Overshadowing occurs when which of the following happens during cueing?

• A. The preferred stimulus is noticed more than other cues
• B. The more noticeable stimulus around causes the dog to overlook the preferred cue
• C. The dog stops responding to all cues
• D. The dog responds only to the first cue presented

Answer: (B)

Overshadowing happens when two cues compete for the dog’s attention, and one cue is more salient than the other. The dog tends to focus on the more noticeable stimulus, so the association with the less noticeable cue doesn’t form as strongly. As a result, the dog may respond to the stronger cue and overlook the cue you actually want to train. In practice, this means a very noticeable distraction or a highly salient cue can steal attention away from the intended cue, weakening learning about it. To prevent it, use cues that are similarly salient, or train cues separately and reduce competing distractions so the dog can form clear associations with the intended cue.