Motivating operations are conditions occurring before the behavior that make the reinforcement more or less valuable to the animal. Taking Sam for a long walk before our dinner served to temporarily decrease the value of his 
bumping of my mom’s leg (begging at the table behavior) while increasing the value of his laying down and resting.
Parents, YOU Are ALWAYS Teaching
Teaching happens whether we intend it or not. Our interactions cause others to learn positive AND negative associations with situations, and with us.
