do not establish superior match-to-sample learning. The study underscores the importance of counterbalancing, neutral reinforcement delivery, repeated observations, and rigorous control of positional cues in future canine-cognition experiments.