Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a husky with a very high prey drive. It took a LOT of obedience training to get to the point where she no longer drags me down the street at the sight of a cat or squirrel (or a piece of trash blowing in the wind... or a bird... or a rabbit.... or a skink... you get the idea). Off leash is a different story; I don't think there's any amount of training that would stop her.
Many dogs were bred to have high prey drive. That was the goal. Otherwise, why would people need dogs? Today we adopt dogs to keep us company, but in the past, very few people were interested in that. Almost all companion breeds were toy breeds that only aristocracy could afford.
Prey drive is inherited in dogs (and cats). Some breeds are easier to train around that, while others are more stubborn. But to some degree its always there.
You can not train out prey drive. What you do is channel it.
The high prey drive dog can be trained to focus the drive in one direction and to ignore a different activity.
I've owned nothing but high prey drive dogs all my life, and yet any one of them can walk around the chickens and ignore them. Any coyote, on the other hand, that shows his whiskers is in for a very bad experience. That is because the dogs are trained: chase this, not that.
The gun dogs here will hunt pheasants and not tweeties: hunt this not that.
High prey drive dogs need a job. Teach them to run agility, not chase sparrows.
This is just another reason to understand the breed of dogs and those that make up a mixed breed BEFORE taking the dog as your pet. OP should definitely not get a cat!
Okay, I'm in agreement with those that think (and know) that because the prey drive is hard wired, you can not stop it or train it out. You can however, manage it.
I have an Am Bulldog mix (with hound(s) - Basset, Plot and Irish Deer hound) that hunts vermin, chases birds...put his nose to the ground and tracks and basically chases EVERYTHING that moves that is not human.
He is "managed." It is the best thing for him. I take responsibility for that management after all, he is a dog.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
