A brief look at prey drive

Some dog topics are sweet and fun. Some are more serious, acknowledging that no matter how much we have changed dogs, they are still animals, and even predators. I've talked about pack drive and the social order in other essays, but today I'm going to offer some thoughts and experiences with prey drive.

Prey drive is a part of living with dogs. Almost all of them have it, to some degree. Cute and innocuous things like grabbing and shaking a toy, perking up when a squeaker is squeaked, and chasing a flirt pole or ball are all a part of the prey drive sequence. We channel prey drive in many ways to create a good working dog. UNDERSTANDING the prey drive, is what makes it useful rather than unsafe.

If you're reading this, you're probably wondering whether your dog's prey drive is something to worry about, what it looks like, how to manage it, and whether he will kill your cat (or chickens, or parakeet). Let's start with what prey drive looks like in dogs; it may not be what you'd expect!
Most people worry when their dog is barking, growling, or putting on an aggressive show towards other animals. However, in most cases that has more to do with fear, trying to make the other animal give them space and stay away. (An exception is the high pitched shrieking or crying some dogs do when they see something they want, but are being held back by the leash. Watch this dog closely, because excitement is the enemy of getting along peacefully...and more often than not, he will pounce on the target if you let him.) Predators on the hunt, in general, are quiet, intense, and very still. They show great interest, but move slowly or not at all...and they fixate (stare) at the target. Fixation is another huge red flag that your smaller animal is in danger. Dogs on the hunt look HAPPY, not angry. Hunting is FUN! It's the kind of dopamine boost you likely get from your favorite hobby or social interaction...and it's addictive. Once the rewarding feelings start coming, they want to do it again. They don't growl and show their teeth, because they're not angry or afraid. (A growling dog may still kill your cat or small dog, but that would be coming from a place other than predation.)

I used to have some exceptional photo examples of both good and worrying body language towards cats, but their hosting sites are long gone. I'll add more if and when I find some. In the meantime, be aware that relaxed body language and attention towards the owner is a good thing, and tense, focused interest and excitement (such as a high, fast-wagging tail) are likely to be a problem.

So, what to do when your dog thinks that his housemates are prey? First off, if you have a high prey drive dog, or a high-risk breed such as a husky or "bully breed" -- never leave them alone unattended with smaller pets, including cats and toy breed dogs. High quality crates are your friend. (A closed door may not be enough to deter a motivated dog, and a baby gate is definitely not enough.) Many dogs will eventually graduate to sharing the house together, but with some, there's always a higher than acceptable risk. Supervision is the key; being able to intervene at the first signs of inappropriate behaviour is critical to success. Prey drive is most often triggered by the smaller pet running (fast movement), or by a high pitched noise (such as when an animal gets excited or injured). Even play can sometimes shift to predation, if a highly prey driven dog (or another dog in the household) accidentally hurts the smaller one, and the little one starts yelping. Excitement expressed by another pet or triggered by something happening outside your window, can also be contagious to the prey-driven dog and he may redirect that excitement onto the "prey". You need to be there to stop things like this immediately; otherwise you can easily come home to a dead pet. This happens so often that it's hard to even think about...don't let it happen to you. If you know one of your dogs has very high hunting drive or excitement aggression, separate the pets when you leave.

Prey drive can be amplified when dogs are in a group, especially if they're roaming free outdoors. Many attacks on humans have been the result of free ranging dogs in groups...who probably would not have hurt someone if they were alone. It brings out the worst in them because again, excitement is contagious...and they feel more confident, and more likely to be successful, when they have "backup". Keeping dogs in groups can dramatically increase the odds that they will go after something they consider prey.

There are lots of ways to improve your chances of getting dogs and cats to coexist safely. For starters, make sure they know they are the same "pack". For many dogs, this alone will change their perception. Pet both animals where the other can see. Give them treats near each other (but not so close they can compete!) Brush them with the same brush. Reward the dog lavishly for every instance of ignoring the cat. I teach dogs that cats are "Mine" ...cats are not a toy, no touching or chasing or playing allowed. Yes, lower prey drive dogs can be best friends with cats, and will cuddle and play with them...but that's not YOUR dog, is it? I've found the no-contact rule to be best. I also correct the dog for any predatory actions towards the cat. Whatever method you use to teach the dog that things are completely unacceptable is fine, but remember that this is high stakes, so you don't want nagging requests: chasing, staring at, and stalking the cat are a hard NO. Don't let them fixate on "prey". You also want to correct them BEFORE they escalate: at the point they first start considering the idea to chase or harass the cat, not once the decision has already been made! It's much, much harder to stop a prey sequence that's already in motion. Also, be sure to reward the dog for every attempt to look away from the cat. You want to be very clear about what you *do* want, how you expect him to behave in this situation. Train (and enforce) obedience in the cat's presence, so the dog learns that life goes on even with a cat around. Good impulse control is also a must! Your goal is for the dog to be able to function normally near a cat, without excitement or interest.

Keep the dog on leash during training, or keep him crated if the cat is loose so he can acclimate to its smell and movement without chasing. Again, even when crated, don't let him fixate on the cat, or dig and scream at the crate panels. Some people will take turns crating the cat and dog so they can exchange smells. Just be careful to keep the dog from grabbing parts of the cat through the crate openings! Putting a towel that smells like the cat into the dog's crate can be helpful. So can letting the dog smell all around a room that previously had the cat in it. Smell is a dog's primary sense and you want him to think that cat-smell is no big deal. If you are picking up the cat in front of the dog, don't create a situation where the cat freaks out and kicks off from you to run away. That will set you way back! The energy of a scared or excited cat is much harder to resist than a calm, confident cat.

Be aware that some dogs will still kill a stray or "intruder" animal outdoors, or even YOUR cat outdoors... but will learn to leave your cat alone in the house. Outdoors is more stimulating and both animals are more likely to get excited. Dogs also don't generalize well, and "your cat inside" vs "your cat outside" may not be viewed as the same thing. Also, if your dog has learned to accept your cat and you bring home a kitten, be aware that the kitten is at much higher risk. Kittens zip around, climb things, run right past the dog, tumble around with toys, and so on, which may be irresistible to the dog's instincts.

Training, good leadership (so the dog respects your decisions and accepts when you say things are off-limits), well developed impulse control, and diligent supervision go a long way. Just remember that there's no substitute for good fences, leashes, and even secondary perimeter or "airlock" fencing if your dog is a flight risk! Never trust your prey driven dog to make the right decision. You're fighting strong instincts here and you should always set him up to succeed.

An essay on predation would not be complete without addressing the occasional risk that some few dogs pose to humans. It's rare, and the handful of dogs who will do it should be selected out of the population when the first signs appear -- but some people refuse to do that, and we have a certain number of human fatalities every year. Children are particularly at risk, although the modern lines of bully breeds have seen an increase in what's being called "impulsive aggression" or "excitement aggression", and some will take down a healthy and non-threatening adult, solely for the sport of it. Those rare few dogs in particular have a trademark of refusing to break off the attack until they are killed or badly injured themselves. (*While it's not unheard of for other breeds to refuse to be called off prey, a human-oriented biddable breed without an insane prey drive is not going to break that equation...especially when attacking a human being. If you can't get the dog off the victim, you have either a highly independent dog who doesn't care what you think (and hasn't been trained to a high enough level)...or a dog with over-the-top extreme prey drive that shuts out everything going on around them. Most bullies are biddable, but the prey drive in some lines can be through the roof. Add in a lack of caring about humans as social group members, and/or responding to them submissively, and it becomes a recipe for disaster.) The usual precautions --don't run or scream, lean INTO the bite instead of pulling away, cut off the dog's air supply to end the attack-- may still help, but by far the safest course is to have dogs with severe warning signs professionally evaluated, and if necessary euthanise them *before* they have a chance to attack.

Getting some in-person advice from a good trainer experienced with prey drive is always a fantastic idea, when working with high prey drive dogs. :-) Most can make significant improvements, and share the household with smaller pets under supervision. However, genetics are a very powerful thing. Some dogs will never be able to live safely with anything they consider "prey", despite your best efforts...and sometimes the wise thing to do is to either rehome one, or commit to keeping them separate. Hopefully this gives some food for thought about your dog, and your very individual situation!