Dog "Psychology"

Not just a dream Ann!  SchH folk do this ALL the time.  Nikon's "prey" noise is when I make a "pssshht" sound.  I use this sound when doing prey drive building as a puppy, and it becomes built in.  Now, I don't have to actually do prey work to get him all worked up or even have a prey object/toy around, I just start making that sound and act excited myself and he gets amped.

He also has a TON of ball/toy drive which stems from prey drive.  About a year ago, I started saying "where's your ball?" excitedly before delivering the reward.  Now when he starts to get flat or needs more drive I just gasp and say "where's your ball?" in an excited whisper.

Yes that is what I am talking about. Probably too late in Belle's career to change. However I have a young one that I don't want to lose her drive. It is definitely up there. LOL

I guess I just have to hope someone does something dumb at the side of the ring when I am waiting to go in with Belle (a distraction) that gets her going. Doubt it would upset me Belle will still run with me. 

Maxs Mom

Sort of..... Belle is a thinking dog. No this is not a bad behavior on ANY plane, but sometimes it would be better if she just 'does'. 

For instance agility. She is very methodical, velcro, never puts a foot wrong, enjoys herself but never cuts loose. About a year ago, we realized if I ran "with" her from the start line, rather than do lead outs, she didn't have as much time to think or gear down. Since I have noticed it starts outside the ring, and I am making her leap in the air, chase treats, all and all be goofy, until we walk in the ring, then I do not stop her until I take her leash off. I realize today, at that moment I may be stopping too long. Then we take off and run the course. This has worked, however....

Last night we were in class. Belle doesn't particularly care for class, the repetition bores her. So usually by the end of class I feel like I am dragging her around the ring. During one run last night, the obedience area was doing a proofing exercise. They had a mechanical toy barking dog, strange noise. It got Belle UP!!!! She went straight into prey drive. Being fast on my toes, I quickly grabbed her and ran the exercise again, while she was in this mind set. Sure she was distracted but she was RUNNING! She was fast, jumped great and weaved like a maniac! The dog I DREAM of having in the ring. Now I whole heartedly think if that was out again another run, she would have returned to "usual Belle". It surprised her and I LOVED IT! 

So now I want to figure out, how can I get my dog to shift into prey drive? Really with Belle it does not happen often. Lure coursing does it, critters running, the thought lure might be in play (generators, lure lines etc) and sometimes other black labs. Has anyone ever successfully done something that puts their dog in to prey drive? I would love to try to come up with a signal, smell something that would do it for her that I can do at the in gate of a trial so I can get her in running mode.  Is it just a dream?

Yep, Labs are great because they work easily in a couple of modes, you just have to show them what you want. Cadbury on my signature list was a chocolate lab, a very special dog . My poodles do learn easier, but i will get another Lab, i just love them!

I think that it is hard to distinguish between prey and play drive and to be honest either will get you what you want. Labs are one of the easiest dogs in creation to get into this mode. These ways of rewarding them will get it , Tossing food rather than delivering it, using retireve games rather than food as a reward, playing tugg as a reward. One way of knowing that you might have the mode is that you get a pronounced and very happy strut in heeling rather than a mere amble along.

Be aware that food is a slight sedative and that a long history of delivered food rewarding does give you what you want but at a slow pace.

 I have to work my poodles in play or prey mode. The food drive isn't there,and the chances of getting it are slim. By careful association they see a starting post and snap into play mode. Both wimper a bit and can't wait to go. Cadbury was the same. Cadbury took out a couple of starting posts in tracking trials becasue they were in the way and he was so driven he didn't see them.

One key is to see your dog as what they are, very fast dogs that are clever enough not to expend an once of unneeded energy unless there is a good reason to. Work fast around them and ask for fast work. IN heeling you really need to be brisk, probably faster than just about any other breed.