The first part of the tape deals with defining the drives a dog uses in protection work. We then go into the training steps for the dog, the handler and the helper. To be effective in protection training the handler and helper must work as a team. The prey drive is the easiest drive to see and understand in our dogs. It can be recognized in a puppy as early as 6 week of age.
Prey drive is the desire to chase a moving object, to grab it and shake it once it's caught.
Puppies exhibit prey drive when they chase a ball or play tug of war with your pant leg or sleeve. Hunting dogs that retrieve a dummy are also demonstrating prey drive. When you see a dog chasing a rabbit, a cat or a Frisbee you are watching that dogs prey drive in action. When an older dog chases a helper off leash in an escape bite or a run away bite down field, that dog is also working in prey drive. When a dog is worked in prey it does not feel threatened.