An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
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CockerCanuck
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- Dogs: Fergal, Hamish, Ceilidh
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Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
I am late to this party but enjoyed reading through the thread from start to finish. It seems to me that so much of the discussion is really about semantics and the exact meaning and emotion each person associates differently around what on face value is a simple word like "command" ,"cue" or "correction". I may be in even more dangerous water as though we share a common language a lot of usage has evolved differently in NA (even differently between USA and Canada). Certainly when I pip the stop whistle at my little spaniel I don't feel any of the emotion of a drill sergeant sternly commanding "halt" or else! If there is a human equivalent I guess I feel more like the coach of a kids team. I am trying to impart the right skills and behaviours to lead to success but within the context of an activity we are all participating in because it is FUN!.
in addition to my gundogs for over thirty years we have also had successive generations of Rottweilers in our home. They are my wife's chosen breed. When I travelled a great deal for work she liked having an imposing dog around. Each of these dogs she has trained to quite a high level with a formal obedience club. This is where I first encountered the term "prey drive". In this case it was used quite literally, as in you better get some good control on that dog or it will be killing your neighbour's cats. It was only much later when I encountered it being used in retriever training circles. They were describing dogs I would have said were just keen retrievers as having "high prey drive". It never sat well with me in a gundog context and I would only use it to describe a dog with a high desire to kill small stuff.
in addition to my gundogs for over thirty years we have also had successive generations of Rottweilers in our home. They are my wife's chosen breed. When I travelled a great deal for work she liked having an imposing dog around. Each of these dogs she has trained to quite a high level with a formal obedience club. This is where I first encountered the term "prey drive". In this case it was used quite literally, as in you better get some good control on that dog or it will be killing your neighbour's cats. It was only much later when I encountered it being used in retriever training circles. They were describing dogs I would have said were just keen retrievers as having "high prey drive". It never sat well with me in a gundog context and I would only use it to describe a dog with a high desire to kill small stuff.
I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person. - Bill Murray
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
I have nothing to add to this topic as I am in no way experienced enough ....but....I have enjoyed reading it and remain so .....just saying 
Muddling along in the hope that one day it starts to make sense.
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
Yes it's been enjoyable even if only wry amusement at the huge amount of tosh people think you need to know when training dogs.
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
I could not possibly comment
Muddling along in the hope that one day it starts to make sense.
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
Should we call you Spaniard now munsty!

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CockerCanuck
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- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 10:56 pm
- Dogs: Fergal, Hamish, Ceilidh
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Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
I guess we could say Russell Crowe successfully portrayed “prey drive” in that clip. Thanks M 
I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person. - Bill Murray
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
There! And I thought he was demonstrating a load of cobblers...CockerCanuck wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:15 pm I guess we could say Russell Crowe successfully portrayed “prey drive” in that clip. Thanks M![]()
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
Re: An interesting perspective on ‘Predatory Drive’
I took the subliminal message to be what happens when you treat train and run out of treatsJudy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:27 amThere! And I thought he was demonstrating a load of cobblers...CockerCanuck wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:15 pm I guess we could say Russell Crowe successfully portrayed “prey drive” in that clip. Thanks M![]()
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