Body language

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Prey drive varies hugely in individual dogs. While some dogs naturally have a low prey drive, others simply cannot resist chasing every moving thing around them.

It goes without saying that this can be extremely difficult to deal with...

Fortunately, you don't need to worry too much. By putting some time and effort into training your pooch, you will soon be able to get that prey drive under control.

KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH

It may be tempting to un-clip that leash so that your dog can have a good run, but this is something that you need to avoid doing until you have managed to gain some control over your dog's prey drive.

Keeping your dog on a leash gives you much more control to begin with. You should also make sure that your dog does not have any access at all to prey animals.

Each time your dog chases an animal, this reinforces the behavior. This means that your dog will be even more likely to do the same thing again in the future.

By putting a stop to this right away, you will notice results from your training much faster.

REDIRECTION

Redirecting your dog's attention is one of the most important strategies to learn when trying to control prey drive.

What exactly is redirection?

It means being able to shift your dog's attention away from the prey and onto yourself. It is much easier to do this before your dog fixates on the prey, or very soon after. If you wait too long, it will be difficult to break your dog's focus.

So, how do you redirect?

Each time you notice a prey animal in the distance, simply go in the other direction. Keep things positive, rewarding your dog for following you.

What happens if you have no choice but to go in the same direction as the prey animal?

Make sure you have a squeaky toy or a high value treat to hand. Use this to distract your dog, making sure that you only pass by the animal once your dog is fully focused on you. Once you have made it past, you can then reward your dog with the treat or toy.

Ideally, you should work on redirecting from a distance. Once your dog understands that it is more rewarding to stay focused on you rather than the prey animal, you can then shorten this distance and practice this at a closer range.

A clicker can help your dog to pick this up even faster. Simply click and treat each time your dog focuses on you rather than on the distractions around him.

BE AWARE OF YOUR DOG'S BODY LANGUAGE

As mentioned above, you will have much more success at controlling that prey drive if you catch it in its early stages.

There are five main stages to prey drive:

Searching for the animal
Stalking the animal with the eyes
Chasing the animal
Grabbing the animal
Biting to kill the animal

Ideally, you want to get yourself involved at the very first stage, before your dog manages to latch his eyes onto the prey. This means that you will need to continuously be looking around you, so that you can spot any prey animals before your dog does.

You will notice your dog's eyes scanning the environment when the two of you are out. Keep interrupting this, encouraging your dog to focus on you instead. Make sure that you reward him heavily each time he does.

If your dog's ears have pricked up, and his eyes are focused on something in the distance, then this means he has moved on to the eye stalking stage. You will need to tighten your hold on your dog's leash and work even harder on redirection.

WORK ON IMPULSE CONTROL

Prey drive is an impulsive behavior.

Fortunately, impulse control is something that dogs pick up on quite quickly.

There are certain commands out there that are really useful for this, such as:

Leave it
Look at me
Place
Come
Drop it

These are vital commands to teach to a dog with high prey drive.

You will need to begin by working on these commands in a calm and controlled environment. Slowly introduce distractions, such as balls and frisbees. Dogs with a high prey drive will want to chase these just as much as they will want to chase a prey animal.

Once your dog has mastered the above commands, you can then move on to practicing them around a wider range of distractions.

One thing to keep in mind...

Make sure that you remain calm throughout your dog's prey drive training.

If you end up shouting a command or getting too excited, your dog will quickly pick up on this energy. It will likely lead to over-excitement and hyperactivity in your dog, which will only slow down his progress.

KEEP YOUR DOG MENTALLY STIMULATED

Many people think that if they exercise their dog enough, then prey drive will be reduced.

However, physical activity alone is not enough to help with this...

Instead, you need a good mix of both physical and mental stimulation.

When it comes to mental stimulation, nose work is always beneficial. Even hiding treats around your house or garden, or providing a sandbox for your pooch to dig in, can help to tire that brain out. There are plenty of other mental games out there too, especially if you get creative.

You should also be opting for plenty of variety when it comes to the physical, in addition to walks. Try taking your dog swimming or hiking uphill, as these are great forms of exercise. Keeping the physical activities varied will mean that your dog gains mental benefits from them too.

If you do not do anything about your dog's prey drive, it will not be long before this gets out of control. Make sure that you start managing these behaviors as soon as you notice them, because this will give you a much happier and more well-balanced dog in the long run.

About Alina Jumabhoy

The challenge that rescue dogs provide is something that Alina always welcomes, and she never shies away from taking in and rehabilitating troubled dogs. Alina currently has four dogs, with all of them being rescues and ranging in size from a small bichon to a large pointer cross. Alina firmly believes that every dog has their own personality, and understanding this can be key when it comes to successful training.

Photo by Show 131/ CC

Image courtesy of Johann @ Pexels

Have you ever wished that you could really understand what your dog is trying to tell you?

Well, you can! It all comes down to dog body language. Dog's make use of a wide range of different body signals that can tell you exactly what they are feeling and thinking.

Sometimes, what you may think your dog is trying to tell you could be the complete opposite, which is why it is so important to have an understanding of dog body language.

Of course, you could be studying this for years and still not know all there is to know, but here are some dog body language tips to get started with...

A WAGGING TAIL DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN A HAPPY DOG

If a dog is wagging his tail, then this means that he is happy, right?

In some cases, yes, but, in others, definitely not.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to dog body language, as tail wagging can mean quite a few different things.

The key is to look at how the tail is being wagged:

Held high with a stiff wag – this means that the dog is agitated and is not going to submit, which could result in a bite. This is especially the case if the dog's ears are also up
A low and slow wag – this could be a sign that the dog is nervous or scared
A large and loose wag – this is a sign that the dog is friendly and happy
A low and rigid wag – this could mean that the dog is fearful

WHAT ARE THOSE EARS TELLING YOU?

It doesn't matter whether your dog's ears are long and floppy or short and erect. Those ears can tell you so much about what your dog is feeling.

How?

Take a look at the base of your dog's ear, along with the direction that this has moved in.

If the base of the ears have moved forward, then this means that the dog is alert. The ears will also usually be pointing in the direction of whatever has caught your dog's interest. Ears that move out to the side are a sign of uncertainty and worry. Ears that are held just slightly back show that your dog is feeling relaxed. If your dog's ears are held tightly back, then this means that your dog is worried but is willing to appease you.

THE SUBMISSIVE GRIN

A labrador doing a submissive grin, which is an example of dog body language

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Have you ever noticed your dog showing all of his teeth and “smiling” when he greets certain visitors?

This can sometimes be a frightening sight, as it can easily be mistaken for a snarl.

However, this is actually called a submissive grin, and is the complete opposite of a snarl.

Your dog does the submissive grin in order to show others that she is not a threat, and is instead being fully submissive. This will usually be accompanied by a few other submissive signs, from lifting a paw to licking the lips to squinting the eyes.

Many owners find the submissive grin incredibly cute. There is nothing wrong with turning this impulsive grin into a learned behavior.

How can you train your dog to grin on command?

Every time your dog grins, say a cue word, such as “smile” or “cheese”, and then give your dog a treat. It will not take long before your dog associates the cue word with the grinning action. Soon, your dog will be able to smile whenever he is asked to. Imagine all of the hilarious photos you will be able to take after teaching your dog this trick!

RAISED HACKLES

Just like the submissive grin, many people initially think that if a dog raises his hackles, this means that he is being aggressive.

This is not strictly true.

The hackles, which refers to the hairs that run from the neck down the backbone, all the way to the tail, end up raised when a dog is stimulated. This could be caused by anything from a frightening clap of thunder to the excitement of a visitor. Fearful dogs can also raise their hackles when they are afraid.

This isn't something that dogs do consciously. Instead, it happens in the same way that the hairs on our arms stand when we experience a burst of adrenaline.

So, how do you know why your dog has his hackles raised?

Again, this is why understanding more about dog body language is important. Take a look at the other parts of your dog's body, from the tail to the ears to the mouth. This will give you a better picture of what your dog is really feeling.

LEARNING ABOUT THE SIGNS OF STRESS IN A DOG

When a dog is stressed out, this will immediately show up in his body language. However, the cues can sometimes be quite subtle. This means that many owners miss them unless they know exactly what to look for.

So, how do you know if your dog is feeling stressed?

Excessive panting, even though it is not hot
Yawning, as this is a way for dogs to calm themselves down
Lifting a front paw when approached
Excessive lip licking
Scratching himself unnecessarily

If your dog also starts to drool, pace, whine or tuck his tail underneath his body, then these are signs that your dog is experiencing fear as well as stress.

It goes without saying that if you see a dog experiencing this, you need to try to diffuse the stressful or fearful situation as much as you can. Rather than punishing the dog, try to work out the root cause of the stress so that you can work on this together.

In order to be a responsible pet owner, you do need to have a basic understanding of dog body language. This is something well worth spending some time learning. Not only will it come in handy time and time again in terms of training, but it will also help to strengthen the bond between you and your pooch.

Get Your Dog’s Prey Drive Under Control

KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH