Prey Drive

[Laura-Anne]

Basically looking to see if anyone has any tips on being able control a dogs urge to chase animals. Muffin has a very strong prey drive where without warning she will bolt after animals (rabbit, deer etc.) im reluctant to have to keep her on lead at all times but if there are no alternatives thats what will need to be done. Problem is she doesn't watch or eye "prey" she just goes for the chase which can come without warning especially when rabbits. She doesnt respond to toys so i cant practice in the house. Shes beginning to put herself and Totts in danger so needing to nip it in the bud...

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Laura
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[Lisa/Colin]

Cant offer any help but I can sympathise. Hektor was dreadful for this...unfortunately now he just does not get off lead.

Thank goodness for a long garden for him to do zoomies in!

Lisa

[bigbilly78]

sorry to hear bout your problem, hows his recall? i have a rottie so would`nt dream of letting him off lead, too many people have the wrong impression of them for me to let him roam free. i think if you practice the recall training starting with a medium lead and as long as she comes back when prompted you can extend the length to a long lead and so on till you are confident to try it without the lead. may also be a socialization issue, how is she with other dogs and pets? could also try a halti whilst on the lead, my dog seems more responsive/obedient with one on.
kind regards,
billy.

[Laura-Anne]

Hi Lisa and Billy thanks for your comments.

I think i may just need to go back to a long line with her which is a bit disappointing because I love to see her still zooming around and without a back garden, off lead is her only chance. With so many wild animals around particularly deer I cant take the risk. She took off next to the motorway the other week and I thought she was a goner! Shouldnt need it so much when it goes back to winter.

Billy, she is very obedient but recently shes decided if the lead comes out she isnt coming back which I need to work on, but im gettin there with the god send that is Janis' liver cake lol. But I imagine the fact she ignores me when I just want her back on lead speaks volumes why she doesnt want to come back when theres a deer or rabbit to catch. I also own another dog Totts who she gets on very well with but she doesnt tend to walk in a pack she likes to go off and do her own thing or try lead the pack. Totts likes to copy everything she does, making her more likely to develop this problem. So back to the long line till she responds we go-except on walks at the glen where its safe enough.

I was hoping for some miracle technique I may not have heard of lol but there doesnt appear to be one with prey drive, few people have mentioned some alternatives which ill take into consideration but i think a lead will need to do for now.

Thanks guys
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http://www.justgiving.com/Laura-Anne-Innes Please support our cause. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Laura x

[lesley]

Alfie's great off the lead if it's just me and him!!! But as soon as there's another dog or person he goes temporarily deaf and recall goes from about 95% to zero!! He never run off but I have to rely on other people stopping so I can get him back so I go thru periods of keeping him on lead!!

Plenty of deer down the glen but thankfully he's not seen any of them yet, not sure what would happen!!!

Hopefully a little bit back on lead and muffin will get hang of everything again!

[Suzanne H]

We have 2 pointers who we have had to work hard on to keep full control out of doors, but they are both very good now.

My tips are:

1. always exercise them away from motorways and railways so if they do bolt it's safe. Drumpellier country park (we avoid the railway area) is good for this, as is down by the Clyde at Baron's Haugh. It's just not worth the worry.
2. don't be afraid to put them back on to the long line from time to time - reminds them that you have that power. Ours didn't like it - that's the point. Good recall was rewarded.
3. do the same obedience exercise messages outside and you do at home eg sit, stay, down....reminds them you are as much in charge outside as you are at home
4. keep your own eyes peeled for deer and either distract them or put them on the lead. Watch their body language - it changes very obviously when they get a sniff of something. I have been know to run in the opposite direction shouting madly - they can't help but wonder what I'm up to and follow. I was 50m from a deer yesterday and it was staring at me, but the dogs couldn't smell it so I just did some recall with them and they were more interested in me until we passed it. But they won't catch it, so even if they did chase it, I know they will come back.
5. ours are trained to the whistle (which we did using the long line - 2 blasts and pull them in for a treat) so no matter where they are, they can hear it and they come back
6. don't expect too much from a young dog. Our 3 year old has excellent control and recall. The 1 year old doesn't. So just keep working at it, it will come.
7. We have a command "this way" which is a change in direction, and we practiced changing direction then going back the other way, just to confuse them and remind them that where we go is up to us, not them. When we shout it, they think we're changing direction so come back in close.
8. Have good treats.
9. don't always treat a good recall - sometimes they just get a cuddle. It's less predictable for them. Do recalls even when you're not calling them back in. Similarly, put the lead on, then take it off again. that way they never know if they're going on the lead so don't anticipate it and avoid it.
10. We bring them back in, then throw the treats on the ground and get them to look for it - working for it, seems to emphasise the recall
11. Stay where you are if they bolt - they come back to where they last saw you. Saves them getting lost.
12. we never take chances with livestock - they go on the lead. the older one is now sheep proof...but not the wee one. Not worth a bullet.

It takes time and work, but they do get it. I just don't expect them to be 100% prey-proof - they were bred to find beasties so I can't complain when they do haha. But a good recall and safe space help.