Hi, I have a 1.5yr old rat terrier named Bax that I got in September. He had a bit of a rough start growing up but I've slowly earned his trust and he's earned mine. This increase in trust has allowed me to finally let him off leash for the first time. He loves to run, has a ton of energy, and I'm blessed to live on a 10 acre farm. I thought it would be perfect. I was wrong. We also have chickens that are free range and Bax LOVES to chase them. He'll chase anything, off like a shot. I knew he had a high prey drive but I've never seen him move like this going after the chickens. I successfully recalled him off the chicken twice in a row but every time he'd just go right back. The third time he ignored my recall and chased the chicken some distance before I was finally able to recall him back and take him inside.
It doesn't appear that he wants to actually catch and bite, or kill, the chicken. He just seems to enjoy chasing it.
(Other animals he's gone after: lunged at a guinea pig in my sisters arms (I'm decently sure he did want to bite that), chased cats while outside(just chasing, no biting or growling, when cats are stationary they just play), and he'll infinity run in circles inside our house chasing my sisters Chihuahua(it's obvious both are playing, no aggression there))
When he's on leash he will still lunge after cats and chickens but I can calm him down when he's on leash because he's close to me.
My question is this, is it possible to train him to ignore the cats and chickens? Even when they are moving and running?
Additional notes: I am not the owner of the farm and the chickens are beyond my control. The chickens are let out of their coop before I get up and locked up after dark, it would not be possible for me to keep them contained so Bax could run free.
Prey Drive Question
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Prey Drive Question
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Re: Prey Drive Question
Hi and welcome. I keep, work and am used to a variety of high prey drive dogs.
It IS possible to stop your dog chasing, but to succeed you must always realise that to chase and kill (and yes, he WILL kill) is the most wonderful thing to him. He is not bad or naughty but a normal dog. All dogs are predators, some very much so, and terriers are in the big league.
So he must meet these creatures while he is on a harness and long line, and at a suitable distance where he does not try to go after them. Because he has now tasted the thrill of chasing, this may be quite some distance.
Do not use the word 'No' because this word is over-used with people, and to dogs it just becomes a background sound. You must find a word that you find easy to say and that will not be used in any other context.
Walk past the critturs, use your word, and give him plenty of high-value treats as soon as he looks away from them to you. Keep him on a short leash at first. When he can pass and re-pass without lunging, let out the line a little. If he lunges, go back to the previous length and distance and end on a good note. This will take a lot of short lessons. 5 minutes is plenty.
He may never be able to resist these critturs on his own without you, so he must never be put in a position where he has to.
Meantime fulfil his prey urges by letting him chase a furry toy on a flirt pole, and look at our pinned thread Exercise the Mind for a ton of fun things you can do with him that will tire him out mentally. Look at some of Bendog's posts for things you can do with terriers.
Others will be along with more advice but I'd better stop here before I write a book
It IS possible to stop your dog chasing, but to succeed you must always realise that to chase and kill (and yes, he WILL kill) is the most wonderful thing to him. He is not bad or naughty but a normal dog. All dogs are predators, some very much so, and terriers are in the big league.
So he must meet these creatures while he is on a harness and long line, and at a suitable distance where he does not try to go after them. Because he has now tasted the thrill of chasing, this may be quite some distance.
Do not use the word 'No' because this word is over-used with people, and to dogs it just becomes a background sound. You must find a word that you find easy to say and that will not be used in any other context.
Walk past the critturs, use your word, and give him plenty of high-value treats as soon as he looks away from them to you. Keep him on a short leash at first. When he can pass and re-pass without lunging, let out the line a little. If he lunges, go back to the previous length and distance and end on a good note. This will take a lot of short lessons. 5 minutes is plenty.
He may never be able to resist these critturs on his own without you, so he must never be put in a position where he has to.
Meantime fulfil his prey urges by letting him chase a furry toy on a flirt pole, and look at our pinned thread Exercise the Mind for a ton of fun things you can do with him that will tire him out mentally. Look at some of Bendog's posts for things you can do with terriers.
Others will be along with more advice but I'd better stop here before I write a book
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Prey Drive Question
Thanks for the advice, I took him repeatedly past the chickens on a short leash and he seems to be fine with them. The moment they startled though and started to run he kicked into high gear. I don't want to have to repeatedly startle the chickens into a panic to train him. Any recommendations for a dog that only chases when they run?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Re: Prey Drive Question
Give him something else to do when they run. For instance, to sit and keep the sit steady, and be rewarded. Gundogs are taught to sit to flush, and so can terriers be. 
I agree you can't spend your time chasing chickens but as you progress from short lead to long lead, they will scuttle and flutter and your dog should sit and be rewarded.
I agree you can't spend your time chasing chickens but as you progress from short lead to long lead, they will scuttle and flutter and your dog should sit and be rewarded.A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Prey Drive Question
Excellent point about the gun dogs. I'll have to try it out!
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Re: Prey Drive Question
no, please write the book. it is so rare to have someone who actually understands hunting behavior in dogs and has worked and trained it/around etc.Nettle wrote:Others will be along with more advice but I'd better stop here before I write a book
Re: Prey Drive Question
Chasing chickens or chasing rabbits it all seems to be the same as mentioned. What I found that worked with Khan on not chasing rabbits (when we are engaged in things like agility or flyball) was using the rabbits and the chase as a reward rather than using a short lead. I found with my dog no matter what I did or what treats I had, there was absolutely nothing as rewarding as the chase and hunt. I had nothing to compete with which present conflict for you and your dog.
So in order for him to stop chasing rabbits I had to chase rabbits as a reward. Mind you he was on tether and we were never going to ever catch one. In order to engage in the chase though he had to learn to give me the behavior I wanted. I began with eye contact, moved to a sit and today he sees a rabbit and he sits and waits eagerly hoping to the intermittently given reward to chase the bunny. His proof came one night in agility class when he scrambled up the a-frame and spied 5 rabbits sitting outside the open gate on the agility field. He came down and held his sit at the contact while another student went and shut the gate. This of course scattered the bunnies. Oh he so wanted to go chase but this time I asked him to run the opposite way to finish our course and he followed. Note this was all off-lead.
After we finished we leashed up and found a bunny to chase because he was such a great dog. We have gotten a little lax recently, but I know with renewed focus we can get back tot hat level again quickly and easily without creating a competition between listening to me or chasing the rabbit. If I compete I will lose but over time knowing that attention and focus for the things I want result in the occasional chase and pursuit help him to understand that this may not be the time but next time for sure is the winner (jackpot and we are off to the races)
So in order for him to stop chasing rabbits I had to chase rabbits as a reward. Mind you he was on tether and we were never going to ever catch one. In order to engage in the chase though he had to learn to give me the behavior I wanted. I began with eye contact, moved to a sit and today he sees a rabbit and he sits and waits eagerly hoping to the intermittently given reward to chase the bunny. His proof came one night in agility class when he scrambled up the a-frame and spied 5 rabbits sitting outside the open gate on the agility field. He came down and held his sit at the contact while another student went and shut the gate. This of course scattered the bunnies. Oh he so wanted to go chase but this time I asked him to run the opposite way to finish our course and he followed. Note this was all off-lead.
After we finished we leashed up and found a bunny to chase because he was such a great dog. We have gotten a little lax recently, but I know with renewed focus we can get back tot hat level again quickly and easily without creating a competition between listening to me or chasing the rabbit. If I compete I will lose but over time knowing that attention and focus for the things I want result in the occasional chase and pursuit help him to understand that this may not be the time but next time for sure is the winner (jackpot and we are off to the races)