Defense.... In terms I can understand......: ) - Page 3

Everything is relative in relation to what your talking about...Neither a Highly Defensive nor a Highly Prey Drive dog is good...You need Balance to be a good dog...
The goal for a dog is to be Balanced...This means a good amount of Defense and a good amount of Prey Drive...
A totally Defensive dog is good for almost nothing...They're a determent to almost any indever...

A person that's Defensive...as we take it...would be something that we don't necessarily want...But once again to be Balanced you need a bit of everything...Everything must be in Balance and this should mean a GOOD amount of Defense (self preservation) and a GOOD amount of Prey drives...
We as people...an/or animals...have the same drives as anyother animals...If we were left on our own we would have a desire to seach out food and chase it down if need be...Like Hunters do...
And we would use Defensive drive more if we were left in the wild and needed to protect/defend ourselves...

We now separate "Being Defensive" as used in the context of Humans...and that as used in the Animal World as both meaning different things...But basically we're talking about the same thing...

Drives are what make Humans and/or Dogs and their temperaments...There are many desireable traits from both Defense and Prey...but there are also many undesireable traits from the same...
Too much Defense can cause traits such as Civilness...Fear Aggression...and a dog that's always on the edge...
Ruger1...Since you'd asked to have these drives explained in simple terms that everyone can understand...You have to give very basic...general descriptions of them...If you get into the make up of each drive you're getting into areas which aren't simply put or explained...You must see them to understand some of the small differences...
Helmust Raiser's book is a very good book but I think if you go into it with knowing nothing about dogs temperaments...you'd have a difficult time undertstanding all that he says...
To read it I think you should have a basic understanding of the basic drives in a dog and what they're used for and how they affect a dog...

      Thanks lots of good posts..Thinking ,,Thinking,,Thinking,,,

              Bob,,,you said.......""Too much Defense can cause traits such as Civilness...Fear Aggression...and a dog that's always on the edge..."""""


           Civilness is another strange term..I read a very good thread on it...But it was a little deep for me....but interesting otherwise...

      Civilness means aggressive/defensive with humans....?? Yes...???

      Deanna...: )

OH BOY!  Like a hamster on a wheel.

Deanna, read the link given for Armin's articles

Don....
       hamster on a wheel...LOL..that is a funny visual..LOL...I have to get off  the PDB and get something accomplished today.....However, I will read Armin's article when I come in....

                      Thank you...  Deanna...: )

Gsdshow,
                     In the whole country I would rate Les in the top 5,
for knowledge, police background, versatility and good Sportsmanship.
They don't make many as good as Les. You are very, very fortunate.
Olympia is very  beautiful to...Nice place to be a dog person.

Les has won and placed in major sports dog events.

R1,
          Here is a good illustration....I am not teasing.

Who is in prey drive and who is in defence drive.

The calvary and the Indians....This also is good to explain
to new and or young members....both sides are fighting.
One side has something the other won't give up. Say ether
side could just leave. One is the aggressor and the other is
the defender.....But both look the same.....a little more to it
than just chasing a ball. Both can be very serious.

Not sure here but maybe the calvary should start to pray cause the Indians are coming over defence.  LOL

        SP,,,they don't makin quicker or wittier than you.....LOL....love ya..

              Sorry Max...LOL....

                               Deanna..: )