#15 The Motivation Factor

Highfives Insights: What is the Motivation factor and how does it work to motivate the right choices?

'Motivation' is defined as the factor that stimulates the desire and energy to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal. 
The force of motivation, other positive or negative, is what powers us all to act and make decisions. 

Utilizing the highest motivators is how I can start working a dog back towards balance. If the dog is driven by food, tug, ball, or praise, I'll put the dog through certain challenges before they can earn those rewards. Or I'll use certain drives to enhance their motivation to work. 

For example... A dog might be extremely fearful to the point that he won't approach humans. At first, his fear is so strong that nothing will motivate him except that fear. Not even offering food will make him gain trust. However, if his food is only provided during the times when the human is present and the food is removed when the human is gone, he'll only hold off eating until his hunger becomes a higher drive then his fear of humans. Through this new motivation, he will be compelled to approach, eat his meals, and make a positive connection with humans.  Keep in mind, food is NOT withheld. It is provided a few times a day but only in the presence of what the dog is afraid of.

Motivation comes in many forms, not only through traditional reward. Take the act of fence fighting, in which a dog aggresses behind a fence or barrier when they can't reach a stimulus on the other side. Sometime a dog will get into such an intense fit that he injures himself in his frenzy. You might wonder why that dog won't stop for his own safety and well-being... Fact is, the thrill of adrenaline actually motivates the dog more then anything else in that moment! That creates a cycle of ‘drive’ in which the motivation to fight comes from the feeling of adrenaline. Sometimes other positive motivators won't be enough to break this habit and a stronger motivator has to be applied. 

The value of motivation is very important to acknowledge. Fear, hunger, love, pain, and riches are high motivators for us. We weigh the reward with the risk of consequences and test what motivates us the most. 
You probably wouldn't put yourself in danger or go through too much stress to reach a loose $5 bill blowing across a busy road. But raise the value to $500 or more and the decision to dart after it would be much different! 
You've probably already seen the extent of dumb things people will do on game shows for money. That is, until the Fear Factor becomes too unbearable to handle! 

So if I wanted to counteract an existing motivation, I would have to introduce a higher motivational factor or a consequence. 
For instance, you might be running late for work but you are aware that speeding and running red lights will get you a ticket or cause a serious accident. So you don't partake in that activity because, although the motivation to arrive on time is high, the consequence of a ticket or an accident is not worth it. 

In the cases when the dog is extremely motivated by unwanted factors (such as killing animals, fence fighting, stealing food, fears, aggression, or other distractions) and receives an indirect reinforcer through these factors, a discouraging motivator has to be applied. Correction or low level remote stimulation provides a great ‘change of mind’ to counteract those stronger motivations. 

One thing is certain… There is ALWAYS motivation behind every action. And if the motivation isn't convincing or satisfying enough, the behaviour will either continue or fade away depending on the circumstances. 
If you aren't getting results, many times it's because the dog just isn't being motivated in a clear way or perhaps there's another stronger motivation blocking their natural willingness to please. This is where ‘positive reinforcement’ does not always work according to plan. Chasing a squirrel or reacting to a dog can be more motivating in the moment than listen to you for a piece of biscuit. The best approach would be to apply a negative motivator first to deter the wrong type of drive before bringing back a positive consequence.

Every factor is going to be viewed differently by every dog so ensure you are using the best motivational tactics at the appropriate levels to encourage and discourage the right behaviours in your dog.

No train, no gain!
Jenna