This type of conditioning reduces the possibility of the bison rubbing against, nudging or mobbing the handler in expectation of a treat. The calves quickly learned to stand still in order to hear the whistle and receive the treat. The whistle was always blown before the treat was given. The treat must be given immediately after the whistle is blown for the bison to associate the treat with the whistle. The whistle must be blown as the bison are doing the desired behavior, not before and not after the behavior.
Timing is critical for successful training.
This type of training has also been found to reduce anxiety in animals that are exposed to sudden noises like slamming gates and people yelling. The calves learned to focus on the trainers, and that the whistle meant tasty treats. Animals, which have had prior positive learning experience's such as being given treats for standing still, are easier to train and are more capable of further learning, than animals that had a frightening or painful experience. Once the calves had learned to learn, the second phase of the habituation began. Now that the calves had learned that standing still caused a whistle to be blown and then a treat to be thrown, it was time to expand their learning.