“Drive” is a word used to describe the underlying motivation an animal has to carry out instinctive behaviours which are crucial to the survival of the animal or of the species. When it comes to dogs we usually identify three different types of drive: Prey drive (the motivation to catch and eat food), defence drive (the motivation to avoid or combat a threat) and pack drive (the motivation to be part of a family unit). Understanding how these drives influence behaviour enables us to handle and train our dogs better:
Prey drive:
In order to survive a dog needs to eat. Our domestic dogs’ wild relatives are all predators and scavengers. They will catch, kill and eat prey animals if possible and they will consume any leftover scraps that they can find. In order for an animal to be successful at catching prey, they must be good hunters. Although many dogs today look very different from their wild relatives, they still have many of the attributes of good hunters: Eyes that are quick to spot movement, ears that pick up the smallest sounds and a sense of smell that enables them to tell when there is another animal or a potential food source nearby. Just as importantly, a good hunter must have a basic urge to hunt. The sight, smell and movement of prey should excite the animal to a point where it is unable to resist the urge to give chase. It is this urge that we label “prey drive”.
Prey drive in a wild animal creates the following sequence of behaviour: Eye, stalk, chase, catch, bite, kill and eat. Humans have very cleverly bred dogs whose prey drive sequences vary and also terminate at different stages, so that different types of dogs can fulfil various functions. Herding dogs have a predatory sequence which has very strong eye, stalk and chase behaviours, but no catch, bite, kill or eat. This means that they are highly motivated to chase or herd sheep, but are also safe around them. Working dogs, who were also often required to drive cattle, have a similar sequence, although the eyeing and stalking behaviours are most often not as exaggerated. Most working dogs can also be easily persuaded to catch and bite potential prey. Terriers have an extremely fast predatory sequence. They tend to go from eye to bite (and often kill) in a few seconds. This behaviour was desirable in dogs that were required to kill rats, mice and moles, but it is the reason that the “bull” breeds are sometimes labelled as “unpredictable” i.e. because the predatory sequence is over so quickly there is little time for an owner to recognise warning signs and intervene appropriately. Retrievers, on the other hand, have a predatory sequence which has been modified so that bite, kill and eat has been replaced by grab, hold and carry back to mom or dad! Thus incidents of predatory aggression are very low in retrievers. (For more information on various breed types see “Choosing the right dog“.)
Defence Drive:
This drive manifests itself mainly in two ways: Fight or Flight. When a dog is faced with something it perceives as a potential threat, the dog basically has two options: run away from the threat or make the threat run away from you! Two dogs may be equally uncomfortable in a situation, but one will run away from it, while the other will behave aggressively in an attempt to chase off or neutralise the threat. Good, sound dogs will exhibit both flight and fight behaviours at different times, depending on which response would best suit the situation. (My dog Wyatt would happily chase any intruder on our property, but is wise enough to back away from a hooding Cobra or a snarling baboon.) Dogs may also choose flight until that option is no longer available i.e. the dog is now cornered and cannot get away so fight is the only option left.
Once again through selective breeding we have dogs with different tendencies in this regard. Working dogs, expected to protect people, property and livestock have a tendency towards fight rather than flight. Terriers possibly have the highest tendency towards fight behaviours than all other types of dogs. They tend to have a “jump in first, ask questions later” approach to a threat. While a dog with too high a “fight” inclination can be difficult to manage, a dog with a very high flight tendency can also be a problem, as they can put themselves in danger by running off when out on walks and their constant avoidance means they never learn to cope with anything new.
It must be remembered that all defensive behaviours occur as the result of perceived threats. While these behaviours are healthy when a threat actually exists, they are a problem when the dog perceives threats which are not real. This is where socialising is so important. A dog that has not been socialised may be scared of everything and may flee or “fight” in totally inappropriate situations.
Pack Drive:
Dogs are social animals and their wild relatives usually live in family groups. In order to live together successfully it is essential that the individual members of the family are able to communicate and cooperate effectively with each other. The instinct to interact, avoid conflict and to reproduce is what we call “pack drive”. It is this natural instinct which makes dogs such good companion animals. Dogs may “express” their pack drive in different ways. Some may be very affectionate and simply enjoy human contact, some may thrive on working with their owners and others may hate to be separated from their owners for even a moment. Certain breeds on the other hand, seem to find it hard to apply this drive to the human members of their families. Dogs like Huskies, Malamutes and Anatolian Shepherds may bond very well with other animals, but often have little regard for their human owners. Many cannot be allowed off lead on walks as they will not return to their human families. Pack behaviours associated with reproduction such as mounting and inter-male competition can be very annoying and unpleasant to live with. The sterilization of both male and female dogs usually prevents these potential problem behaviours.
Prey Drive and training:
Some so called animal experts will encourage people to suppress their dogs’ natural prey drive, by trying to prevent it from ever being exercised. They would suggest that if you do not want your dog to chase bicycles it should not be allowed to chase a ball either. However, this approach is a bit like trying to put a cork in a volcano and pretend it is not erupting! The dog’s natural drive will eventually find an outlet and most likely an inappropriate one. It is a far better idea to channel the dog’s drive into positive activities like training and healthy recreation. If you can utilise the dog’s natural instincts, you can also learn to control them.
Good working dogs are highly motivated by prey drive and will often respond far better in training when the reward is a game of tug or being allowed to fetch a ball, than when the reward is food. When the dog “goes into drive” it gives a really fast and enthusiastic performance, because the anticipation of the reward is so great. The dog also learns to control its behaviour when in an excited state, because if the dog does not perform the exercise as it is asked the reward is withheld. Instead of competing with the dog’s drive in a training session, the handler learns to use the dog’s drive to motivate it to work. Heelwork is usually quite a boring exercise for most dogs, but when a tug toy is used as the reward, heelwork becomes a “prey” game and the dog’s attitude towards it changes completely. Prey drive makes retrieve and scent work a whole lot easier as well!
Interestingly, the sport of protection work is now taught virtually entirely using “prey drive”. The focus for the dog is not the man with the sleeve, but the sleeve itself. Essentially, most “bite-work” is a complex game of tug-of war. The dog learns to perform various exercises in anticipation of being able to “win” the sleeve from the helper. Protection work taught correctly is thus a great fun game for the dog and is not about making dogs indiscriminately aggressive towards people, as is often the mistaken perception.
Pack drive and training:
One of the first exercises that I teach in the puppy class is what we call “bonding”. In this exercise the dog is encouraged to move in close to the owner’s left hand side (the “heel” position), to sit down and be rewarded with gentle praise and food treats for keeping this position for a few seconds. The owner will stroke the dog gently and speak in a calming voice. The dog is encouraged to lean into the owners arms and to relax. One of the main reasons this exercise is so important is that it encourages the dog to feel safe and comfortable in this position and to build a bond of trust with the owner. If the dog does not trust the owner or finds other things far more interesting, little training can be achieved.
Here are a few other ways that we can encourage our dogs to form a positive relationship with us:
1. Feed your dog all his meals and do not allow him to help himself from an endless supply of food. This will help him to see you as a good provider.
2. Take opportunities to play and have fun with your dog on a daily basis. If he can engage in enjoyable activities with you, he will want to be around you.
3. Walk your dog on a daily basis and allow your dog to participate in other family activities. Dogs love to feel that they are “in on the action” and part of the family group.
4. Never punish your dog with harsh physical force. This will cause him to see you as something to avoid whenever possible and someone totally untrustworthy.