Page 2 | Dogs with low prey instinct - advice please!

Newkitchen101 · 2022-07-11T09:30:19+00:00

Can anyone advise on dogs with a low prey instinct? We live rurally with the possibility of sheep grazing nearby so want to try to reduce the risk of any sheep chasing. We had the most fabulous labrador who had to be PTS at 15 last year and I'm only really ready now to think about another dog. Ideally I would love another lab, but know our last was a complete exception in that he didn't seem to notice sheep. I've heard golden retrievers might be an option? Any advice welcome!

XelaM · 11/07/2022 20:31

Our pug has zero prey drive. We have many pets at home and also often board other people's pets (guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, birds, reptiles etc). He is a real gentleman with all of them.

TheVolturi · 11/07/2022 20:36

Not what you're after, but our shihtzu is completely dim around wildlife. The birds peck happily nearby him while he's mooching around the garden and he looks at them as if to say yes? What you looking at?

Original poster

Newkitchen101 · 11/07/2022 21:17

I'm loving all the dog personalities shining through the posts 🤣🤣😍

OP posts:

stillherenow · 11/07/2022 21:28

To be fair my retired greyhound has a massive prey drive but isn't bothered by sheep and doesn't react at all. Not that I'd let him off the lead near them ..

Mollymalone123 · 11/07/2022 21:36

Shetland sheepdogs 😂 yes I know-but they are trained to herd-both mine ignore sheep /horses cows etc completely-we also have chickens ducks and rabbit and they all mingle together without any issue.One of them was a rescue at 5 years old and doesn’t react to any livestock so i can’t even say it’s been my socialisation of her.They will chase pigeons and squirrels off the garden -which is a large part of what they were bred to do.

LemonLymanDotCom · 12/07/2022 20:01

coffeecupsandfairylights · 11/07/2022 16:43

Dogs with low prey-drives tend to be more smaller, companion type breeds. So breeds like Cavaliers, Bichons or Shih-Tzus, for example, or the "toy" versions of other breeds like poodles.

Of all the dogs I walk, the ones with the lowest prey drives are a Bedlington terrier, a Shih-tzu and, weirdly, a border collie lol.

Nah-uh! My bichon has SUCH a high prey drive. Squirrels, cats, children running past, children reacting to him and leaping away, city foxes, motorbikes when they do a loud brrrrm at the lights, he'd rip all of their heads off given half the chance. Or so he thinks. What usually manifests is chasing and barking from 5 feet away. Fortunately he's on the lead when he encounters these, but still, he's bloody noisy about and super alert. Just cos a bichon is a little fluff ball, people forget they're basically terriers at heart.

LemonLymanDotCom · 12/07/2022 20:02

A bichon does however, run the risk of being mistaken for a lamb, so another reason not to have one around sheep.

GuyFawkesDay · 12/07/2022 20:06

My cocker isn't remotely interested in sheep. Fascinated from afar but no straining to go see them. Cows are scary as.

Deer.....we do like. Ditto pheasants but he's being gundog trained and has pretty solid re all now.

I think it's probably as much about exposure and training as anything else but then a large chunk of pot luck too....my friend's cocker can't go off lead in the field/park by my house as she's after the rabbits and in the scrub/brambles after them. Mine couldn't give a stuff!!

Definitelyrandom · 13/07/2022 15:21

I'm with stillherenow Our retired greyhound has prey drive for rabbits and the like, but just ignores sheep (though we make sure he's on the lead in the same field). The sheep look at him as if he were a hairless wolf.

MayMoveMayNot · 15/07/2022 11:56

My working bred golden is just around 18 months and at 12 months its when the light bulb goes on and suddenly the good recall you had fucks off into the distance....bit like the dog really.. bit I digress.

Mine just started testing the boundaries and I live in a national park that is well known for native ponies and their foals....... he showed too much interest in them when they started to be born a few months ago so he's on lead on a lot of walks. He was interested in bikes/cars and other things that went fast, but I've worked my dogs in the past as gundogs and this boy was bought with that intention. Look up Pippa Mattison I think her name is, but the book is Total Recall, it's excellent and we're 7/8ths through it now and I'm seeing a massive difference in my dog.

Yes he is on a long line mostly but there are way more times when I regret he wasn't on the longline then when I don't! Especially when deer like to crash out in front of us and speed off

The teenage years are the bloody hardest!

Thereisnolight · 15/07/2022 18:27

MayMoveMayNot · 15/07/2022 11:56

My working bred golden is just around 18 months and at 12 months its when the light bulb goes on and suddenly the good recall you had fucks off into the distance....bit like the dog really.. bit I digress.

Mine just started testing the boundaries and I live in a national park that is well known for native ponies and their foals....... he showed too much interest in them when they started to be born a few months ago so he's on lead on a lot of walks. He was interested in bikes/cars and other things that went fast, but I've worked my dogs in the past as gundogs and this boy was bought with that intention. Look up Pippa Mattison I think her name is, but the book is Total Recall, it's excellent and we're 7/8ths through it now and I'm seeing a massive difference in my dog.

Yes he is on a long line mostly but there are way more times when I regret he wasn't on the longline then when I don't! Especially when deer like to crash out in front of us and speed off

The teenage years are the bloody hardest!

Can I ask, did you have working goldens before and do they settle after a while?

Ours, 13 mths, is as you’ve described. Lovely temperament but his brain cuts out if he sees something fast.