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The doghouse

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Original poster

If your dog has a high prey drive are they ever off lead?

58 replies

Watercolours272 · 19/06/2021 10:51

Our dog is coming up for 2 years old. His prey drive kicked in around the same time as adolescence when recall went out the window so he's been on a long line since he was around 9 months old. His recall is now excellent (on the long line) and I would now be getting rid of it however, my gut feeling is that I can never trust him 100% when he gets the scent of something.

We live in the countryside, pheasants and lambs at every turn. We've encountered lambs that have escaped from fields in forests miles away from farm land.

We let him off the lead at the beach, which is an hours drive away and we visit around once a month. There's also a stream near to our home where I feel confident letting him off (he chases his ball).

I'm a bit disheartened that this is as good as it's going to get for him and I really hate the long line, it's muddy, it tangles, its just a pain in the arse. I actually think an extender lead might be better to give him more freedom without the chore of reeling the line in and out.

I'm just wondering how others manage their high prey drive dogs?

OP posts:
GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 19/06/2021 13:59

@cupsofcoffee, as I said, mine is usually fine - but the other day she gave chase, for the first time in a long time (I didn't have my eye on her, so while some of the blame goes to DH for not reinforcing training enough when he walks the dogs, some is mine for not being on her case properly). This has resulted in extra time spent on training, particularly stop whistle.

I you haven't trained the stop whistle yet, it's definitely worth a try. Somehow getting the dog to stop when it's starting to chase is easier than getting it to recall - but once it's stopped and the tempting target is getting further away, recall is much easier. I've done it on deer - I was bloody amazed, but it worked.

Susie477 · 19/06/2021 14:00

We used to have lurchers which were regularly allowed off the lead in open spaces well away from people, dogs, cats, roads etc. They were very well trained, of course, with excellent recall. They occasionally caught the odd dilatory rabbit or cocky squirrel, but unlike many cats they really weren’t particularly competent hunters.

cupsofcoffee · 19/06/2021 14:00

Thanks @GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman we have trained a stop which is pretty successful :)

The incident I was referring to upthread was when he was an obnoxious teenager lol, he's a lot better these days - he's three now and I can't remember the last time he ran off after anything - it must have been at least eighteen months.

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 19/06/2021 14:06

@cupsofcoffee yeah, adolescent dogs can be royal pains in the arse. Mine hasn't buggered off yet (and I hope she never does) but she can be extremely bloody-minded.

4PawsGood · 19/06/2021 14:07

@Bluntness100

Yes I’m considering getting a dog and this concerns me. We’ve a large garden with deer and squirrels and I suspect if we do get another dog I simply won’t be able to open the door snd let him out or sit with him out there without tying him up.
The deer and squirrels will soon get the idea I imagine.
Emilyontmoor · 19/06/2021 14:09

I have a three year old border collie who is highly trained in the garden or enclosed field he can’t escape, but is OCD around anything that moves, animal or mechanical and all training goes out of the window. I have just about got him to the stage of sitting still at a roadside but no chance of a walk to heel. I have had sessions with numerous trainers, including one who had champion agility BCs but their methods only get you so far. I don’t expect to ever let him off anywhere where there are those triggers. I have had six other BCs, none were like him. I do envy people able to have relaxed walks but he is a devoted and lovely dog, just wired that way…..

cupsofcoffee · 19/06/2021 14:09

[quote GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]@cupsofcoffee yeah, adolescent dogs can be royal pains in the arse. Mine hasn't buggered off yet (and I hope she never does) but she can be extremely bloody-minded.[/quote]
He was a nightmare Grin

He's a million times better now but I take him out with other dogs most of the time so he tends to stick with them rather than go off on his own, lol.

tedsletterofthelaw · 19/06/2021 14:10

We have a terrier, well my parents do but I grew up with her, she's an old girl now.

When she was young she would chase anything that moved. Including cows!! We could never let her off the lead. Even on private land (farm, so lucky enough for that to include lots of fields and a wood), she'd disappear for hours if she spotted something.

She's a lot lazier better now she's older so she can be let off but there was no way we could do it when she was younger.

BiteyShark · 19/06/2021 14:12

@Bluntness100

Yes I’m considering getting a dog and this concerns me. We’ve a large garden with deer and squirrels and I suspect if we do get another dog I simply won’t be able to open the door snd let him out or sit with him out there without tying him up.
Missed this.

We have had deer in our garden pre dog but this never happens anymore which I am glad about as they ate a lot of my plants.

As for squirrels they creep in to eat the bird seed that is dropped on the floor near the patio doors. Then BiteyDog notices and runs around the garden chasing them and looking very put out that they can climb up the fence and trees. They then spend a few minutes doing that awful warning noise to other squirrels that the dog is in the garden. In essence they coexist with a hate hate relationship Hmm

fruitpastille · 19/06/2021 14:15

Mine is on lead on or close to farm land but in woods, nearby field, parks is off lead. She might go after a squirrel or rabbit sometimes but is yet to catch one although she loves to keep trying! My main fear is that she would get stuck in a rabbit hole as she is small! In fact lurchers often think that my dog IS prey 😁

Roodog · 19/06/2021 16:44

I'm not sure my greyhound will ever go off lead except in enclosed dog fields. He has excellent recall in the house or in the secure field, but it goes out of the window when he sees an unfamiliar dog in the distance. Twice I've had to chase him and I'm not going to win with a greyhound. I think it's better for all of us if he stays on lead. I'll keep working on his recall but he won't be off lead again for the foreseeable.

espressomartiniftw · 19/06/2021 17:08

My never-raced greyhound is fine off lead and without a muzzle.

She's ignored birds, rabbits, squirrels, sheep, cows, chickens etc.

She never showed any interest or chased anything until the day she got bold and went to sniff a sheep. It bolted and she chased it.
Fortunately her recall is good and she's not been off lead anywhere near sheep since

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 19/06/2021 18:15

We've got a terrier and letting him off lead is very dependent on where we are.

Around where we live (large housing estate) he can be let off in the green areas and his recall is brilliant. In the countryside where there might be livestock or deer he stays on lead.

DeathByWalkies · 19/06/2021 19:40

Mine has a high prey drive for anything with fur (not bothered about feathers!) that isn't a dog or human.

Luckily I live in a city so we can simply walk in the local parks where I know there won't be livestock. He chases - but never catches - squirrels and he's allowed to do that.

No bloody way would he be off lead anywhere I was reasonably expecting to see livestock.

OverTheRubicon · 19/06/2021 19:47

I'd not use extendable leads for any dogs with a high prey drive, my dog owning friend's one snapped when he saw a neighbour's beloved cat and pulled really hard - the cat didn't make it Sad, the owner was distraught and my friend was devastated. Also can't imagine how hard it was to live on the same street after that.

mrsrobin · 19/06/2021 20:37

I have a lurcher who goes off lead everywhere, except if there is any chance of a cat lurking. She is getting on now, although if she sees a rabbit, she perks up. The best thing is, she always walks next to us and she tends to point if she sees anything. This gives us the chance to tell her to STAY and then we can clip her on the lead if needed. This has been the key for us never having a problem. We taught her a fantastic stay (as well as a recall). She stays like a statue until we tell her otherwise.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 19/06/2021 20:52

Medium prey drive dog, but he has a strong collie % so he doesn't go many metres away.
Recall obv, but also really getting to know some regular walks - what hazards there are, how busy they get, where wildlife are, where livestock might be etc - really helps build confidence in how safe your dog would be if they ever disappeared.
That, and anticipation - on lead until you're fairly sure the coast is clear. Squirrels & pheasants & rabbits are usually short chases if they see one, deer could mean your dog is gone for hours.
Planning!

MotherQueenXeno · 19/06/2021 20:55

Extremely high prey drive whippet-never goes off the lead unless we are at secure field that you rent by the hour. He will chase absolutely anything and it's just not worth the risk.

StillMedusa · 19/06/2021 21:42

Mine has a high chase (but not kill) drive. She does go off lead in selected areas.. ie our local river circuit, there are no deer, no livestock and never even seen a rabbit there... once saw a snake but she didn't know what to make of that! Another lovely walk on a common...there are bunnies but she's never caught one, and the common has good fencing so no worries about her disappearing.

Local wood.. long line ever since we happily had her off lead and she saw a couple of Muntjac.. longest 10 mins of my life as we could hear her but not see her! Learned our lesson then.

Her recall is quite good but when the chase mist descends I have miliseconds to stop her or she's off so a long line is safer. She's also selectively reactive (nervous) towards some unknown dogs so the long line is safer anyway.

I'd never use a retractable.. my friend had a horrific degloving injury from her dog being on one and then seeing something to chase.

Schoolnoshow · 19/06/2021 22:03

@cupsofcoffee Out of your sight for 15-20 mins is too long. He would not be considered under your control if something happened.
Also, aside from stress and injury to the deer or other animals, there is a real risk of injury to your dog. I would be going spare if our dogs were out of sight for 15-20mins.

Delatron · 19/06/2021 22:13

I’d highly recommend a neoprene long line rather than the fabric ones. They don’t get tangled or muddy (mud just dries and falls off).

My lab with a high prey drive is on a long lead most of the time. There’s some enclosed fields near the river where he swims and chases a ball and he’s so focused on the balls that he doesn’t notice anything else so that works for us. No livestock. I also pop him back in lead if other dogs appear.

Never off lead in woods as he’d be off chasing stuff. He actually has good recall but I don’t like him out of sight. It’s too stressful.
I don’t believe any dog with a high prey drive can have 100% recall. Once they get a sniff they’re off. Mine would come back eventually but it would be a stressful 5-10 minutes and I wouldn’t be in control of him.

Makes me sad but he does get some off lead time.

30degreesandmeltinghere · 19/06/2021 22:17

We live at the beach so not sure what ddogs could catch but my 3 sighthounds are off lead every walk
. 1 was a working ddog and caught many many a rabbit. None here that I have seen though.. Have been county walks with 2 and never caught anything either.

21Flora · 19/06/2021 22:26

I used to live/manage farm so my springer had pretty much free ru. If the place but since moving we take him to the local dog park for his off lead time. The one built by our parish council is about an acre and obviously free, there is a paid one that we go to occasionally too. It costs about £10 for an hour hire. His prey drive has really lowered since neutering however.

cupsofcoffee · 19/06/2021 22:28

[quote Schoolnoshow]@cupsofcoffee Out of your sight for 15-20 mins is too long. He would not be considered under your control if something happened.
Also, aside from stress and injury to the deer or other animals, there is a real risk of injury to your dog. I would be going spare if our dogs were out of sight for 15-20mins.[/quote]
He wasn't out of my sight. I could both see and hear him - he was just ignoring me.

I'm well aware it's not ideal however as I've explained upthread it was two years ago now and the actual chase only lasted a minute or two.

He goes off lead daily and has never run off after anything since.

HumphreyCobblers · 19/06/2021 22:33

My miniature schnauzer is never off lead around livestock. I am a bit sad about it as leads are a pain but she is not to be trusted.

We are lucky enough to have fields for her to roam freely in, after we fenced off all the gaps she escaped through.