STOP Animal Chasing: Complete Dog Prey Drive Tutorial

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

If you've enjoyed this video please like, comment & share 🙂 It really helps! 🙋‍♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS: •❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇 ✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program •❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇 ✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods ►👀 WATCH NEXT: ✔️ Entire leash training playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLiUh57UCWpFETiFT-EAa6pqZ_plP6tRDK ► 🗣️ STAY CONNECTED: • Instagram (my most active platform): instagram.com/happyhounds_dogtraining/ • Facebook: facebook.com/HappyHoundsDogTraining.ca • Blog: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/blog/ • Email list: view.flodesk.com/pages/61898eeb3a0e5bcf6f5411ec ►❤️ FAVOURITE DOG GEAR: ➡️ *ALL* my favourite dog items & discount codes: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/shop 🧸 Amazing faux & real fur toys: www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=happyhoundsdogtraining 🐕‍🦺 My favourite harness & dog gear: rockymountaindog.ca/?ref=ka8S8Xue 🦴 My favourite treat bag: amzn.to/3UUGF60 🦮 Beautiful custom biothane leashes (I use the hands-free version): www.hightailhikes.com?aff=212 Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.

[@theresab4644]

You are excellent at explaining all aspects of each situation you are describing here. You're a great teacher.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@walle01532]

As a fellow dog trainer, I found this video extremely helpful and reinforcing. Thank you so much for making it.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You’re welcome! So glad to hear you enjoyed it 😊

[@ManinaHarris]

Thank you so much for this video! I am a behavioral and training consultant for a rural shelter and many of our dogs have pretty high prey drive. This video is something I will use regularly as a way to introduce reward based training to our adopters for this issue!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Amazing!! So glad it was helpful, and thank you so much for sharing it 😊

[@TrainMePlease]

Watched in full and even went back a few times for a better understanding of some sections. This is a great guide and super well put together Stephanie. Well done!!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much Jose! Really glad you liked it 🙂

[@anyarobinson4151]

We have a Dalmatian and he absolutely loves when trees and bushes are close together as he just wants to flush something out (deer, pheasants and hares!) He never tries to bite he just loves catching up to them! This is a great video thank you!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Haha I wish. I knew I was in trouble when I was out with Neirah when she was ~a 12 pound puppy and she spotted a moose. Instantly wanted to chase it, and I’m sure the crazy pup would’ve tried to bite that animal too 🤦‍♀️😂

[@benscott9861]

Thank you for the video. I love the fact that you have broken it down into steps that are straightforward and easy to follow. My dog is a Welsh Collie. He is training to be an air scent search and rescue dog. In order to be accepted onto the training program he had to go through a stock test, which meant training the prey drive out of him around sheep. He passed over 12 months ago and I used a similar sort of method to that in this video, using a tug toy as a reward. I so wish I had watched this before we started it as it explains the whole thing so well!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the video 😊 Congratulations on training him yourself though and him passing! 👏 That’s amazing. I find for some dogs using that toy reward is such a game changer ☺️

[@DF-te2vm]

good perspective, listened to a behaviorist, she talked about 'changing their MOOD', exactly what you are saying....... and if we want a better mood, we can't punish ....... thankyou

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Oh I love that! 😊

[@pawzisthenamechicken3393]

My GSD will chase anything that moves . I've been working especially on his leash skills and reactivity, and im so excited to start working on this next!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That’s a fantastic list to focus on 👏 I hope this tutorial helps!

[@Elizabeth-in3co]

Thank you for another wonderful video with easy to follow instructions and techniques!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You’re welcome, and thanks so much for the kind comment ❤️

[@jenpilkington3399]

Our westie loves to chase squirrels 🐿 I've managed to train her to "see it" and instead of running full pelt, she comes to me for a treat instead 👏🏻 took me many months but we finally got there with force free reward based training

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Yesss!! 👏👏👏 I LOVE hearing success stories like that ❤️

[@EpsilonAD]

Thank you for a useful and relevant clip. Eps is a Tenterfield Terriers and bred to hunt and kill rodents. She has a big prey drive that we work on reducing with growing kindness based cue giving skill building in handler. Pigeons, chickens, guinea fowl, lizards, livestock and definately rodents draw her attention. She has improved immensely with time, handler learning and patience. She looks but resists stalking the red throated skinks and giant skink that live next to the front door path. She resists barking at the cassowaries and wildlife. It has been a slow process. I found a great hint with reducing focus on prey that can help. When Eps sites prey or starts to take a stalking stance a brief wave through the line of sight can help a great deal on reorienting to me. Thanks again for the great cue tips with prey drive calming.

[@EpsilonAD]

Dig a hole on cue gives Eps a lovely prey drive outlet. We visit safe to dig sandy spots and Eps enjoys her hole digging adventures.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad you mentioned that it's been a slow process, but has paid off. I tried to say that in the video too; this is definitely not going to be an overnight process 🙂 I think it's so important to have reasonable expectations going into training! I love your tips too, especially the digging. Its a perfect replacement for a terrier!

[@aliramezani9826]

This video is amazing!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you!! ☺️🙏 So glad you liked it!

[@sandyvallee5110]

Love the video! I have an Airedale Terrier with very strong prey drive. We are currently working on leave it on walks first as she likes to pick up everything 🙄

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, so glad you liked it! Working on “leave it” with stationary things on walks is smart & always where I suggest starting the training ☺️ Great practice for making the cue solid!

[@stresslessmeditation8039]

Concerning e-collars and other "instruments" I rarely see people use it correctly and its considered animal abuse in many european countries. Also as you mentioned dogs are prone to not associate it with the correct thing. For example if a dog gets to close to an electric fence and gets a shock he usually won't combine those two. But unfortunately there will be those who are dead set on abuse in the name of correction.. I love your way of training - it really is a step forward. I have a trainer in my hometown who works like you. She recently got an Australian Shepherd to train who got the whole band of punishment treatment as she wouldn't stop pulling on walks and was very reactionary. Well it didn't help but now with correct (and I mean correct not stuffing food down their throats without brain) positive reinforcment they can go on walk in a civilised manner.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I LOVE hearing stories of FF working where compulsion failed 👏 I feel like so many people assume the opposite… that “some dogs” will need corrections. I have certainly not found that to be the case in my business ❤️

[@Lighthousebob1]

A few weeks ago my young intact male dog got an electric shock from a stock fence behind which sheep were grazing. I said nothing and continued walking as if nothing had happened. He had yelped and spun around, confused as to where the shock had come from. Within 10 - 15 seconds, he was back to his normal happy self, though he did stay closer to me as we passed by that area. We went back to that same area to walk a few days later. He immediately came to my side as we entered into that area and walked next to me as we passed by - I didn't ask him to. No sign of fear or stress, just happy walking with occasional engagement with me (which I rewarded). We've been there again a few times, and passed by other fields of sheep (as well as going through areas where sheep have escaped their field and appear unexpectedly on the pathway). He's a lively and happy guy and I've not worked on any training specifically around livestock, only rewarding him when he chooses to engage with me instead of staring at sheep. I believe he's made an association between the sheep and the shock. I will still always recall him, keep him near when there's livestock nearby. But he certainly learnt at that point to associate the two things.

[@jessicaroberts8250]

This is a great video! Thanks for your hard work to share it!👏👏 Also, cockapoo and pheasants

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@lovekindness]

my german shepherd naturally wanted to catch all the stray cats, his lab-pitbull sister wanted to catch all the squirrels. now they both want to chase any stray cat or squirrel they notice. that's why I'm watching this video 😅 they trained eachother in a way that's making it even harder to keep my shepherd in the yard, and both of them barking at all little animals in the neighborhood is getting crazy. I'm also beginning to worry about them accidentally redirecting this hobby towards the cats we have.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I hope it helps!! It’s wild how quickly dogs can learn (often undesirable habits hahaha) from each other.

[@ionicamermaid1141]

Thank you very much for your useful tutorial!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I’m so glad you liked it! ☺️

[@theoutdoorminimalist]

Such a great video 🎉 another trainer I follow calls this “tattle training” and it has been so helpful with my dogs. Still a work in progress!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you!! 🙏 Tattle training is a cute way of saying it!

[@nastybug6747]

Hi! I love your videos. I would always feel like a weirdo,, because I live in an area with many hunters. I was called out multiple times for not wanting to hurt my dog into compliance. It was really hard for me to find a local dog trainer who would train force free, and on youtube I had a feeling that the representation is just non-existent. So i was extremely happy to find your channel.❤ My dog is a rescue and I have no idea what breed mix he is. At first as I've gotten him a year ago his prey drive was an unstoppable force. He would chase birds, mice, rabbits, squirrels, he even managed to kill a little bird. I don't know if he killed it on purpose or not, but since birds are pretty fragile, and this was a baby bird on the ground, it died anyway even though he let it go almost immediately. If he couldn't chase down a thing he noticed, he would sit and stare at it, for example if a squirrel retreated to the tree, he would just sit under that tree and watch. That's when he would become an immovable object, I had to physically grab him and bring him away from the spot, because he could sit there forever. Now it is better, because he at least is completely ignoring birds now. We are living near a forest, so it was imperative for me to make him chill a little bit. He is also getting more and more approachable, while he is looking at wild animals. It is slowly getting better, which I never would have thought to be honest.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I think it's amazing that you held true to force free training despite it not being the norm in your area! I completely understand feeling like an odd-ball. My mom was a compulsion dog trainer, so even within my family my kind treatment of dogs is considered strange to some. I just can't agree with intimidating or hurting an animal into compliance, ESPECIALLY when it's so unnecessary! And you're right about KZbin. It's heavily compulsion-based, which is actually part of why I started my channel. I wanted to show that all behaviours can be addressed force free so that people understand they truly have options 🙂

[@mahalie23]

good for you! nothing beats a strong bond, love and leadership imho ❤

[@kimberlyaustin7030]

My dog has a huge prey drive. So glad to see a confirming video that I am doing well

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

☺️ Happy to hear it confirmed you’re on the right track!

[@JAHLCH]

Thank you for this video! Everything helps me so much during puppy training. Really appreciate all of your work!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you for such a lovely message 🥰 I’m so glad they’re helping with your puppy training ❤️

[@lauren5707]

This is one of my favorite videos you've posted yet! You can tell you put a lot of work into it, it's so well made. Recently, for many of my dog training clients, I link your videos in my training tutorials/homework that I send them because your videos are already perfect why try to make my own? 😂 Thank you as always for all your hard work, will definitely be buying your guide!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Oh gosh, that means SO much to hear! Thank you 🙂 It took a ridiculously long time to film & edit this video myself, but it's a topic I really wanted to cover. Thank you so much for sharing my videos with your clients. I really appreciate that!

[@richardapai3676]

This is a very nicely produced and useful video! You really put a lot of time and effort in this! I subscribed instantaneously!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Awesome, thank you!

[@SSS-sd1cf]

Hi! I have a husky. He has really strong prey drive and I’m busy doing the training you are talking about in this video. He stays calm when the distance is far enough but when the prey is moving or close by, it becomes very challenging for him. We live in a neighborhood with lots of cats. I have to put him on a muilkorf to keep everyone safe since he has a history of injuring a cat. I’ve been doing this training for a year with a 1.5m leash. Since about a month ago, I began to train with a leash from 5 meter. I think I will have to train him with fast-moving objects (a plastic bag maybe as a start) since I notice he is quite sensitive to that. I practice with neighbor-cats (in a safe way) but of course it’s not possible to manage the cat’s reaction or the distance in the way I want every time so I just do the best I can. My hope is that I can one day walk my dog feeling safe without the muilkorf. Do you think there’s anything that cold be added to my training? 🫶 Thanks again for the great video! Very informative! ❤ p.s. we are now between phase 2 and 3. Sometimes we will have to go back to phase 1.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hey! I’m so curious since I just posted this today: did you come up with the method you’ve been trying the past year yourself? Impressive 👏👏 I find it such a logical approach ☺️ I have suggestions in the guide for extra exercises that help with movement/decreased distance from the animals, but sounds like you have the right concept! I’d definitely incorporate “controlled” moving things into your training to help practice cueing in those situations your dog really wants to chase ☺️Helps proof the skill!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Also: a muilkorf is a muzzle, yes? It’s great you voluntarily added that for the cats safety. Muzzles have such a bad reputation, but when well-conditioned they’re great!

[@learning2no]

Muzzles are a great tool as are all the tools we use for teaching our dogs.

[@mahalie23]

I have a mini-husky, Alaskan Klee Kai, that jumps suddenly like a fox straight into bushes or snow just one sound/smell and has felled many squirrels while still on leash - it happens so fast. I’ve worked hard on general obedience and he so badly wants to be a good pack member but he loses control with certain animals. H His recall is generally excellent, people often comment admiringly. But if he sees a deer or rabbit it’s out the window. We’ve had a bad incident w a domestic chicken and I’m working hard now to reduce reaction to cats - our neighbor’s goodwill is hanging on a razor canine’s edge. 😬 So grateful for this thorough, clear and positive training video! Thank you for your effort and sharing your knowledge. It could be dog-life saving as my little 30lb mini husky thinks he’s a big bad wolf and I’m so worried he’ll confront a bobcat or bear.

[@teejay3272]

My breed is Siberian Husky and he's...inconsistent. I live and hike in the mountains most every day and he lives for it. I leash on trail but often let him off when we're off trail which is frequent. He's rock solid (after a lot of work) with my marker word, "Wait", if he gets too far out or sticks his nose in something he shouldn't. It most always stops him immediately from going after squirrels, birds and rabbits. He'll eat a mouse but I usually can't see that go down. But deer are a problem. Not too nervous about bears, because he's seen them and hasn't bolted, but he will go after a deer. He's been ok with coyotes but I don't have a lot of trust. And one often means more. Love letting him do his thing out there but if something to where to happen that's all on me and something I want to avoid. So I'll try some of your tips. Thanks for this.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Living and hiking in the mountains daily is my dream! You have the perfect dog breed for it too. I relate to your mixed feelings and I'm the same with my dog.... of course there's ALWAYS a higher element of risk by unclipping them, but my dog loves running off leash so much. Definitely a balance between training as best we can, but still needing to let them live their life outside a complete "safety bubble".

[@teejay3272]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining Yep. It's definitely a risk/reward thing. But the reward is seeing them lose their minds with happiness, right? :) That's where the training matters. And you've got a good live/hike mountain dream. It's one that lives up to the hype. Maybe not right for most but very right for some.

[@ginahelen2]

My dog breed ... Gsd cross staffy akita. CATS AND SQURILLS. We have moved onto week 5 of loose leash training. We are still moving to opposite side of road with her as reactivity is another area we need to implement. I'm hoping that the nutrillism will work but she's one of them dogs who can snap and react out of the blue. Regarding animals. We moved on to week five and increased the difficulty of walks. We had to go in the car for an area as it's quiet round here. On coming out of car she instantly went into her own zone... with it being a new environment. It was like we went back to step one. She was doing so well before. Still we continued but had a lot of failed attempts. I want to note that heel was phased out earlier on and we are having difficulty getting her back into it. Then comes the dreaded cats. Once she sniffes on out, fixation and stillness and then the big launch. All I could do is stand with lead tension as walking up the lead with beef, smelly fish and pork chops did nothing. My question is. How do I increase the difficulty of walk with her prey drive and unpredictable reactivity going on still? Do we need to practice heel again in a quieter environment whilst still having another walk in the same settings as the cats, new environment? We are very stuck 😢

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

It sounds like in your area its either very low or high stimulation without much options in between? If her skills were going well in the low stimulation setting, I'd keep going to this new area for walks BUT implement more of the "rules" from the first few weeks such as practicing a brief lured heel in the new setting, starting with the recall game (kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2LFimiQmrqrjrM) so she's focused on you before you try to walk, and using the up/down pattern game whenever you can tell she's getting a bit too stimulated but preferably BEFORE any big reactions or fixations occur. Get her leash skills solid in the new areas (even if that means using a U-turn often to avoid situations for now) THEN add in reactivity and prey drive work. I think you'll get too overwhelmed trying to build all the skills at once!

[@ginahelen2]

@happyhoundsdogtraining Hi, we've just spent the last two weeks inside and out front with heel training. We waited before using the que 'heel' she has had it drilled into her that much but still prefers to walk loose leash. As she is trained on a 6ft loose lead, do you think we can now shorten it to a 3 foot one and still apply same methods if she pulls ? Or do we persist with the heel ? It would mean us doing one loose lead proper walk and the afternoon outside my front until we nail it xx

[@zouniable]

Thank you for the amazing video you made! Wonderful work, as always! My dog is a mix of greek and asian shepherd and he likes to chase cats.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I’m so glad you liked it ☺️ What a beautiful breed mix! I LOVE the appearance of Greek shepherds. How big did he end up getting?

[@zouniable]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining58kg🥹I didn’t know that when I adopted him as a two months puppy 😅 I follow you on Instagram and I particularly love all your content about reactivity. Thanks one more time! 🤗

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Haha I figured he’d be a big boy ❤️ If you’re mostly interested in reactivity, I think you’ll like this upcoming years content! I have so much pre-filmed with various reactivity and aggression clients ☺️

[@anaosorio8308]

Excellent video! I rescued a Jack Russel two years ago with zero training with two years old. I live in Australia and would love to do hiking with my dog as you do. Sometimes he sees some kangaroos or possums while walking and gets so nuts. I really need this training so much.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

It's so cool to me knowing my videos are viewed in other countries with SUCH different environments & wildlife. I'm curious what my dog Neirah would do if she saw a kangaroo haha

[@ileanakane1026]

Sweet and loveable Lola is a Labernese> she love to chase cats, smaller dogs, crows, rabbits and old people in their automated wheel chair! Forgot tiny electric cars and bicyclist. She doesn't bite. Love the video and now to implement the info.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! Happy training with Lola 😊

[@egbun]

Thanks for highlighting that chasing exercises like frisbee don’t increase prey drive, they alleviate it. I hear so many trainers saying the opposite. There is also a concern that jumping for a frisbee could hurt the dog's joints when they land. This could have some truth to it. For those who are worried about this, they could learn how to roll the frisbee like a wheel instead of throwing it in the air. But in my experience, many people find it difficult to roll the frisbee on its edge. Maybe you could teach that?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Yes! I also try to throw the frisbee low enough and far so that my dog keeps running straight through after catching it. Helps protect the joints versus any quick turns. Shes 10 years old now and has played frisbee her whole life 😊

[@shmegi04]

I have two dogs and two new kittens. One dog is a border collie cross and the other is a deaf Dalmatian cross. The two dogs feed off each other but I look forward to implementing your training. Thanks for the tips.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You're welcome! Happy training 🙂

[@theyarner591]

We have a rescue Saluki who chases anything that moves (and is also leash reactive to other dogs, some people, and occasionally cars). We're working on predation substitution training and LAT/LATTE and have made it to a point where she doesnt always immediately explodes into chase anymore. She can often watch for a while before resuming her sniffing. We're still working on returning to me when marked to collect her reward. On walks she's often not able to take food or her fluffy toys. I'm going to try the real fur version, though.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Using the real fur toys made a massive difference with my dog 😊 hope it helps!

[@LagganStores1]

Great video with so many real life examples. My Labrador wants to chase almost anything with fur or feathers, especially deer, hares and rabbits which are all around us. He is fascinated by lambs but much calmer with sheep than a year ago. There are very few places I trust him off leash and would love to give him more freedom. Have had trainers tell me to do the watch phase and not use leave it. Having watched the video I can see the value of starting with leave it.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Glad it was helpful! My method for prey drive is a bit different than what I’ve seen other trains suggest, but it’s been really effective for many dogs I’ve worked with. I personally prefer cueing the actions I want from the dog (so it’s fair and clear for them) THEN moving towards building it as a default behaviour they offer without being asked ☺️

[@stuplays6632]

My dog made it to no.4 with my neighbours cat the other day... no.5 onwards is terrifying 😳... the what if!? The only reason she stopped chasing was I roared STOOOP from the bottom of my soul lol I don't think I can let her off the lead again around here... that could have been horrific.... its so random because she is 10yrs old and that's the first time she actually (no.4) "begin the attack" 😮 ...I knew she didn't like cats because she does No.1 and maybe the odd no.2 here and there ... but I never thought she would actually go for it!! I guess it's because the cat turned and ran, up until now every cat has faced her directly and not backed down 🤷‍♂️ it happened on a backlane in a field, I wouldn't let her off near peoples houses... but I guess I am now even more limited unless I can straighten this out

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

The “what if” in scenarios like that can be SO scary!! Glad you intervened before it got horrible. I hope this video helps you train a new behaviour!

[@keelyaald]

Thankfully AL didn’t get the terrier prey drive memo. He’s a mutt so he is 34% APBT, 33% American Bully, 20% Mastiff, Great Dane & Boxer for the last bit. After a few surprise (scary for big AL) feral cat interactions and even being stalked by one… he doesn’t like cats and would chase if given the chance. We’re working on it! He does have a cat friend but random outdoor cats are not a welcome surprise in his yard.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hahaha yours didn't get the full prey drive memo, and my dog got hers on steroids 😂 That's why I always say breed matters, but isn't everything!

[@karenpotterton8369]

Thank you! Very clear and well explained.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks! Glad you liked it

[@marthawade5297]

This will be so helpful . Thank you.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You are so welcome!

[@catmaclaggan]

Very interesting and well produced video, thank you! Anyone else out there with a rescued galgo or other primitive sighthound? I'd sure love to hear a success story. Mine unfortunately not only hunts rabbits as he was bred/trained to do, but even smaller dogs that run. This makes socialization a challenge and as sweet and calm as he is with humans, he needs to be muzzled when we're out as his power and speed are equal to his sky-high prey drive.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I hope other people with your breed see your comment & reply 🙂 Depending on how close he can be before being triggered by small dogs, this video may also help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4CUpmaKaN-GaK8

[@magules13]

I got a rescue beagle/English bulldog mix (“beabull”) that I was TOLD was fine around cats. Well I get her home the other day to find that is not even a little bit the case. She chased my cat as soon as she got here and goes absolutely bananas when she sees or senses him. I don’t know if that’s the beagle or bully breed in her, or both, but I don’t know what she would do if she actually caught him, which is why I’m here. My kids would be heartbroken if we had to return her, and even moreso if she actually harms the cat. I’m keeping them separated in the meantime and hoping I can find a more permanent solution that works for all involved.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I’m so sorry to hear that! I always want dogs to get adopted, but not if the guardians have been mislead. It’s better for everyone if the dogs information is accurate! I hope this video helps your training ❤️

[@saraobermeier]

Thanks this is helpful!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You’re welcome! Glad to hear it helps 😊

[@kendaline]

Thank you so much for creating this video, it’s so detailed and well put together! Hoping for your help with a unique prey drive. I have a 1.5 year old golden retriever male who has been obsessed with ONLY lizards since he was a puppy. I used to think the stalking was cute so am afraid I might’ve enabled this behavior but am now paying the price as he is 75lbs and him stalking / chasing on walks every day is not cute. My question is, do you have any tips for pre-phase 1 of “leave it”? He has a strong leave it and we’ve even worked towards being able to pass his favorite lizard spot by saying “leave it” and he continues to walk past semi-reluctantly which is a huge accomplishment for us. However when he actually spots a lizard 10ft in front of us in any given area (bushes lining sidewalk) he goes into a complete trance, immediately freezes (sometimes pulling me backward if I didn’t notice) and it becomes near impossible to get him removed from “eye - stalk” phase unless I shove a high-value treat in his nose. Any tips would be appreciated! He is a golden so although not a typical prey-type dog, he has been doing this lizard hunting for over a year now, so the drive is very strong. It’s at the TOP of his value system, even above people, which says a lot. Thank you in advance!! ❤️

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, I’m so glad you liked it! That is such unique prey drive, and I love that it’s an example of what I said in this video: breed isn’t everything!! Reading your comment I have two thoughts/ideas: 1. When it’s a real world training time (he’s spotted the lizard and fixates): I’d walk my hands up the leash and lure him away with the treat. If you know leave it won’t work, try not to use it. Move him a distance away, use some sort of easy pattern game to re-focus him on you (such as the one in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaWQl5iop9uontU ), then incrementally get a tiny bit closer to the lizard. Practice the leave it cueing, re-do the pattern game, get a little closer, etc. I’d try to do 3-4 SUCCESSFUL leave it trainings with each lizard you find (assuming the lizard stays in the spot and cooperates hahaha). To start you may need to be really far away, but over time work closer and closer. 2. This feels like a funny suggestion, but if the lizard doesn’t need to be moving to trigger his interest, I’d buy a few lizard toys and substitute the food containers in this leave it tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2K4p5eCaZJmeJo with the fake lizards. Practice in home & yard first, then bonus points if you can get someone to help hide the lizards in bushes and such on walks so you know they’re coming & can be ready for a successful practice session!

[@kendaline]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining WOW you’re so quick to reply, thank you!! Love that advice I will try that! And it’s so funny you say that haha last night I ended up down a rabbit hole of trying to solve my dogs two biggest issues 1. Prey drive for lizards and 2. Impulse control for saying hi to humans / dogs and I found one video where someone used a fake (but very real looking) plush cat to untrain prey drive, and I thought of the same thing you did!! Immediately Amazon Prime’d some fake lizards and they’ll be here tomorrow! I think I’m going to try them outside first because my worry is that if he sees them inside he’ll start to hunt around the house. Fun story, we had my fake Christmas tree up this year for three weeks, then one morning he was frozen with his nose in the tree, and he was circling it very intensely. Then my sister and I realized he was looking for lizards! He did this for about a week until he gave up. I’m telling you, they don’t need to be moving at all or even ✨exist✨ for him to hunt. If he’s ever off leash alone at a dog park he just goes from tree to tree searching for them. We got his litter together for their first bday and he could care less to see dogs, he just roamed off patting the grass for lizards 😂 so crazy!! Thank you again!!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

@@kendaline Lol depends on the day! This morning I’m catching up on KZbin comments so already online. Sometimes it takes me multiple days to reply 😂 I LOVE that you already ordered lizards and came up with the same plan! I’d love to hear how it goes once you’ve worked at it for awhile. I’ve also filmed a video for teaching neutrality when walking past other people & dogs. I wish I had that edited and up for you already! Stay tuned ☺️

[@kendaline]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining I’ll put on notifications for it, because yes that’s exactly what he needs! I’ve found the best place to train neutrality is the mall, and having him sit outside the main doors while people pass. Still though he needs work on it on walks because 1-2 people seem harder for impulse. Kind of how if there’s a ton of people talking in a room you can’t focus on just one, versus two people talking, it’s all you hear!

[@kathey1981]

Thank you for this short video. It gives me some hope. I have a dog that twice now. I have tried to rehome because of his behavior. The problem with him is you never know when he's going to want to first out of the house. Just a few days ago my grandson was trying to come out of the house very carefully because he knows how Cooper used to like to run out. This day. He actually did push past him and tried to kill a cat. I think my dog's problem is more of a territorial problem, but he also chases everything including bags. When I used to take him for walks in my neighborhood he would go bananas over anything that moved. I took him to some dog training but could only afford the regular lessons which was four and it was almost $500 but I got an e-collar as well. You have any additional tips for me that would be amazing. I am on a limited budget and need all the free I can get. I know I just need to work with him more but like right now I'm on my way to work and I have very little time. My daughter is always encouraging me to give him away because she's more of a cat person. She said he needs somebody that's home all the time and I disagree because there are dogs that their owners are way and they just make sure that they get a good outlet back for their energy. I need some tips and tricks on that as well. I will keep up with your channel for all the tips I could find. Have a awesome day!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That’s a difficult situation! I do think the methods in this video will help you a lot, but there’s no denying that it will require a time commitment and won’t be an overnight fix, so that needs to be something you’re willing to do if you want to see behaviour change ❤️ If you do start walking him again I’d also strongly encourage you to incorporate this training: Dog Pulls Towards Other Dogs? Try THIS to Walk Past With a Loose Leash kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4CUpmaKaN-GaK8

[@kathey1981]

Oh yes, he's very smart and so I have to consistently work with him. I've started making him wait before going outside again because we had let that totally go. Just watching him sitting there about to bust out of his skin gives me some hope. He was really good even when I made him come back after he stepped over the threshold. He does want to obey. I just need to make sure he understands what I want him to do. I will definitely watch that with you. Thank you so much! e​@@happyhoundsdogtraining

[@TimHausHouse]

I’m working with a 3 y/o Belgium Malinois. Your video’s are great.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you 😊

[@Lighthousebob1]

A couple of questions. You said that at the start of the training you advise a harness rather than a flat collar, so as to protect the dog's neck. I'm not understanding why the dog's neck needs protecting if there's never any pressure put on the lead during this training. This training is without any corrections. Most people would associate a correction during training a dog to not chase prey with the dog chasing the prey and hitting the end of the lead. I think it's widely believed that hitting the end of the lead at speed is the dog receiving a correction (self inflicted). Without that, the dog's neck doesn't need protecting. Protecting from what? Also, you recommend that the dog has a reliable 'leave it' cue before you start which I think means that the dog reliably leaves something alone when the owner says 'leave it' - wouldn't having this reliable cue mean that the dog will leave prey when an owner says 'leave it', therefore not needing the training set out in this video? Please could you clarify? Thanks.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I’ll admit I’m highly suspicious of how “genuine” your comment is due to the timing. Many punishment-based training fans have seemingly been triggered by my review of the recent shock collar study (Is Shock Collar Dog Training REALLY More Effective Than Using Rewards? kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp7Odqmjac2nitU ) so unsurprisingly I’m seeing an uptick of views on this tutorial. However, since your questions are simple to answer, I’ll answer as if you’re asking in good faith. 1) Harness versus collar: A harness is suggested during training to protect the neck until a behaviour has been proofed (which is why you’ll see my dog wearing a collar; I no longer have concerns about her animal chasing). Force free training avoids the intentional ADDITION of a punishment (such as a leash correction by the handler) to change behaviour. Would I suggest leash corrections for prey drive training? No. Is it possible that using this rewards-based method outlined inhibits chasing behaviour without the dog ever reaching the end of the leash and giving themselves that correction? Absolutely! That’s what I would suggest aiming for actually. The harness is simply suggested as an extra safety feature to keep the dog comfortable if unforeseen events occur during training, and 2) If the dog knows leave it, why is this training even required: The analogy I like to give that seems to help people understand this is that it would be ludicrous to try to ask a kid to read prior to teaching them the alphabet. And likewise, we’d start them by reading children’s book before increasing to a full blown novel. Essentially, we need a base of skills to be taught PRIOR to asking for those skills to be utilized in a certain way. Similarly, leave it needs step-wise teaching before we ask for an advanced version (like prey drive training). Hope this helps you understand!

[@jemmawolf4150]

My dog is a golden doodle. She chases any type of bird, deer, squirrel, rabbit, hare, you name it! She runs until she drops. A partridge she caught she was skinni g whilst it was still alive, my husband had to intervene and despatch it. We will have to try your method, thank you.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That must’ve been so gross for your husband to watch 😭 Good luck with training! I hope it helps ☺️

[@pjonesjohnson]

Thanks!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much!!

[@julierice6490]

This is a wonderful resource! It's so well organized and presented in a clear, concise and understandable fashion. Thank you! One question: My JRT has off the charts prey drive and I live on a 4 acre (fenced) property filled with squirrels, bunnies, birds, gophers etc. When he's not out in the yard hunting, he's lying in front of the floor to ceiling windows that look out onto the yard where he watches for animals constantly and once he spots them either streaks to the door to hurl himself against it or dives at and scratches at the window itself. Assuming I'm able to teach him a strong "leave it" cue and practice on leash at an appropriate distance from animals when training, will this method allow me to hike with him in the way that I'd like to or do I have to cover my windows and keep him from hunting on my property?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 When you say "hike with him in the way you'd like to" what do you mean by that? Off leash on your property? Off leash elsewhere? During training I unfortunately doubt you'll have much success/progress if you don't start with management (covering windows and removing his current access to hunting the animals on your property by using a leash or such for walks). Once he's trained, it really depends on the individual dog. Neirah can see cats & squirrels in my yard/out the window and her being out there hasn't reversed her training at all 🙂 I hike with her off leash whenever I can!

[@julierice6490]

I only hike on leash but always keeping him on leash every single time he goes in the yard is going to be impossible. Also, I don't want to live in a bunker by covering my windows. If I have to do that for a few weeks, I will but I couldn't do it longer than that.@@happyhoundsdogtraining

[@wakefulwife]

Bonnie is an American Bulldog. We haven’t had her long but she seems to have the drive to complete the entire prey drive circle and she wants to predate on squirrels and my cat. She is very friendly towards everything and everyone else she encounters. Thank you for all the hard work that went into this video

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Love any & all bulldogs ♥ I grew up with English bulldogs! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks so much for taking the time to let me know 🙂

[@gerardoesoto1931]

Thank you for this usefull video

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

So glad it was helpful! ☺️

[@kutlay1988]

We have a greyhound and he has extremly high prey drive. He likes to chase basically everything that moves (including small to middle sized dogs). You mentioned this concept of prey drive as a battery that can be depleted. Does that mean, when the dog chase not just toys at home but with other dogs on a dog track (we have such a facility in 20 min drive distance) would it still be helpful to let that drive energy discharged? We avoided that place up to now, because we thought that it would even sharpen his sense of prey drive.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Good question! Track racing isn't a sport I'm very familiar with, so question: how does the race start in your area? Do they see the item they want to chase, work into a little frenzy, and then gates open for them to run? Or is it a handler controlled release cue? If it's the first version, I can see it actually amplifying prey drive (since they're choosing to run without a release cue). I usually suggest incorporating activities that mimic prey drive BUT do so in a semi-controlled manner. For example, if playing tug I like using "get it" and "drop" cues.

[@Sharon-pf2te]

Love the fact that you don’t use tools like e collars or prongs.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thanks! I want my channel to show that corrections & tools definitely aren’t required 😊

[@lindabutler4929]

I have a King Charles Cavalier rescue dog she chases everything including my 4 rescue cats. She was also very mistreated and starved the first 3 months of her life and has now started resource guarding everything including water. Do you have any videos on resource guarding as well?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Oof, I'm so glad she's in a better home now ♥ It's so sad when puppies are mistreated, and I've certainly seen underfeeding result is resource guarding later on (which makes sense). I have filmed a series on resource guarding with a few of my bite-history clients, but unfortunately don't have it edited & released yet.

[@lindabutler4929]

To make it clear she is only resource guarding from my cats

[@LynnLabieniec]

Terrific video. I recently bought Simone Mueller's book "Hunting Together" outlining this training protocol. She seems to be saying in the book that it's ok to allow your dog to creep. Now I'm wondering if I misunderstood her. I see your version stops the behavior before they start creeping. Curious about your thinking about whether creeping toward the prey is ok or whether you think that's too far.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you! I've read the book & I think it's great. I wish it existed when I got my puppy Neirah because it would've saved me some trial and error training 😂 However, I do still have a slight bias to my own method because I prefer simplified cueing & only saying things once. In the heat of the moment I want minimum words to remember haha. As for creeping: with my own dog and most I've worked with, it's something I advise against. The pursuit has already begun at that point, so it can be a bit harder to cue them out of it. I also prefer really clear training... no chase/pursuit at all rather than just a slowed version of movement so the task is clear to the dog. Every once in awhile I'll let Neirah creep slightly to see if she'll voluntarily stop on her own, but that's only something I'd add back in AFTER solidly training them to remain stationary when they spot the animal.

[@heartlandhealingarts3706]

Thank you this is so helpful! My Aussie/cattle dog puppy has a strong scent drive. She picks up the scents of animals before seeing them and starts to obsess and drag me after them. I will work on the leave it reward cue. Though I wonder if it will help even though the trigger is still present for quite some time.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

So glad it was helpful! 😊 If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d strongly encourage you to check out this video next: Train a Rock Solid "Leave It" Cue & STOP Scavenging On Walks kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2K4p5eCaZJmeJo It’s really helpful for practicing cueing with strong scents!

[@jonnyhoekstra]

We have the same mix and Leave It has made a tremendous difference. Once we cue Leave It she has an exaggerated aversion to the thing even though we've never corrected her beyond simply blocking access to the item. It's still too weak to stop her once she gets something gross in her mouth, but works like a charm for almost anything else.

[@NoOne-hg1qc]

this is a great video and I appreciate you showing the 'force free' way of doing this that being said, I do see a lot of trainers who work with e-collars or other aversives (and not with really intense ones necessarily) apparently have their dogs able to go off leash and still call back in situations like this .. do you think that can be trained with force-free? there is so much benefit I think to a dog being able to explore off leash.. if not, can't the trade off be worth it?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I'm not sure based on your question if you watched the entire thing? In the video I talked about how I follow leash laws when required, but prefer unclipping my dog whenever legal. She gets plenty of fully off leash park & hiking time, and yes the training still 100% works. There's zero evidence of aversives providing better results, so no "trade off" is required! There are PLENTY of countries in the world where things such as e collars are fully banned & those dogs are still well trained with lots of off leash freedom lol. We didn't start unclipping dogs when shock collars came to the market, despite what marketing may lead people to believe!

[@NoOne-hg1qc]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining oh dear! don't I feel silly! I'm afraid I've been stress-binge-watching dog training content and it's making me impatient and skimming through things lol .. this is what I get! XD I'll make sure to watch through the full thing soon but that's awesome, thanks for that info. I do know that people have given dogs off leash freedom before e-collars were I thing .. I do also think a lot of people are/were kind of loose about if their dog chases critters like birds or squirrels and such.. thanks for this encouragement and your patient reply lol

[@fatimamehdizade4455]

What I don't understand is that how the dog will leave the cat alone while you are not at home after these steps successfully completed? Wouldn't they chase the cat at home if you (praiser) not there? I have a puppy who is unknown mixed breed from shelter and has prey-drive on my cat. I did not teach her leave-it yet, however, there are big questions in my mind and one big one is above mentioned. Thank you for the video, very detailed! :)

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Good question! The nice thing about using positive reinforcement while also phasing out cueing (as I suggest later in this training process) is that you can shape a new default behaviour that doesn't require your presence. That said, I also mention how important management is so you won't be leaving your dog & cat alone in the earlier phases of training.

[@fatimamehdizade4455]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining Thanks a lot. Is it even possible to trust leaving a dog with high prey drive alone with a cat even if the behaviour becomes default? Or should I seperate them when I am not at home for 15 years?

[@AlisonHaley-t8w]

Dug is a german wire haired pointer Griffon. He is 2 years old and is mostly indoors, we live on 10 acres. We just brought home two outdoor only kittens. He wants to chase them. He is a hunting dog. Since we've had the kittens for two weeks, we have only been able to have Dug on a leash outside so he doesn't try to eat them. Help!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hope the steps in this video help! Definitely continue using the leash for management & safety until he gets to the more advanced stages of training.

[@obiblooze5902]

Thank you so much for this. I've been doing all the training and Tommy will stop and watch a squirrel, or a cat from a distance. I now wait probably 10 seconds or more and he'll turn back to me for a treat. I reward him with a high value treat. By that time, normally the "prey" has moved off so we carry on. The problem then is that he pulls like mad on the leash to get to the spot where they were. How should I deal with this, do I stop and turn around, although I really want to go in that direction 🙂 or do we carry on and I keep calling him back and treating like in the loose leash walking? I feel that this would take a long time as he is so keen to get to where they were.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You're welcome, and I'm so glad you're seeing such great progress! 👏 As for pulling to the spot afterwards: I'd try incorporating a pattern game (like the one in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaWQl5iop9uontU) to grab Tommy's attention and re-focus him before trying to move that direction.

[@obiblooze5902]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining That's great, I'm going to try the up and down game. Thanks so much 💖

[@SuziQ.]

3.5 year old sable GSD, with high prey drive for anything that flies, and squirrels, and an opossum that visits our yard at night. She skips to 4 at the sight of her favorite prey. Do I have to stop her from killing house flies and mosquitoes? She’s really good at it. She discovered the beginning of a bee swarm invasion in our house, in time for me to stop the bees coming down the chimney. Addit: Thank you for this video. I should have said that first.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You're welcome! And I would say that depends on the dog. I still let Neirah hunt house flies and it hasn't affected her prey drive towards her other nemesis's (squirrels, bunnies, and cats) negatively at all!

[@zsazsak879]

Dachshund. Rabbits!, rats!, birds!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I love how much personality and pep is packed into tiny Dachshund bodies ♥😂

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

I don't have a dog but wondering if it would be possible to train a farm dog out of chasing birds, reptiles, cats, etc, but keep their instinct to catch rodents? When I do get a dog, they will have a job on the property to control rodents so obviously that is a behaviour I want to keep. Is it possible to train with this degree of nuance or is it an all or nothing type of thing? Thanks. I wouldn't want to confuse a dog and "ruin" them.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

This video is more tailored for trying to remove the desire to automatically chase/hunt at all, so you’d likely be better off with a different training method for your circumstances!

[@dragonrider2956]

i have an assiedoodle, and, she chases squirels, rabits, cats, anything!1 i hope this vid will help me

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That was my dogs exact list, so hope this method helps you too 🙂

[@Alissa_Marie]

Cavalier owner. Mine has such a spaniel brain. She just sees birds, chases as though to flush them and barks.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Sport spaniel at heart! 😂

[@missdmarie]

Thank you for this! We have a high prey husky/boxer/GSD mix, and a high prey drive golden retriever. Is there anything you'd suggest with a dog who grabs an animal and refuses to get it out if their mouth? We've tried treats, sauce she doesn't like to drop it, reinforcement and kind words, asking to drop it since she knows the command, and folding her lips under. But she is locked down and tries to swallow it, and it takes 30 minutes for her to drop it. And i hate it when she gets an animal. Any advice??❤ Also, how does this apply to other household pets such as cats or by having wildlife in our yard? Our dogs don't hurt the cats but chase them constantly, and then corner them. Do we do the same thing off leash? I would just hate to have to do that all the time when I'm around and constantly watch them, and would hate to associate our sweet cats as something they cannot be near. They both know leave it and when prey drive kicks in, they will not stop until they kill the poor animal and am worried about this. Thank you again for your informational video!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You're welcome, glad you liked it! I can link my "drop it" tutorial here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqSndIOOmL-ee68, but honestly I think that's a secondary concern. As mentioned at 9:13 it's REALLY important to use management to prevent the rehearsal of the undesired behaviours (animal chasing) if you want to successfully build new behaviours instead. If your dog is having the opportunity to chase, catch, and kill animals then management needs to be implemented before anything else is looked at.

[@missdmarie]

@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you so much I appreciate it! Yes we did decide to not use retractable leashes, I think that's our issue. Thank you again!

[@RiaSwiftHealing]

I am sitting a 68 lb Lab. When she sees a cat, squirrel, etc she pulls me towards that animal. She doesn't hear leave it. We are working on the 'leave it command' but it is exhausting to try and keep a 68 lb dog from running after that 'thing' she is fixated on. Loved your video but leave is not working when she is GONE in her head. How do I get her to listen to me when she is fixated and pulling towards her prey? If she smells the road as we walk, leave it works sometimes but not all the time. It is exhausting working with an animal that is that weight, with her strength? I need some help. Any suggestions?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hey! I’m not sure exactly which videos you’ve watched or what methods you’re using, so going to answer from zero. I’d start teaching leave it indoors (so there’s no pulling you need to worry about): How to Train Your Dog to LEAVE IT: Complete Beginner's Guide kzbin.info/www/bejne/q57XYZ18brJ7m6s Then I’d teach the advanced leave it cue with this: How to Train Your Dog to Leave It & STOP Scavenging on Walks kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2K4p5eCaZJmeJo Understanding threshold and why treats stop working when the dog is fixated is also really important. This video explains: *INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWK4h6uIfqeAe9U

[@Shellyspurr]

We just adopted a husky and I own 4 free roam rabbits and he is super hyper focused on them.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Definitely a situation worth training!!

[@Shellyspurr]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining yes, I hope I can get him to be able to have supervised exposure with them daily in a couple of months cause I can't risk losing a bunn or him since he's a rescue.

[@dianekiley9556]

We taught Vince Leave IT early. But at night, he sees things we don't see, and Wo ! we are pulled by a 70 lb -all muscle pit lab. What is your Treat of choice? Or Neirah's? Where can you go where leash is not mandatory? How do you discourage the HUMPING instinct? Help...

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Haha they can certainly smell & detect things we can't! For treats I usually suggest bringing two different kinds during training outtings: something SUPER high value (typically real meat such as ground beef or cooked pork chops) and then a more standard dog treat (like beef liver treats). During more difficult training it's nice to be able to ramp up the reward value 😀 I do have this quick 2 minute video that will help you determine your dogs favourite treat: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKrao5ear756b5I Re humping- I'd try to determine why your dog is doing it. Typically it's overstimulation/overexcitement! In that case, using a simple pattern game to help de-escalate them before it gets to the humping tipping point (lol what a sentence) can help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaWQl5iop9uontU

[@apldogtraining]

Amazing video and those hikes with Neirah are really impressive, you've done a great job raising her. 😁My khmer street dog loves hunting, more than anything. Because of our environment; mainly consisting of lizards, frogs, cats, rats and an occasional crab, they pop out a few meters away, he instantly switches gears and within a second or two he chases, which spikes his arousal level and he gets great enjoyment even for only a second which makes it a self rewarding behaviour. (We also don't have any safe open parks in our area and any field close by will have street dogs, making it very hard to work at a distance.😂) For people with dogs and environments like mine, would you recommend giving the dogs opportunities to actually hunt animals to decrease the battery or would this encourage the arousal for the next time he sees 'prey' as they have been allowed to hunt? 🤔

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You always ask the best questions! 🙂 It's interesting for me to try to picture dog training in your vastly different country & wonder what I'd do in your situation haha. Short answer: I wouldn't recommend letting them actually hunt, no. We always say in dog training "What gets rewarded gets repeated". Dogs that enjoy hunting get some massive chemical spikes when they hunt, which is incredibly rewarding for them. Rather than draining the battery, it basically turbo-charges the desire to do it again 😂 Plus I always feel sad for the little critters that got hunted, but that's a second consideration.

[@apldogtraining]

​@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you for you clear response, 😁"You get what you pet" I was using hunting as a reward for listening to me then we would 'hunt' together as it helped massively reduce his anxiety and encouraged him to listen. He's a simple dog so he gets out smarted by lizards 😂 Next week I'm going to be testing out chasing me on a motorbike to see if that gives him his fix as an alternative. Thanks for your time 🙏

[@ZaryaTheLaika]

If @@happyhoundsdogtraining doesn't mind me adding to the discussion, um, I do agree with her saying not to allow the dog to hunt to begin with. I am just adding nuance. But if you do decide to allow hunting behaviours, I strongly advise you to pair that behaviour with a visual object so a dog know the on/off switch. Kind of like target-training with feeding responses in reptiles or other captive wild animals. My Pavel came from commercial hunting lines in Khabarovsk. He's okay around wildlife off-leash during spring and summer, but that's because he was conditioned to associate the shotgun or rifle we had with hunting, along with other cues like the GPS collar and the vest but he doesn't need those to have an off-switch-- he only need to see the firearm to know when his behaviours are acceptable. And he likes running with the mountain bike when it's warm outside as well, so that probably help with him not chasing wildlife. It only takes a week for the dog to form a positive association of a rifle = going out to hunt. Laikas in East Siberia are taught shotguns = squirrels and grouses, heavy calibre rifles = moose and bear and light calibre rifles = squirrels, sables and martens. And they only hunt two weeks or two months of the year, which is different from recreational hunting where people hunt all year around but only on weekends. The rest of the year dogs are expected to chill out in the villages when their caretakers are not hunting for profit. And the dogs are not tied up; they're free-roaming. Re: training a dog to ignore its prey-drive without using estims, um... people living in areas with lots of land-owners and or roads use a belt and long line and just practice the recall all summer long before letting the dog off leash in autumn. Then the dogs know how to break off barking at a moose or bird. If they have problems with dog chasing unwanted animals (eg. squirrels, reindeer), they just tie the dog to the tree upwind of the said animal, leave then come back a few hours later. You do not need to do this if you don't live in a busy area, of course.

[@ZaryaTheLaika]

Sorry for the addendum, but basiclaly the way the dog knows not to chase something is kind of... "yes, I see the squirrel you're barking at. No, I am not going to shoot it for you. I don't have the shotgun on me. So I am just going to keep walking and ignore you barking at the squirrel until we find a moose." And I used that same mentality to teach Pavel not to chase wildlife in the summers.

[@ZaryaTheLaika]

Think this a good video kind of explaining, not verbally but visually: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poemgZ2vqa2sY7M. The collars are GPS, not estims. When Sergei whistled, he's telling the dog that the kill sequence won't be completed without him. I would link to a video by Peter Ekeström but he spent like 10 minutes waiting for his Norwegian Grey Elkhound to be summoned. The video above has better recall even though both owners/trainers are in the same situations in the same context.

[@lindycadwall2432]

My dog is a American pitbull terrier and she will chase from as small as flies, bees, mice, birds, rats, squirrels, all the way up to as big as rabbits, buzzards, turkeys, chickens, raccoons, cats, foxes, opossum & deer

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Lengthy list! She clearly doesn't discriminate... if it moves, it's worth chasing 😂♥

[@Honeybee0408]

I have a 1 year old sheperd pitbull mix that we rescued who goes for our cats. Its very high. Ive been told by lots of people that you can't train prey drive away. I have cats and we got him before we knew how that was. Everyone is separated for saftey. From your honest opinion opinion, is it possible to train a high preg drive dog to live in a house with cats? Even if there will never be times where the dog will be in contact with the cats without human supervision.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

What does going after them look like? Fun chase, or think he'd harm them given the chance? My short, generic answer is yes. My own dog (as mentioned in this video) was a complete menace to the cat I rescued and they learned to co-exist fine without separation. I've also worked with multiple high drive clients such a sighthounds that learned to exist together safely with cats. Honestly it does take a LOT of work though. Of all things I've taught my own dog, harnessing her prey drive was the lengthiest process and requires very careful management during that.

[@Honeybee0408]

@happyhoundsdogtraining honestly, today looks different than yesterday. We have been doing the leave it thing for weeks but switched the treat today and he got it. We had the gate uncovered with complete opportunity to see each other and he focused hard on me! When he does, it's tail wagging, but lots of barking and an almost desperate need ti get to them. We have never let it get to where there can be teeth, but he does nip.m towards them. But he bites everything. We are still working on him play biting at our face due to overstimulating.

[@Honeybee0408]

@happyhoundsdogtraining I did buy the book though cause I want the most success. Unfortunately my cat slipped through the gate when letting the dogs out. When hubby was getting the kitty out, the dog lunged, missed the cat, and nipped hubby. He has CH so thankfully with his coordination, he's not able to maneuver the way other dogs do. But we stayed calm, gave him a kennel break, then went back to step one for a 10 minute training session that went really well with the new treats. Unfortunately with him being a scarred up rescue, I thing the reaction was taught. So we are unteaching the bad and enforce g the healthy prey drive. I'm willing to work on this as long as nessecary for his sake. Especially cause we have the resources and ability to keep them separated and away. Today was the oddball fluke that we bought before things got bad.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm so glad you're willing to work on things and that you understand he comes with a past that's going to affect him ♥ Consistency, kind clearness, and time go sooo far

[@TheBaumcm]

Have it gotten a chance to watch yet but our 1 year old suspected black mouth cur doesn’t trust those shady lizards. The feral cats he’s learning to leave along but lizards are a nope😂. Hopefully once aim done watching, at least I’ll be well trained.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That's so funny 😂 My dog Neirah definitely thinks cats are the shadiest animal of all hahaha

[@debbiejelier4201]

Thanks so much for this!!!

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

You’re very welcome! 😊 Thanks for watching & commenting!

[@CelinaNicole]

I have a bluenose pit, we have a cat at home, but when I walk him, HE GOES NUTS when he sees a cat, squirrels and rabbits he pulls hard. Bicycle though are the worst thou

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I hope this video helps! I have an upcoming video on bicycle reactivity too 🙂

[@frankkelly9917]

A very well done video. Thank you for posting it. I am going to try your method. Question.....I have a female black lab who 3 years old and has a strong prey drive. Unlike my other dogs who have had prey drives, her eye lock stage last only about 2 seconds. Its almost an automatic chase once she see's any squirrel and rabbit movement. Thoughts? Also I compete is a number of dogs sports where her prey or toy drive is important to have. I don't want to kill this natural instinct. Would this happen once this task starts to work with her? Thank you for putting in the time to make this video and answer these questions.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Thank you so much, glad you liked it! My dog Neirah was very similar to your lab initially: essentially no pause between spotting an animal and chasing after it. I had to be VERY quick with my cueing initially, and gradually her eye lock & stalking stages got longer 😊 However, if you want to maintain your dogs desire to chase immediately upon spotting an animal for your dog sports, this likely isn't the best method for you to follow unfortunately! It puts a huge reward history on the dogs decision to NOT move towards the animal.

[@frankkelly9917]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining Thank you for your response. One of the sport I speak of is Barn Hunting...hidden rats in a protected tube. The dog cannot actually see the rats......or any movement by them since they are hidden. Its more their sense of smell that they use to seek the rats out. I will have to give it some thought then on how to proceed.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

@@frankkelly9917 Oh I should’ve asked and clarified which sports you meant ☺️ There’s zero issue with combining this prey drive training & barn hunts! One of the terrier clients I mentioned in the video does barn hunts and has a sand pit to dig in for enrichment. I’d count those as replacement outlets!

[@frankkelly9917]

@happyhoundsdogtraining Sorry that I missed seeing your follow up post. Thank you for answering. Good to know. The other sport I do is dock diving. The handler throws a toy ( fake looking animal, wubba, ball, etc) and the dog jumps to try and catch or retrieve the toy in the water. The dogs strong prey/toy drive usually leads to bigger and further jump distances. I will look to try your method if you feel that this would not be detrimental to his overall prey drive.

[@SuziQ.]

⁠@@frankkelly9917, ​ Dock diving is a great way to exercise your dog, and provide enrichment. As long as he’s going for balls or appropriate toys, it’s not going to affect your training to decrease any sight based prey drive. It’ll probably help, giving him a task that he enjoys. Like Stephanie said about the tunnel sniffing task, it’s a different kind of outlet.

[@tinafitzpatrick2995]

I have a question, will this interfere with prey drive in Barn Hunt?

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I know different places use terms differently, but if you mean barn hunt as rats in tubes “hunted” mainly by smell, then nope ☺️

[@rachelahern6748]

What do you do if your dog is not interested in any replacement solutions. Only likes to chase real animals. Balls etc she has no interest in.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Have you tried real fur toys?

[@KyDairyGoats]

Corgi

[@adrijanaskorvaga7048]

I have a shar pei....crazy for chasing cats, but not if she knows them.....

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Cats were one of my dogs biggest struggles too!

[@marinav.7332]

Won't work on my dog. He jumps and barks immediately. Without correcting won't be any effect

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

I'm not sure if you watched the entire video, but almost all of the high prey drive dogs I've worked with (including mine, as mentioned in this video) started by reacting to prey immediately. It can definitely still be trained force free if that's something you actually desire to do!

[@BluePetalsOfDeath]

So far my leave it works for birds, squirrels and trash but not other dogs and my cats....

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

That’s a great start! Hope the process in this video helps you further that success list 😊

[@ParasiticApe]

❤❤❤

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

😊🙏

[@RoseMaryEscalante]

i have a German shepherd likes chasing cats

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hope this video helps!

[@UNbalancedDogTrainer]

As a child, I used to chase wildlife and other animals because I wanted to pet them😅

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Hahahaha…. Wait, isn’t that normal? 😂 Because I certainly did too LOL

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Neirah wants to pet them with her teeth, which is much less friendly 😂

[@UNbalancedDogTrainer]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining 😜 would the training shown in this video apply to adult humans? …asking for a friend

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

@@UNbalancedDogTrainer With the right reward, I’m sure it’d work 😂😂😂

[@UNbalancedDogTrainer]

@@happyhoundsdogtraining “Have a Starbucks latte for not chasing that squirrel.” 🤣

[@KyDairyGoats]

Dogs who behave thus way often also destroy squeaky toys.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Yes! Dissection (particularly if there’s a rewarding squeak) is one of the normal parts of the predatory sequence for some dogs 😊

[@sebastianoey]

Malinois, anything that can be eaten.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

Anything that can be eaten is a good way of saying it 😂 My dogs was "anything that moves"

[@GoldiefromMahia]

New zealand pitbulls. Both sheep farm dogs. Hard work tho

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

😊 worth it!

[@tcoon333]

BC. Deer, rabbits, rodents. We are in the mountains and she is off leash. Does great until she sees something. The only thing she didn’t chase was a cougar. She froze.

[@happyhoundsdogtraining]

😬 That would’ve been such a nerve wracking moment with the cougar! I grew up in BC and saw tracks quite often, but never the cougar itself. Just LOTS of bears 😂