Choosing the right dog: chicken chaser...Video of the Day

Video of the Day:

Choosing the right dog for your needs.

Today we are looking for a dog to chase away chickens, but not go after a cat.

I have a new client looking to adopt a dog.  She is looking to get a dog that will chase the feral chickens and roosters off her property, but not go after her cat.  For this, we will be looking for a dog with a good prey drive.  We use a feather duster to see what dogs might be a good potential fit for the client's needs.  After finding a few potential candidates, we talk with the Maui Humane Society staff to see what they know about these dogs.  One dog in particular likes to chase chickens on their morning walks.  This could be the right dog for the client.  We meet with the dog in a private area, then have the staff do a "cat test."  The dog reacts well to the cat.  He is interested but does not seem to want to chase the cat.  This is a good sign.  The client and I then sit down to discuss her options and what she thinks she might want to do.
It turns out that the client has a few upcoming commitments that would maybe make now not the right time to adopt.  She decided that it would be best to wait a few weeks and prepare a little more and try again when the time is more right for her.

When considering adopting a new family member into your household, it is important to everything into consideration.  What kind of pet would fit best into your lifestyle.  If you are someone who is very active and goes running every day, a dog that is high or very high energy would be a good choice.  If you are someone who likes to stay home and hang out, a low to medium energy dog might be the best choice.  When considering adopting a new dog, it is important to do your research.  What kind of breed types might be good for you and your family's needs.  These are important things to consider.  It is also important to note that just because you go the Humane Society or shelter, does not mean you need to find a pet that day.  Perhaps the perfect new pet is not there today.  Never rush into making the decision.  It should feel right, the timing must be good, and you should feel a connection with that animal.

Related blog articles:
What kind of dog should I get?
Canine body posture
Do I have time for a dog?
Dog behavior drives
Traits that impact training

Dog Behavior Drives

The instincts that make dogs act in the way they do are Behavior Drives.  Good training will manipulate each dog's drives to get the desired results.  Most anything a dog does can to attributed to one of these behavior drives.  Always consider your dog's behavior drives in training.

Sociability Drive.

This drive refers to a dog's natural friendliness and desire for companionship with other dogs and humans.  A dog's sociability drive falls into one of the following categories:
1)  Overly Social
2)  Neutral
3)  Unsociable
As I have noted many times throughout this blog, properly socializing your dog is vitally important to raising a well-balanced, well-behaved pet.  Depending on your dog's natural sociability drive, you can may have to take extra time and care in socialization exercises.  Dog's should always seem relaxed during socialization and allowed to move forward at their own pace.

Food Drive.
This drive refers to a dog's willingness to take food in exchange for performing a known behavior.  A dog with a high food drive is generally easier to train.  Positive reinforcement training uses food lures and food rewards.




Prey Drive.

This drive is defined as a dog's eagerness to chase small animals or objects, or to play tug of war.  Dogs with a high prey drive may be offered a toy as a reward during training instead of food.  When training using a dog's high prey drive, use his favorite toy only during training sessions and then put it away where the dog cannot get to it.  This will keep the favorite toy's value very high for training.

Play Drive.
This is a dog's desire to play with people or other dogs.  Although this drive can be used in training, it is generally too distracting to use as a regular reward.

Defense Drive.
This is a dog's desire to protect himself, his owner, or his territory.  This drive will often surface when using harsh training methods, and typically will manifest as aggression.  You must always be aware of your body posture and movement when dealing with a dog with a high defense drive.  The best training option for a dog with a high defense drive is an operant conditioning program.