Kim_MacMillan
Posted : 2/3/2010 6:57:34 PM
Predatory drift, in terms of dogs, is basically when one dog stops seeing another dog as a "dog" and sees it as "prey" to be hunted and killed. It's totally different from aggression, as it is actually predation (and science does differentiate completely between them). It's usually seen when dogs are active or aroused, and basically the "predator" dog sees they "prey" dog running which stimulates the motivation to chase and catch, and the "prey" looks more like a fleeing animal than the dog that it actually is.
It also generally happens with dogs that have a significant size difference - generally it is said that the smaller dog is 50% smaller than the larger dog, which is why the smaller dog looks like "prey". It is rare to see a smaller dog become predatory to a larger dog, and it can happen within any breed (although some types of dogs, like terriers, may have a higher risk).
It's very hard, if not impossible to permanently modify in a dog, because it is very basic and instinctual, and it can happen even with dogs that have lived together, or been pals, for many years, and it generally happens very quickly - with no real signs.
That's about it in a nutshell.