# Prey drive or Pray Drive???



## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Right so if my pup is off lead he is a gonner if a bird flies by or a rabbit runs by or anything really. Gone to jump on a person, gone to jump on another dog. The whistle is ignored, my voice is ignored.

I just don't see how this is ever going to change. He is so easily distracted. I carry treats and I mean gooood treats (cheese, cut up sausage, venison jerky) but he doesn't care. I have resulted to the long line for most occations but hey a V wants to run! Mac is 9 months old soon 10 months. Will this ever end or is his prey drive going to continue to drive me to pray it will stop!!!!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

born36.

You have a very good Vizsla. If he ignores great treats because his "genes" are overpowering. There are Vizsla owners out there who want to compete in field trials, hunt tests, hunting, that ended up getting the vizsla that wouldn't hunt. :'( Maybe you can make a trade? 8)

If you haven't got a "how to train your gun dog" book yet, I would highly suggest it. Think of a child that has incredible talent at something. How far would you go to direct and enhance that talent?

Suggest also you find a professional trainer to evaluate your dog for field trials. Maybe some lessions. 

The other options might be the sport of tracking or agility.

He is of the age that he needs a job, be in school, and have a purpose. If not, you'll have a rebellious teenager in a few months. Nothing in life is free. He has to earn everything.

Do you have a copy of "Versatile Vizsla"? Not an inexpensive book, but the best book written IMO of the breed.

Don't stop the prey drive, direct it. You have a high octane racing machine with a V12 turbo charged engine not a 1.1 liter Fiat.

Good hunting!

RBD


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

He's right smack in the middle of a rebellious stage at that age.
You have to be more diligent than ever with enforcing all commands.

It's tough when they don't listen while off-lead, because they need the energy drained in order to listen but you don't feel confident letting them off because they don't listen!
We worked and worked and worked on recall. At home and outside.

There were good days and bad, but as long as you keep at it, in time they do get it. Keeping them tired is the hard part that makes the rest easy.


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks RBD I know he is an athlete and half. He amazes me greatly! We are starting a new wave of training with him on 3 March. We don't want to stop his drive just focus and control it. At the moment he is a wild stalion when we need a focused race horse!

I know it will take time. Looking forward to starting agility and running with him once he is a bit older but have been told to wait til 12 months. We will get there it is just tough at the moment when he is off the lead as he can literally go on and on if he is in the chase. Just don't want him to run outside a safe place.

You have inspired me to finally buy versitile Vizsla. I have been back and forth about it for ages.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Your dog sounds like a well bred hunting machine. The ones with such high prey drive can make you pull your hair out at times, but the end results are well worth it. They are easy to spot in the field. Even as pups they would rather hunt than play with the other puppies. Forget about enticing them to come to you unless you pull a bird out of your pocket. The trick is to train the dog without causing him to loose any of the drive.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I am always intrigued by these posts as I have little trouble with this sort of thing. Both my Vizslas and my GSP are very prey driven, Ozkar the eldest boy at 15 months being the most driven. So driven, he screams through the bush at a million miles and hour and comes out bleeding!!

However, I find that my dogs don't "Take Off" on me. They may chase a rabbit, or a roo or whatever, but once they lose it, they are straight back to me. When they first get on the scent, recalling is hard and it will be something which you will ALWAYS need to keep practising with pup. 

A great example was when my dogs got that Cockatoo. They were NOT coming back. But, once they got hold of it, they were straight back to me. Also, whenever they miss the bird, they are straight back. 

So I would just keep training, persevere and you will get there.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Sounds like Ozkar has plenty of drive. What I was referring to is the pup that is always hunting and will block out everything else including their owner when young. It doesn't matter it they find anything, they just keep searching. In a field they will ignore you completely. If birds fly they will chase them until their out of sight, then start hunting again. They can be frustrating but when you see them stop and lift their nose to the air, its a sight more beautiful that words.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

I feel your pain. 
Notice it too. Dog's hearing is fine but when he is in drive, everything is blocked out. Hears no sound and feels no pain. Now I give in and stop dialing the e collar up past 4 (moderate setting). I have been at 5, he won. My only option is to hoof it after the dog or wait it out. Train more afterward.
I really don't know what to do about the hearing loss but I read it's a good thing if he's hunting. 

Julius :-[


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

TexasRed said:


> Sounds like Ozkar has plenty of drive. What I was referring to is the pup that is always hunting and will block out everything else including their owner when young. It doesn't matter it they find anything, they just keep searching. In a field they will ignore you completely. If birds fly they will chase them until their out of sight, then start hunting again. They can be frustrating but when you see them stop and lift their nose to the air, its a sight more beautiful that words.


What... kinda like this??


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

PIKE is a alpha male-put him in a bird feild and all the other dogs' fade away-thats' the way it should be-bred 2 hunt-and hunt they will!


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

I have to say that yes Mac will always come back and I know this. If he is chasing a bird like you state Ozkar if he gets the bird or loses it he comes back but as Texas Red discribes he is off again looking for the next victim. There is nothing that will stop him and this is what I worry about. I just want to get to a place where he doesn't run off after every bird human or dog that we come across and that instead he will on command go and chase. So in other words great that he has the drive but I want to try and focus it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

datacan said:


> I feel your pain.
> Notice it too. Dog's hearing is fine but when he is in drive, everything is blocked out. Hears no sound and feels no pain. Now I give in and stop dialing the e collar up past 4 (moderate setting). I have been at 5, he won. My only option is to hoof it after the dog or wait it out. Train more afterward.
> I really don't know what to do about the hearing loss but I read it's a good thing if he's hunting.
> 
> Julius :-[


I would put the pup back on a check cord with the ecollar on and work on recall. It will help him learn to turn the pressure off without having to dial the number up so high. Yes, you may have to use a high number on some occasion's but remember to turn it back down. Try to set him up for success and avoid situations where he can run through the ecollar.


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