Prey drive?

[myandromeda]

Anyone want to take a stab at an explanation?

[moondog]

OK, I'll give it a try! Prey drive is when you pass by the freezer section in the supermarket, the Haagen Das Vanilla Swiss Almond catches your eye and you just can't help yourself! Humans can be trained to eat salad. :D

Or ... hunting, chasing, and killing a moving object for food. Sight, smell and hearing stimulate a desire to catch, shake and kill in order to access a desirable object. Canines can be trained to hunt toys! :)

[Judi W]

It is directed prey drive that stimulates herding, tracking, retrieving, SAR work............ and, of course, lure coursing.

[TrishB]

"Prey Drive" is the instinct I discovered when my female, 45lbs, Aussie Cattle Dog took off like a shot and took down a pregant, 60lbs, Nanny Goat. :(

When it is understood, a high prey drive can be harnessed to do great work and focused to a particular task. When it is misunderstood, the outcome can be heartbreaking. It is not something that is taught, a dog either has it (in varying degrees) or it doesn't (in varying degrees).

A good article to read is this:

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hidrive.html

It describes what it is, how it works, why it can be good and useful and why it can be bad and dangerous.

[myandromeda]

Thanks guys! One of the twins (D'Argo, intact, but we're making an appointment!) who is now a year old, I believe to have a very high prey drive. Crichton's drive isn't quite as extreme. I'm sure that my trainer will be able to help us use this drive in a possitive way.

Thanks again!

[Bucky's Mom]

Bucky was walking (on leash) with me through our yard last night - we have lots of wild bunnies (just passing through) - he sees them all the time when he is out in his pen and has always playfully sort of chased them (they are outside the fence but he can see them) - Well this time there was a bunnie just sitting there grooming himself and Bucky just fixed his gaze on him and started walking (more like stalking) verrrry slowly towards the bunnie - he would move only one paw at a time and place it down verry slowly and carefully - Bucky got within 6 inches of the bunnie and just stared and sort of stood like a Pointer - the bunnie was pretty bold - just kept sitting there - then decided he had enough and took off - so did Bucky (and me as I was attached to Bucky by the leash LOL) - I said "Bucky leave it", and turned him in a different direction - but it was the first time I saw him exhibit that behavior (wish I had the camera then) - Lisa (Bucky's Mom)

[Burnsway]

Look up some of German Vanegas and Mick Trainers post. They give some excellent descriptions. Also do a search on the forums for Prey Drive. I think you will pull up more info then your eyes can handle.......:D

[Orville Story]

Prey drive is the emotion which is stimulated by movement.

[emorgan49]

Think Velociraptor. That's wht I call my Chloe. If it moves we chase it, it it doesn't it's invisible.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by Orville Story
Prey drive is the emotion which is stimulated by movement.

Not to split hairs or anything, but it isn't an emotion - it's an instinct. ;)

[Burnsway]

Originally posted by TrishB


Not to split hairs or anything, but it isn't an emotion - it's an instinct. ;)

Same thing in my eyes. Dogs have instincts, Humans have emotions....;)

[Orville Story]

No it's an emotion. If it were an instinct the dog would always react the same each time the stimili occured. If I throw 10 rabbits into my dog's kennel one at a time he will kill all ten, but if I throw 40 rabbits into his kennel eventualy he will just say, " please no more of these rabbits". There will be a big difference in the dog's emotional reaction between the first rabbit and the 40th rabbit. He still has the instinct to kill, but he will quit because the stimili no longer has the same emtional effect.

[Orville Story]

Originally posted by Burnsway


Same thing in my eyes. Dogs have instincts, Humans have emotions....;)

Dogs have emotions. There is no greater emotion than fear for dog or human. Because we use fear to motivate dogs, we know they have emotions.

[Burnsway]

Anotherwards, he gets tired after 40 rabbits and emotion takes over instinct? I agree...It's possible, not willing to sacrafice 40 rabbits to see what level my dog lets emotion take over instinct.......roflmao!!!

[moondog]

Originally posted by TrishB
Not to split hairs or anything, but it isn't an emotion - it's an instinct. ;)

Not to split the hair further, but an emotion is not just defined as a feeling, it's also defined as an affective faculty ... affect is to influence and a faculty is a capability. To influence a capability. Instinct is defined as an impulse or proclivity, so it's a very fine line indeed. :)