increasing prey drive in puppy
increasing prey drive in puppy
Recently took my puppy out for his first hunt and shot a couple of bunnies, brought my dog over to it whilst it was still alive after being shot but the dog didn't seem interested? it went up and sniffed the bunny but kept walking straight past after a quick sniff. At this point i had him on a lead so i could keep him near the bunny but didn't want to pick it up or have anything to do with it. I don't think he was scared by it, just didn't want a bar of the rabbit.
Any advice? he's a 5m lab (not the ideal breed i know)
Any advice? he's a 5m lab (not the ideal breed i know)
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Hmm...well, it might just be an exposure thing. Keep trying until something clicks.
Otherwise, if the dog doesn't got it, it doesn't got it. I've seen too many people spend too much time trying to "train" prey drive into dogs that couldn't care less. If it feels like you're pounding a nail into a 2x4 with your fist, it's not worth the hassle.
Good luck!
Otherwise, if the dog doesn't got it, it doesn't got it. I've seen too many people spend too much time trying to "train" prey drive into dogs that couldn't care less. If it feels like you're pounding a nail into a 2x4 with your fist, it's not worth the hassle.
Good luck!
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Use a live pigeon and lock its wings together there is probably a video on line somewhere to show how. I found this explanation just make sure you have it right before you turn your pup loose>
Locking wings: One of the coolest attributes of a pigeon are its wings. They're the only bird (that I know of anyway; or at least ones I'm interested in for dogs) that you can "lock" their wings. Because of how a pigeons wings are structured, you fold one over the other twice and render them incapable of flying or flapping. They can waddle along on the ground, but they're not going any place in the air. This is handy for keeping a bird in one spot/area when working on pointing, coming into scent or introducing puppies to birds for the first time.
here are a couple of pics of two of my dogs when they were puppies playing with a pigeon with its wings locked
Locking wings: One of the coolest attributes of a pigeon are its wings. They're the only bird (that I know of anyway; or at least ones I'm interested in for dogs) that you can "lock" their wings. Because of how a pigeons wings are structured, you fold one over the other twice and render them incapable of flying or flapping. They can waddle along on the ground, but they're not going any place in the air. This is handy for keeping a bird in one spot/area when working on pointing, coming into scent or introducing puppies to birds for the first time.
here are a couple of pics of two of my dogs when they were puppies playing with a pigeon with its wings locked
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
you can lock a chukar's wings!
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
As far as I know you can do it with any bird. I just never found much need to do it with smaller birds like pigeons. I understand the theory of it but I haven't seen a pup that doesn't end up getting more excited when the bird gets excited and creates a lot of movement. The pup may back off for a minute but in the end they handle it quite well. Like so many things though desire or prey drive as it is called today is bred in and at some point it will come out with out trying to increase it which I doubt is really possible.DonF wrote:you can lock a chukar's wings!
Ezzy
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
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Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
ezzy333 wrote:As far as I know you can do it with any bird. I just never found much need to do it with smaller birds like pigeons. I understand the theory of it but I haven't seen a pup that doesn't end up getting more excited when the bird gets excited and creates a lot of movement. The pup may back off for a minute but in the end they handle it quite well. Like so many things though desire or prey drive as it is called today is bred in and at some point it will come out with out trying to increase it which I doubt is really possible.DonF wrote:you can lock a chukar's wings!
Ezzy
I do think that prey drive, birdiness, desire, hunt, ...whatever one may wish to call, is a trait that is "born in". There are a number of these types of traits that are bred for and bred into bird dogs. You can awaken it, you can direct it, you can quash it, but if it ain't there...it ain't gonna be there.
Sometimes, with different breeds and different strains within breeds, it does indeed take some time for the "light to come on", so do not get discouraged. I mess with FDSB trial bred pointers and they probably have the fastest developing drive to find birds of any of the pointing breeds, but even they can take some exposure to light the fire occasionally.
Talk to the breeder. They should have a good idea as far as how quickly and how intensely their breeding develops birdiness, as a rule and might be able to give you suggestions on how best to awaken it.
I am a big fan of tossing pigeons for youngsters and later, popping traps when the dog is well away, so that it gets to watch the bird fly away. That usually gets the pup's juices flowing.
RayG
RayG
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
In about 50 years of gundogs I have never had a working bred pup that didn't have prey drive, although the amount of it did vary from pup to pup. The widest and fastest running GSP I ever owned was a dog pup I bred myself. At six months old he would not hunt at all, he just ambled about beside me. My other dogs once flushed a rabbit that ran right in between his front legs and he hardly bothered to even look at it.
I was just about to give him away as a damp squib to a pet home when at 7-8 months old the prey drive thingy finally clicked into place inside his head. He never looked back and became a very good dog. I think we sometimes expect too much too soon from puppies.
I never use clip winged or locked wing pigeons which is just as well because doing that is illegal here yet simply being allowed to hunt for wild game plus maybe getting a few fresh shot birds to retrieve from about 7 months onwards always seems to be enough to arouse the prey drive. I admit to being a bit of a tree hugger where pigeons are concerned . Pigeons were a boyhood pet and hobby of mine and I kinda like them and could not toss them live for a puppy to "learn on." Not doing that with pigeons or with any other bird doesn't seem to make my dogs have less prey drive.
Bill T.
I was just about to give him away as a damp squib to a pet home when at 7-8 months old the prey drive thingy finally clicked into place inside his head. He never looked back and became a very good dog. I think we sometimes expect too much too soon from puppies.
I never use clip winged or locked wing pigeons which is just as well because doing that is illegal here yet simply being allowed to hunt for wild game plus maybe getting a few fresh shot birds to retrieve from about 7 months onwards always seems to be enough to arouse the prey drive. I admit to being a bit of a tree hugger where pigeons are concerned . Pigeons were a boyhood pet and hobby of mine and I kinda like them and could not toss them live for a puppy to "learn on." Not doing that with pigeons or with any other bird doesn't seem to make my dogs have less prey drive.
Bill T.
The older I get, the better I was !
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Pretty much my method also.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
I feel the same way also, not going to treat a pigeon or any other living thing like that.
The dog either has it or it doesn't and pups often take a while to mature and become aggressive hunters, so the OP shouldn't worry IMO
The dog either has it or it doesn't and pups often take a while to mature and become aggressive hunters, so the OP shouldn't worry IMO
currently two shorthairs, four english pointers, one Brittany, one SPRINGER a chihuahua and a min pin lol
increasing prey drive in puppy
Op. Are you trying to teach the lab to run rabbits? Or just trying to get it excited about critters? Ive ran beagles the last 12 years and if the dog actually sees the rabbit and then can chase it that usually turns em on pretty quick. I dont know about labs though. My gsp pup just discovered rabbits. She just points them in the yard.
This pic is everytime we walk out the door.
This pic is everytime we walk out the door.
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Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
1st time out and 5mos. old, don't even give it a second thought. Let the pup have fun and do what he wants.
Charlie
Charlie
If you think you can or if you think you can't, you are right either way
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
[quote="RayGubernat
I do think that prey drive, birdiness, desire, hunt, ...whatever one may wish to call, is a trait that is "born in". There are a number of these types of traits that are bred for and bred into bird dogs. You can awaken it, you can direct it, you can quash it, but if it ain't there...it ain't gonna be there.
Sometimes, with different breeds and different strains within breeds, it does indeed take some time for the "light to come on", so do not get discouraged. I mess with FDSB trial bred pointers and they probably have the fastest developing drive to find birds of any of the pointing breeds, but even they can take some exposure to light the fire occasionally.
Talk to the breeder. They should have a good idea as far as how quickly and how intensely their breeding develops birdiness, as a rule and might be able to give you suggestions on how best to awaken it.
I am a big fan of tossing pigeons for youngsters and later, popping traps when the dog is well away, so that it gets to watch the bird fly away. That usually gets the pup's juices flowing.
RayG
..........................
I must have been lucky as I've never had to awaken a prey drive in a well bred pup.
I respect your opinion always though Ray, so it must be a not uncommon problem.
I do think that prey drive, birdiness, desire, hunt, ...whatever one may wish to call, is a trait that is "born in". There are a number of these types of traits that are bred for and bred into bird dogs. You can awaken it, you can direct it, you can quash it, but if it ain't there...it ain't gonna be there.
Sometimes, with different breeds and different strains within breeds, it does indeed take some time for the "light to come on", so do not get discouraged. I mess with FDSB trial bred pointers and they probably have the fastest developing drive to find birds of any of the pointing breeds, but even they can take some exposure to light the fire occasionally.
Talk to the breeder. They should have a good idea as far as how quickly and how intensely their breeding develops birdiness, as a rule and might be able to give you suggestions on how best to awaken it.
I am a big fan of tossing pigeons for youngsters and later, popping traps when the dog is well away, so that it gets to watch the bird fly away. That usually gets the pup's juices flowing.
RayG
..........................
I must have been lucky as I've never had to awaken a prey drive in a well bred pup.
I respect your opinion always though Ray, so it must be a not uncommon problem.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
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Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
I have never felt the need to "wake up the prey drive". Well bred dogs are borne with it, as are most any other dog....They are predators. Having said that, I don't believe it is ever too early to introduce game if done in a proper way. Although, I am not going to stress if it takes some to show prey drive a little later than some others. Hope this makes sense.
Charlie
Charlie
If you think you can or if you think you can't, you are right either way
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Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
"Prey drive" is the drive to chase small prey. A dead/dying rabbit is not a chase. You're confusing the 2. The problem that you have right now is that the dog is not interested in cold/warm game - but that is something that is built through play and retrieve training. What you need to do if you want him to take an interest in rabbits is walk him in an area where you are likely to make contacts and hope he bumps into one. Most dogs, regardless of hunting ability/breeding will want to sight chase a rabbit. Start there. Letting him get a sniff on the ones you shoot is good, maybe try to get him retrieving them. Pick the rabbit up and tease him with it and toss it a couple yards, encouraging him to pick it up and bring it back. Lots of praise and excitement. If he starts connecting the smell it will help him bump into one on your walks.
Cass
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Why on earth would one wish for a birddog to point or chase rabbits? I'll trash break my setter from chasing fur.
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Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Some people hunt everything. Hence "versatile" breeds. My dog hunts both fur and feather. Why on earth would one wish to limit their dog's potential?NEhomer wrote:Why on earth would one wish for a birddog to point or chase rabbits? I'll trash break my setter from chasing fur.
Cass
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart." - Rex Carr
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Because rabbits are nasty tasting little flea bags. My dog goes on point, I excitedly approach looking for the best angle for the shot when all of a sudden, a "bleep" key chain bursts from the bushes. No thanks, I had a britt that pointed rabbits and it was annoying. If I wanted fur, I'd have bought a beagle.CDN_Cocker wrote:Some people hunt everything. Hence "versatile" breeds. My dog hunts both fur and feather. Why on earth would one wish to limit their dog's potential?NEhomer wrote:Why on earth would one wish for a birddog to point or chase rabbits? I'll trash break my setter from chasing fur.
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Some obviously are missing out on this underrated little gemNEhomer wrote: Because rabbits are nasty tasting little flea bags.
http://urgegastropub.com/2011/06/22/the-underrated-gem/
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Yup, been missin' out on that little gem...
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
If wild rabbit isn't the best wild meat it surely ranks in the top two or three. Nice that everyone can hunt and shoot what they want and should be able to with out criticism.polmaise wrote:Some obviously are missing out on this underrated little gemNEhomer wrote: Because rabbits are nasty tasting little flea bags.
http://urgegastropub.com/2011/06/22/the-underrated-gem/
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207
It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!
Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.
Re: increasing prey drive in puppy
Cotton tails rank pretty high, Snowshoes and Jack Rabbits not so much..................Cjezzy333 wrote:If wild rabbit isn't the best wild meat it surely ranks in the top two or three. Nice that everyone can hunt and shoot what they want and should be able to with out criticism.polmaise wrote:Some obviously are missing out on this underrated little gemNEhomer wrote: Because rabbits are nasty tasting little flea bags.
http://urgegastropub.com/2011/06/22/the-underrated-gem/