The PUP’s Prey Drive
Written by Pam on January 26, 2015
Prey Drive – Hunt & Chase
Labs and Goldens have this innate or inborn desire to hunt and chase – really any small animal that comes whizzing by. But it does not always have to have an embodied beating heart to intrigue a retriever and trigger that instinct– it can be cars, trains, buses or motorcycles! This is where I need to step in and make sure all my HGT families give some thought to this blog on the retrievers prey drive.
Prey Drive – Hunt & Chase Problem Solving
A reliable recall command needs to be instilled to break the concentration of a chase and to always immediately have the recall to return to you. This can be achieved but it takes patience and time. What we need to do is think about how this hunting drive starts and how to satisfy the need to chase but not to chase a motor vehicle and possibly have your pup settle for a chase that leads back to you~! We need to imprint the word “here” or you can also call it “hunt” just to keep everyone happy :*) Here or Hunt will eventually mean to the dog, run to me and by so doing, he will satisfy the prey drive. You always should start your dog in a sit command. Then show the dog you have some tasty treats in your hand. He still needs to sit and stay – while you are now walking 6 – 10 feet away from him – do not say anything. Once you are at the place, turn to the dog and loudly say: Max Hunt or Max Here. The dog will run like a flash of lightening to you. This exercise, I believe, we help curb the urge to chase anything …but you:*)
Prey Drive – Chew Chew Chew
Chewing is another way a dog finds a way to relax from this inborn desire to hunt and chase – This is why I tell everyone always ALWAYS have Large Kongs stuffed, frozen and ready. These frozen treats are good for the chewers and healthy to help soothe the dog’s natural instincts to chew. Also have the dog chew on his Kong inside his kennel. So the association of the kennel is always a good one, when the expectation is a nutritiously filled Kong is waiting. (You can find my recipes in a prior blog – always add a milk bone, string beans or slices of cored apples so when frozen the dogs can easily lift the Kong.)
Prey Drive – Chew Chew Chew Problem Solving
Daily exercise, walks, obedience training, agility training all work wonders with energetic dogs and energetic pups. Always introduce sturdy rugged toys so that the chase instinct will soon diminish. Another idea that we do with the dogs here at HGT, is the game of hide+seek! The goldens’ seem to master this game more so than the labs, but everyone is always in the game! The dogs already know each of our scents so when one of us is out of view or hiding – the dog is told to “FIND ___”, off the dog goes sniffing the air from her inherent scenting ability , stopping to hear if there is a sound from her keen field training – coupled with the dogs athletic skill clues her into the right direction and always – ALWAYS finds whoever is hiding! Mean is the master of hide+seek!
The prey drive can be more intense in some dogs than in others, but I just want to make sure everyone is aware it exists and it can become evident in puppies and with a few learned commands – you can turn the prey drive around so that this natural instinct is more enjoyable! Pam