GSD- prey drive

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by jeysalim on 21 July 2009 - 02:07

Hi,

I am new to GSD and I have a 6 month old german shepherd puppy, Coby who has started with some obedience training.
Coby has started training with a trainer who suggested that we should train him with sausages and everything went well....
But coby starts to show problems when the trainer tries to get his attention with tennis ball and other toys.....
He would focus his attention on balls and toys but not overly obsessed with them...
I have tried towels and other toys, he would sometimes chase and bite....but he is not chasing them down like "mad" compared to other dogs like Belgian Malinois.

For now, I am worried that my puppy has low drive and this is what his trainer has been commented so far. Trainer (who favors more towards Malinois) said that this puppy will encounter problems in his future training....
With food, he is fine......

What's his problem? and how could we increase his prey drive? Is this normal for GSD?
I hope you could share some of your views on my puppy.

Thank you so much.....

by GSDguy08 on 21 July 2009 - 03:07

For starters every dog only has a certain amount of prey drive, and you can't build it past a certain point. I take it you did no drive building when you first got him? And obedience started before drive building? What lines is your dog out of? Belg Malinois are good dogs, but a lot of trainers I know who like them better are so ego happy about them and they're convinced all GSD's are crap.....at least the ones I know.... My advice, in training, use what works, if food works use it. What is he trying to distract him from? Are you training him for Schutzhund or what? Honestly though, I'd prefer a different trainer..

by von sprengkraft on 21 July 2009 - 04:07

I also would have built drive prior to obedience. I do obedience with my puppy, but he doesn't know we are doing obedience. He is just having fun. My dogs have a ton of ball/play drive, but do not show it as young pups. I tell my puppy buyers to just keep playing ball and be careful what you wish for. If you are quitting without the puppy showing drive, that is your first mistake. He has to play the game you want him to play. You have to figure out his buttons. You may have to poke him, pinch him slightly, etc. Make it easier to play with you than to be aggravated by you. If you make what you want easy and what you don't want...difficult. They will pick the easy way out every time. You wouldn't let him run from you when called, or not sit or down...so don't let him get away with not playing...be it with the ball, prey game...whatever. You make the rules.

You might also try a flirt pole ( or horse whip...is my preference.) with a burlap on the end or a ball on a rope attached. Don't go too fast. You have to let him catch it and win. When he tugs...give him slack. Then start asking a little more each time.
Also, most people tell young dogs "out" so young...they just won't bite things. You can teach them all to "out" later...get them to make drive and tug and possess first. Forget that "out" s**t!! You can make them all out...you can't make them all bite.
Debbie

by SitasMom on 21 July 2009 - 10:07

Hero was low drive until about 3 or 4 weeks ago and all of a sudden his drives went crazy! He will be 10 months next week.

by poseidon on 21 July 2009 - 10:07

Hi jeysalim,
Play ball like Debbie suggest. Make the chasing fun for the puppy and also the ball/ toy whatever you have in your hands interesting and worth chasing for. Keep the play short and sweet. Remember not to over exhaust the play. Put away your balls and toys and end the little game with lots of treats. Bring them out again when the puppy is fully rested and have another short session perhaps different places or terrain. Sometimes I do a little seek games too to keep it interesting. Remember lots of praise.

by jeysalim on 21 July 2009 - 18:07

I did build his prey drive together with obedience....because I didn't know anything about prey drive until I got my pup this trainer..... Obedience training is showing improvement but with food. I've started crating him last week and whenever I got home from work, I would play ball with him..... It's showing interest more than before.... but only for a short 10 mins and he wouldn't care about it. Does every GSD pup need prey drive building?

by oso on 21 July 2009 - 19:07

Many of them have lots of prey drive from a very young age, showlines included, its one thing we look for when choosing....however, it is possible to build drive, especially in one like yours that obviously has a certain amount already (some show no interest whatsoever in any toys, then its really hard). I have seen a lot of negative coments about Leerburg here, but their video on building focus, drive and grip is really quite helpful and the methods work well. Also for pups with little drive tying a toy on the end af a rope or lead and moving it around quickly on the ground can stimulate them into chasing the toy - you must let them catch they toy quite often though, otherwise they can get bored. You can do the obedience training with food, no problem, but for biting the sleeeve its much better that they learn in prey drive rather than aggression.

by poseidon on 21 July 2009 - 19:07

Hi jeysalim,
Prey drive is essential to advance in a game which encompasses many aspect including obedience & agility. What you are doing with food is a small element to building drives but whether it will sustain in a game is another issue. Food is a good way to shape a behaviour but you will need more for the puppy to strive and maintain its drive to win the game (so to speak) i.e reward for the ball/tug/ toy. Try to end the game for ball play before the puppy gives up on its own accord. This in itself will keep the puppy interested in your toy.

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