Does your dog go deaf when he catches a scent? Do you see his tail disappear into the woods at the sight of a deer? Are you getting dragged into the bushes by the barky end of the lead at the sight of a squirrel? Does your dog lack focus out on walks? Does your dog have good recall but not out in challenging environments?
I love working with my High drive Crazies - but they need a job to do or they will go off and make their own! Living in our human world as pet dogs the only hunting they do is for a pair of slippers. Doing that job together helps strengthen your bond.
As IMDT trainer Steve Mann said - 'If your dog likes hanging out with you, 90% of your problems are gone'
One of the methods I love steps away from suppressing natural predatory behaviour which dogs find punishing and looks at using the PMP to provide need related outlets to as a motivator and substitute parts of the PMP that we don't want them to do with a safe alternative.
Dogs with a high prey drive benefit from an approach I studied with Simone Mueller's - Call off the chase - see her picture explaining the PMP of a Lab. It helps to understand your dogs behaviour when you look at what they were bred to do.
There are various protocols to help with recall and loose lead walking. I also use some of the principles to reduce behaviour problems in dogs showing signs of frustration, boredom and hyperarousal.
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