Drive Theory was originally *drive reduction* theory, abbreviated for convenience; it was QUOTE:
“A popular theory of the 1940s and 1950s that attributed behavior to the desire to reduce tension produced by primary (biological) or secondary (acquired) drives.”

a primary ‘drive’ would include hunger, breeding, etc; secondary ‘drives’ would be learnt over time, by association or conditioning.

thru the 40s and 50s, the number of ‘drives’ proliferated madly, and the theory required constant addendums and exceptions, so it was not parsimonious. it became ridiculously unwieldy and was discarded.

cheers,
— terry

bummer… it was such a nice change to be away from the usual drivel of CM/DW, Alpha-rolls, wolf-pack theory and dumbinance, i was caught off-balance by the sudden change –

like walking down a staircase in the dark, and stepping onto a step that isn’t there, THUMP – a disconcerting shock.
simply targeting and shaping for pressure accomplishes precisely the same object, sans the Be-The-Moose or prey-”drive” pom-poms.
[the concept of *drives* originated in human-psych and was trashed in the 1960s; it only persists as sloppy terminology in dog-training + behavior, but it is imprecise + misleading, altho convenient as shorthand.]

the original post is TERRIFIC – thanks so much, deborah!
– terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, and primates R us.*
– sept 2007

Thanks for welcome back

If Sadie’s into “touch”, then you might not have any trouble at all getting her into “pushing” (with you). This is a technique that I’ve used to help many fearful dogs not only deal with their situational stress, but also vent stored stress. It’s even better than tug.

Here’s an article on how to push.

And here’s an example of how you would use it when you’re on a walk like the one that you described in your “magic touch” article – where your dog is obviously stressed, or even already flipping out:
Helping Your Dog Overcome Stress on a Walk with Pushing

I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts!

Side note – I often tell people to “talk” to their dogs with touch, since physical contact (and body language) is a form of communication that dogs understand much more easily than English or *insert language here*.

I like your suggestions. And although Sadie’s not a great tug player we have learned to play “touch.” I wrote about it in “Magic Touch for Fearful Dogs.” You can read it here http://bit.ly/awHY39

Thanks again!

A quick tip/addition (if you don’t mind) – it can be helpful to give a dog something to DO with the energy that they’re experiencing when they encounter someone new. A quick game of tug (where your dog wins), or guiding your dog, with treats, into a down/stay on their bed on the other side of the room. Not only are you helping your dog navigate the situation, but you’re also building the trust that they experience with you. In other words – that YOU are a reliable resource for helping them deal with the emotions that the world stirs up.

If you’re going to do this (like play tug – where you let your dog win – for example) then it helps to practice this outside when there aren’t any stressors around, so it doesn’t catch your dog totally by surprise if you pull out the tug toy when guests arrive. After all, your dog needs to build that muscle – especially if they’re used to having to fend for themselves.

As I replied to Ashley, I find it helps to say something like, “Please help Sadie build her confidence by ignoring her. I know that sounds strange, but, really, it will help her immensely.” Most people want to help even if it means not petting your sweet dog.

I find it hard to resist dogs and until I got Sadie I was terrible at reaching out and petting dogs, not all of whom wanted anything to do with me! So in her own way, Sadie has helped to make the world a little kinder for the dogs that I meet. I let them come to me and check me out.

I know what you mean about people reacting badly. I’ve had similar experiences. I’ve found that if I ask people to help Sadie build her confidence by ignoring her then it’s a little easier for them to understand.

Good luck with Pru.

Oh and welcome back! You have been missed.

And Rod, completely agree with the “No talk, no touch, no eye contact” rule. I use the same approach when working with new clients who are fearful dogs. It has always served me well.

Great post – “Please Don’t Pet Me – I’m Working.” And, I have to agree with you that “No talk, no touch, no eye contact” is right on, until, that is, the dog, makes it apparent that those rules can be relaxed.

For Inside the House: I know you’re not a big fan of Cesar Millan, but the one tip we took away from his show was the “No talk, no touch, no eye contact” rule. That’s what we tell people when they are meeting Ty.

For Outside the House: We got Ty a little doggie vest and patches that say “Please Don’t Pet Me – I’m Working” from SitSay.com. It has saved us a lot of aggravation from people who just feel they have to pet Ty. Here is the blog post I wrote about it – http://www.gopetfriendlyblog.com/2010/05/tys-too-sexy/