14/04/2023
This is such a great explanation of why working dogs do what they do and why itโs so important to train your dog in a way that allows them to do what comes natural to them in a controlled manner.
Well written Leading K9!
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ & ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ?
First and foremost, letโs be clear on one important point - dogs are predators! This is true of all dogs living in our homes as pets. As predatory animals, dogs are genetically fluent in the predatory sequence. The predatory sequence is the series of ingrained motor patterns followed by a predator, when finding and taking down their prey. In dogs (broadly speaking, more on that in a moment), it goes like this:
๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ง > ๐๐ฌ๐ > ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐ > ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ > ๐๐๐ง๐๐-๐๐๐ง๐ > ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐ง๐ > ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ > ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
We have selectively bred dogs for many, many generations to fulfil specific jobs. In doing so, with many breeds, we have greatly enhanced portions of the predatory sequence, whilst diminishing (but importantly, not completely extinguishing) others.
In herding breeds, we have greatly exaggerated this part of the sequence:
๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐ง > ๐๐ฌ๐ > ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐ > ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐
This has led to the evolution of some pretty amazing physical traits - many of you will be familiar with the hard โeyeโ or the beautiful, low to the ground creeping movement of a Border Collie as it stalks toward the stock animals.
What we have created in these dogs are animals highly skilled at influencing the behaviour of their stock, with a strong desire to do so. They are control freaks by design who are high in prey drive.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ปโ๐ ๐ข๐๐-๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐
Getting breeds to the high degree of diversity and specialisation that we have, was a considered effort. You will not train out of a Kelpie, the desire to chase moving things, any more than you will train out of a terrier the desire to catch and kill small rodents.
Where this can become problematic, is when drive expression is mis-directed into moving things that it is unsafe or undesirable for your herding dog to chase - think cars, kids on bikes, other dogs. Or when they control the movements of other living beings in your home - the cat, kids, unfamiliar visitors moving around their space.
It is true that drive can be suppressed, but look at it like a volcano that has to erupt - that lava is still there, and has to flow somewhere. Remember, we intentionally bred herding dogs to be high in prey drive. Itโs a mammoth effort to attempt to suppress that unilaterally, and it is deeply unfair to the dog to do so.
๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐
๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น
We are Border Collie lovers (and owners), thatโs no secret. As a result, we see a LOT of clients who own herding dogs. Itโs not uncommon for us to hear โhe nips the kids when they are running and playingโ, โhe chased my neighbour on his motorcycleโ, โheโs herding the cat around the houseโ, โhe herds the dogs on the beach and gets in fights because they donโt like itโ.
What we have here, is drive being expressed under no control. What makes herding dogs so fantastic at their job is their incredible attributes, their ability to control their innate predatory driveโฆ..and their willingness to have the expression of this drive directed by us, the human. Developing such a working relationship takes many hours of time and hard work. Cooperation and trust need to be built between sheep and dog, dog and human.
In a pet home, drive expression under no control can be disastrous. At itโs base level, you are allowing the predator in your home to engage in predatory behaviour, hang the consequences.
๐ฆ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป?
Rather than trying to defy genetics and (attempt to) suppress drive, we recommend this approach:
โ
Provide an appropriate outlet for your dogs drive, through structured prey-based play with you. Flirt pole, tug (with chase included) - these games are your friend. If you can work them on stock, even better but a word of caution here - make sure you can commit to this somewhat regularly. This shouldnโt be a โone-off treatโ experience for your dog.
โ
A crystal clear communication system and lifestyle expectations, which includes clear cues for your dog on when it is time to express drive, and when it is not.
โ
Development of highly reliable obedience behaviours, which can be used to create impulse control around triggers which are likely to elicit drive expression in your dog
Working dogs live for work above all else. They can make for fantastic companions and training partners, but if you are considering adding one to your home - make sure you have a plan for fulfilling prey drive expression, or your dog will 100% make his own.
๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐: ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง๐ก ๐๐๐ช, ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ 17 ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐จ. ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ โ๐๐ฎ๐โ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ง๐๐ก ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ - ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ!
