Drives when playing. - Page 1

When I take the hound for a walk we’ll sometimes have a 15 minute play fight over a stick. I’ll throw it for him & when he brings it back I’ll grab it and pull & push him about whilst he’s still holding it in his mouth.

I’ll start growling & make out I’m going to grab his legs & he’ll twist out of the way and start growling back – but not with serious intent mind. After a couple of minutes I’ll get him to leave it and then I’ll throw it again, he’ll come back & we’ll have a second round. All great fun but it didn’t take me long to realise that a good solid stick is required because if it breaks his second bite is fast & not very discriminating!!

Anyway, when I’m wheezing for breath & sweating profusely I’ll let him ‘win it’ & he’ll prance off with the stick in his mouth tossing his head back & looking well proud! If it’s a good stick he’ll even carry it back along the high street & all the way home.

So the question is, what are the drives the dog is using during both the game & especially when deciding to carry it home?

AandA

Pack drive. The same drive that is utilized for OB.

I thought pack drive is when you flip a coin to see who picks up the next sixer.

That is a good question.  During the game you are tapping into the prey/play, retrieve and fight drive.   

Have you ever watched an animal show?  Maybe one where the pack has caught it's prey?  After they get it and they have ripped the limbs apart, you will see others chasing the one for the prize.  It is genetically ingrained  for self-preservation.  Dogs that do not......will not.....

Up here our pack drive is stronger as we flip for two fours. {our case of beer}. Cost is more so losing is not an option.  As to the animal shows most people should try to catch a pack of wolves hunting. It is incredibly orchastrated with everyone having their jobs. Once the kill is made they eat in order of rank. However, if one has screwed up in the chase he will not get to eat. That is some correction as they will not hunt again for some days. Screw up again and starve to death. Pack drive encomposes many drives as you stated and it drove me crazy for a few years as to what drive this loaded dog beside me was in when doing Obedience. Wolf show helped me to think it through. Great topic. 

Thanks guys… & very interesting. Pack drive was not something I thought of but I’d certainly agree with Don that I’m also tapping into prey & fight drive.

As soon as I pick up the stick he’ll be there jumping around, trying to grab it & he’ll hammer off after it when it’s thrown. When he comes back he doesn’t just drop it at my feet like a lab. He’ll play hard to get for a bit, dancing around & I’ll pretend to chase and splay my arms in the classic I wanna play sign.

However when I do finally get a hold it gets pretty tough pretty quick & he’s certainly got some intent & strength! Although he never goes over the pack leader/master line I have noticed the longer we tussle & fight the more into the zone he gets… It does seem to really invigorate him.

So although pack drive may be defined as a desire to be involved with its pack it’s not much use unless it has the other drives to enable it to hunt, fight & interact with other pack members.

One last question, is the stick seen as food or just a case of "it's mine"?

AandA