Prey Drive - most people think of it as an annoying habit, one that is frustratingly pervasive throughout the life of the dog. It causes the average-behaved canine into a running, oblivious, hard-to-control mess of a dog that just has to find that critter, or attack that scent source. Is there more to this behaviour? Can it be "fixed"? We will explore this topic on today's blog!
Primal Behaviour
Before we get in to Prey Drive, I need to explain a term we will be using - Primal. We at Ideal Companions use this term to describe behaviours that are deeply ingrained into a dog's genetic make-up - like howling, breeding, the need to hunt, travel - these things are so deep into a dog's behaviour that they cannot and should not be trained out. It would be as unfair as trying to stop a baby from learning to speak, or crawl. In human terms, these behaviours are automatic, like breathing. Primal Behaviour is as critical to the dog as food, water, and sleep - and there is no way to "fix" them.
Prey Drive
This term is used to describe a loose set of similar behaviours - usually ones that involve a dog bolting away, suddenly pulling, incessant barking. ignoring commands, and sometimes getting lost or worse. It can be seemingly unpredictable, and a nuisance. What exactly is prey drive? In mostly all dogs, this behaviour will exist to some degree - some more than others. It is the desire to hunt, catch, kill, eat, retrieve, search for, or otherwise track down prey. This behaviour, being primal, tends to override typical learned behaviours, in the same way an in tact male dog will ignore everything to get to a female in heat, or how a dog will just suddenly stop and poop on a sidewalk. Prey drive has the exact same natural override - often to the dismay of owners, who suddenly end up looking bad and out of control. The good news is, it may not be "fixable", but you can most definitely work with it.
Working With Drive
While it might seem impossible to turn off this instinct, the good news is, there is a ray of hope! While dogs with this instinct cannot and should not be stopped of this natural behaviour, there is a loop hole! You can actually use prey drive to your advantage. By working with games like tug, fetch, scent games, and jogging, you can use your dog's natural instincts as a reward for training. Instead of correcting out the behaviour, use it to produce what you want. The most basic and simplest use of this drive is treat training - which has it's own ups and downs. You can also use prey drive to override other instincts and use toys to teach flawless recall skills, among other amazing-looking obedience. As well, you can use prey drive to teach your dog a job - and this is just what police canines, farm dogs, and protection dogs use! Instead of being flustered and frustrated by your dog's instincts, use it ti your advantage!
Types of Prey Drive
Hunting - The desire to pursue prey. Symptoms include running suddenly off into the bush, barking at critters in trees, barking or lunging at surprises or fast moving humans (such as those on bikes, skateboards, or joggers). This drive is usually either high energy, or dead quiet and sudden.) Tug and Fetch are great ways to burn this kind of desire.
Scenting - The desire to locate prey or the cause of a scent - most common in hound breeds. Symptoms include slowing down to sniff very close to the ground, trailing off of paths, and seemingly ignoring every sound there is. This drive is almost always low energy, with some sudden bursts of running. Scent work games are a great way to burn this kind of desire.
Killing - The desire to extinguish life. Symptoms include violent head shaking, biting of the underside of the throat (NOT the back of the neck!), a quick jerk upwards or to the side, of either real or fake animals, toys, sticks, or otherwise anything that might represent a living thing, whether real or not. It is normally associated with frustration, or too much energy. While you shouldn't permit this behaviour, its far easier to redirect and drain excess energy with hing intensity exercise, every day!
Hope this blog has helped you!
