Saturday, October 16, 2010

Ways Natural Drives Of Canines-Prey Drive Vs Defense Drive Are Used In Training Canines

By Alexander Wolfe

Explaining Natural Drives of Dogs-Prey Drive vs Defense Drive begins with the three areas needed in order to train a protection dog. Prey drive, defensive drive and fight drive. Avoidance can also be considered on of these drives, but it's one that is not taught, or welcomed in Schutzhund training.

All animals that hunt have prey drive. This is the drive that tells them to chase and kill something when they see it move. When training a protection dog, this drive is used to teach the dogs that the sleeves and sacks being handled by their trainers are their prey. Dogs exhibit this drive all the time when playing with their favorite toys.

Dogs are not born with defensive drive. Some owners claim their dogs would be capable of nothing more than licking an intruder to death. This is a clear sign that their dog was not born with a very strong defensive drive. It can't be taught. It's something they have to be born with, in order to be able to work with it in training. Dogs are not very happy when they're in this drive, and should be taught with great care. If not, it could lead to avoidance. This is something that is not wanted in training.

When both of these drives have been conquered, the next phase of training is in the area of fight drive. This is when the two other drives are used to benefit the other, creating a new drive. One that is free from fear, but they are more than happy to enter into. Check out some dogs performing in this cool Schutzhund training video HERE.

Fight drive is also something that dogs are not always born with. If a dog has a good prey drive and a healthy defensive drive, learning to use this new drive becomes much easier for them.

Dogs that earn a Schutzhund title in protection must not be inherently vicious. They must be able to be controlled and learn how to use the two drives together in a positive way. Not all dogs are capable of this. There must be a strong foundation on which to work, before training in protection can be achieved.

Natural Drives of Dogs-Prey Drive vs Defense Drive are used together to make exceptional dogs who are capable of protecting their owners in a variety of different ways. These dogs are not only used for attacking. They are also used in areas of helping people with disabilities. They must have an overall good attitude to be considered for the many jobs available for them to work. This is also something that sometimes must be taught, but having it to begin with makes Schutzhund training a whole lot easier on everyone, them included.

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