Prey drive indications? - Page 3

 I would never want someone elses faulty training or a 1 yr old I had not had my hands on since 8weeks old.

I have seen the problems with that and never again would I try it.   Siggi vom Sasko was my heartbreak.

Yr

Based on Yellowrose's description, none of Rose's puppies have high prey drive. This is perfectly fine with me, but it does make it harder not to want to keep all of them. Thank you everyone for your help in defining what this means.

yellowrose you have to trust the vendor/breeder

the pups must like to chase things rags , ball anything if it chases anything many of them has high prey drive

some dogs it comes later in life the new pup I bought has tons of prey he chases anything and if nothing to chase he stands like a border collie starring at a leaf or something

On the other side of the coin, our GSD Deuce did not start out as a high prey drive puppy. He was whelped here and very rarely
would take interest in a rag but loved searching for his kong. We started him in Schutzhund at 14 months old and donated him
to a PD this past March at 22 months old. His prey drive kicked in at around 6 months old, but before that hubby was convinced
Deuce was a flop. He was actually the BEST dog I have ever had the pleasure of working and owning and his handler has also
said the same. Deuce's sister, who started out as an extreme prey monster stayed that way and was also recently donated to a
PD as a dual purpose K9. I love a bitch on patrol!

Usually though, you can identify those puppies that will be very driven at a considerably young age.

Melissa

Lol...never thought About it that way,Melissa, but I agree.... Gotta love a bitch on patrol. Actually I bred Rose's pups with the intent of low prey drive. The intent is a calm dog, fit as a service dog which requires a docil dog. I understand that I will be very luck if 2 of the 9 pups are fit for service dogs. Just trying to get an idea on what to look at in the others to insure a good fit for their new family. Some of the puppies kind of chase their toys. They are really more interested in getting my attention. There is a couple that like to play more than the others but nothing I would call a high prey drive like described.

 Trusting the Vendor/Breeder is required if you know them

 I have 6 I would trust but they do not advertise dogs at that age so I am safe.

  MOST  john doe public knows nothing about   WHO to TRUST

  THEY find an ad on EBAY like the one on another thread......and come to discover a white shepherd stuck inside a FAKE pedigree... lol

  SOME  do ask and find mentors but I am speaking of the General PUBLIC..

  fawn:

   you MUST ENTICE the pups..you will never know if they have prey drive if you do not do the work...

   they may have medium prey drive...that is ok....they may have food drive and that is super...easier to train

  and they may have both....but you must keep taking them HIGHER AND HIGHER on your checking them out...try all kinds of things....if they are after your attention....you must change the attention to a rag,    a  rope with a toy,,....a ball on a long rope   etc....start  engaging the pups....either one or two at a time...

  UNless you introduce a pup to new things and give the pup a chance everyday to experience new things   you will have  a pup that is just a pup.....also start making loud banging noises with a spoon on a pan when you enter the room....big noise...

Put some kibble dry in a coffee can lid on...roll past them,   blow a whistle at a small distance...watch the reaction.....turn on a power tool   at a slight distance moving it nearer only at a small increase but not at them....go past them never at them....pound on walls of the birthing box...see what they do.......put a dead tree branch on a string and pull past them...see what the noise reaction is .....lay a tarp on ground....entice them to walk on it....see who does and who doesnt...you have to tease them into the tarp with a rag  or a piece of meat or some such...see who goes with no problem and who shys away......should be interesting..

clap hands away from them....watch who comes first..I do lots of hand clapping...the ones who come immediately   REWARD  with a tiny treat......small milk bones from tractor supply are great.
A piece of cheddar plain cheese..the real cheese not Kraft singles..they are plastic.!!!!

..never do noises at them...do it at a distance and move in slowly...above heads...not at them....walk away and watch all their reactions.

YOU are not done yet....tune in for more ....

lol
YR

Lol... Thanks Yellowrose. I might have misunderstood what you told me before. I will try more enticement.. As for noise, all are doing well with little hesitation. They got exposed to the garden tractor this weekend outside their window. A couple raised their head; most slept through it. I have been doing music for a couple of weeks now and other animal noises in their room last week. The reaction to horses is very funny. You would think 2 of the pups are ready to take the horse down. The wolf sound still sends them running to mom. I will go a bit slower on that this week. I am waiting until this week for the loud banging sound; I am also going to start the TV sounds this week.. Desensitizing I can do. That is the first primary training for a service dog. They have started on other surfaces; that started as soon as they left the welping box. I am waiting until at least 5 weeks before taking them outside beyond the deck. They get a weekly bath that started at 3 weeks. All do fair with this. Three of them did well on Sunday, even in the colder water. The girls really showed up the boys on this. Now that they are 4 weeks, they are getting more vists by the rest of the family. No public / non family vists until they are 6 weeks.

You can also do gunfire (with a starter pistol and blanks) while they are eating. Always associate with positive things and
obviously not right next to them. My puppies move outside at around 4 weeks old, and I start this just as soon as they're
out.

There is nothing wrong with letting them follow Rose around outside and let them investigate, pounce, play chase to their
heart's desire. I usually let puppies out with a motherly bitch that is not their mom for some interaction without the whole
nursing thing at the top of their mind.

I throw toys of all shapes and sizes, give them milk crates to explore, rope toys, stuffed toys (until they figure out how to
rip the little suckers apart) put stuff for them to climb over, under around and through like a puppy obstacle course.

Puppies are incredibly fun! Be creative!

Melissa

Lol. Yes the puppies are so much fun. It is going to be so hard not to keep them all. I live in the country, with all sorts of wildlife and outdoor barn cats. Is it still wise to let the puppies outdoors now? I think they would enjoy it, but ..... Being a parent / grandparent / responsible owner may dictate other wise.