Thread: Prey drive & aggression

Oh i did forget to mention.. as a baby puppy he would go nuts over the ball or rag or shoe laces.. IF there is another dog to play yep he wants it too but if there isn't ... he's rather sniff something and then go oh yeah we playing right....

can this be reveresed or am i wasting my hopes and time?
should i give him some time in isolation and then work him out of it? OR try putting more pressure on him...?
His father is in the QLD polic force and mother is a keen schutzhund sporting dog. his grandmother on mothers side is a nervy gal i've been told and produced this thru her progeny? so they tell me... but i'm more interested in him. what and how to get him out of this stupid.. state he's in

Originally Posted by Erny

I don't train in working dog activities so by no stretch am I an expert in that field. But I have been privileged to watch the training and talk to trainers, back in the days before training dogs for protection became illegal without having a security licence. These were very good trainers - trainers who trained their dogs for temperament stability. Their dogs would be socialised and socialised well - with all manner of thing, 'strangers' included. At some stage of the dog's early training, interactive activities would be confined to relate to the "drive" training these dogs required. Interaction with 'strangers' was restricted only in so much that the dog did not learn to have high expectations of reward/satisfaction from them. In otherwords, "neutralisation" to strangers (and other animals). IMO those who do not socialise their dogs are relying on a then inherent fear the dog has to strangers, to trigger the so called protective qualities from the dog. This makes the training and ultimately the PP dog unstable. The 'trigger' for protection should be controlled by the handler, not by the dog's fear. Just my humble opinion in a field that I profess I don't know thoroughly.

Vomblaksta - have you checked your dog out for physical reasons why he might be reluctant to take the prey item? Eg. Sore tooth or other mouth problems; skeletal issue, etc?

yes i agree i'm not a fan or chaining up.. i'm just building dogs runs but i have made every effort in socailizing him.. he is just about always with me.. more then my female it. noone feeds him but me, he confidently walks up to ppl isn't hesitant and does even wag his tail (not sure if im overly happy about that one) i havent had anyone but me fuss over him. i've watched many dvds spoken to a number of trainers and everything i was doing i thought was right to build up his stability and confidence... he's got a wodnerful stable nature... was shy of kids but now is great with them too.

re teetch etc.. i check mine over thoughly daily. he eats frames and chicken necks etc without a problem. I have checked to see if he's got ulcers and other bits.. even my trainer wanted a look.

how can i explain it.. i just can't pep up his drive.. it comes to a point and then he's not interested. IF i train him with my bitch.. yep he wants it then.. mroe then when i am on my own with him... playing like i would with a kitten. keeping it going for him.

my greatest concern is coz he's gone from a massive high to a low now... could it just be his grown? should i jsut keep at it light training and see what happens?

Originally Posted by cramet

iam not a fan of chaining up k9s
i think all dog should have lots of socialisation i think it makes the better dog and makes them easy to handle

on the prey thing

it could be because you havnt found the item that suits him or it could be the way you present the item

if you keep having problems one of my trainer/behav travel to most parts of vic to see clients if you msg me i can pass on his details

i'll drop you a pm!
thanks

Have you thought about just going back to basics mez?? It's great that he wants to play with Dusty, but I thought the whole idea about this dog sport is that the game is with YOU. That's the greatest reward for the dog, getting to play with you. Maybe try crating him for a while. Taking him out for 5 minutes and playing like crazy go psycho and try to wind him up, then when he's at his peak crate him again.

We've made the mistake of babying Buffy, but as she's our first dog I don't really care too much, at the end of the day I want to have fun with her. I'm lucky she's still got great drive, but I wonder when it will stop.

It could just be a phase darl, as he's still just a puppy. Try differnt things, frustrate the hell out of him. The trainers at my club put Buffy behind a fence to get her barking at the rag about 2 months ago. Best thing they ever did for her, brought out her drive tremendously.

Keep at it darl, he'll get there.

yeah hun you're sounding like my traininer he's said the same thing.. i got so upsetat him (sacia ) that is that i burst into tears... *DUH* and he said you spoilt him rotten and now you expect him to work or be a shitty little pet.. he's right.. i have seperated him from dada she's only ever interested in me anyway but i want his attention... the positive side my trainer DID state that if i do start something with him now rather then sulking as i have been since sunday *gosh* he might turn into a brilliant schutzhund dog.

i will give that one a try.. hmm the fence is a good one.. when i tried that with him where he could see me playing with dusty he went nuts... but then i was told to play with her right away from him and him right away from her... ??? one can't win

yes Erny he knows i'm the dominent bitch and when i give him a command he knows to do it.. or else he's got what i call stop time.. where he is put away for a few minutes on his own and he hates it.

yes that's true.. my trainer is working with me to be patient enough with him.. my problem is i've messed him up by being my first black boy ad fax line bred AND on top of that coz he's a male.. i'm so used to hard dogs that he's just spinning me out.. but the irony IS i havent babied him.. i have not let him get away with anything without him knowing he's crossed the line or not.

so it's got me stoaked as to how a cocky little pup has gone a little oh ha if i must attitude. he's not submissive.. by all means he's not BUT the cocky little puppy i once knew... it just amazes me. i'll keep at it wont give up on him by all means he's only 8 months old and maybe i have put some pressure on him i shouldn't have, perhaps i had pushed him more then i should of i dont know OR allowed him to run around with bitches for too long instead of giving him space to be alone. and earn his rank and learn to be tougher??

i also am aware as i'm NEW to all this so i may (well not may but for sure) made some mistakes.. that could of confused him... and someone says it's easy training and breeding.. i could kick them! it's ok for professionals but i'm a beginner... dominant, arogant and i dont back down - maybe i need to soften up for him.