01/06/2026
This is really applicable to rescue greyhounds too!
Have you heard of the 10% rule in Learning Theory? We use this a lot in our work, especially when thinking about providing appropriate challenges for zoo animals and others under human care, and building resilience.
The best challenges, novel stimuli or new behaviours are those that sit just outside an animal's (or human's!) comfort zone: not so easy that they become bored or disengaged, but not so difficult that stress takes over. This is the “learning zone”: the space where an animal can problem-solve, build confidence, and experience success.
By sticking to a 10% margin, the challenge is only slightly beyond current capability, and it creates an opportunity for steady progress. The animal may feel a little uncertainty at first, but with the right support, choice, and reinforcement, that uncertainty can become confidence and a new skill.
If the challenge is too big, however, learning can quickly drop off. Animals may shut down, avoid the task, become frustrated, or disengage altogether. That is why good training, enrichment, and habitat design are not about pushing animals harder or eliminating risk, but focus on carefully shaping opportunities so animals can succeed.
Past zoo environments may have tried to remove more risks than necessary, whether those were safety risks, health risks or the risk of not being able to control the animal. Most modern zoos' approaches now carefully present risks and challenges since they are critical for learning, goal-based behaviour and natural activity budgets i.e. they are also necessary for positive welfare.
What do you think about this concept? Let us know below!
