how can I control a strong prey urge in a terrier?
Discussion
Hi all,
I have a 3 year old rescue mongrel (scoundrel) terrier cross. We think she's a Border terrier, staff, something else.
She is a delight, but has a really strong prey urge and will chase small creatures. When not on a lead she's fine and can be controlled by throwing a ball and keeping her focussed on that - she doesn't even notice other dogs or creatures. However, when she's on a lead she ends up looking like a right thug as she's pulling to go after small dogs.
She loves to swim and has recently become particularly interested in ducks and swans and has gone swimming after them several times now. The trouble is that when she's in the river chasing swans she just completely ignores any commands to stop.
Any suggestions on how to get her to stop would be appreciated.
This is her in action
http://youtu.be/BNTGkqxyWNw
IMG_9066 by mojitomax, on Flickr
I have a 3 year old rescue mongrel (scoundrel) terrier cross. We think she's a Border terrier, staff, something else.
She is a delight, but has a really strong prey urge and will chase small creatures. When not on a lead she's fine and can be controlled by throwing a ball and keeping her focussed on that - she doesn't even notice other dogs or creatures. However, when she's on a lead she ends up looking like a right thug as she's pulling to go after small dogs.
She loves to swim and has recently become particularly interested in ducks and swans and has gone swimming after them several times now. The trouble is that when she's in the river chasing swans she just completely ignores any commands to stop.
Any suggestions on how to get her to stop would be appreciated.
This is her in action
http://youtu.be/BNTGkqxyWNw
IMG_9066 by mojitomax, on Flickr
You want to be careful with those swans, I've heard they can break a mans leg!
In terms of controlling pooch it's a tough one. My terrier (patterdale/JRT) will go after crows and pigeons etc but they're in no real danger and once they've flown off the comes straight back. She does chase after bikes/scooters though and is VERY difficult to recall once she gets going. I've combatted this by getting her close to heal if I see a threat, and constatly remind her to stay there til bike/skooter/small child has passed by. She seems to have got the hint, but will still sometimes shoot off. Chasing other animals may be harder to train out of a dog though.
In terms of controlling pooch it's a tough one. My terrier (patterdale/JRT) will go after crows and pigeons etc but they're in no real danger and once they've flown off the comes straight back. She does chase after bikes/scooters though and is VERY difficult to recall once she gets going. I've combatted this by getting her close to heal if I see a threat, and constatly remind her to stay there til bike/skooter/small child has passed by. She seems to have got the hint, but will still sometimes shoot off. Chasing other animals may be harder to train out of a dog though.
Food, practice her recall with her favourite treats, on and off the leash.
Use a mixture of treats, the best ones for when she is swimming. Let her smell them so she knows you have them.
Just thoughts on what we did with our Springer; we also took her to Gun Dog training which she loved (and we did!)
Use a mixture of treats, the best ones for when she is swimming. Let her smell them so she knows you have them.
Just thoughts on what we did with our Springer; we also took her to Gun Dog training which she loved (and we did!)
ali_kat said:
Food, practice her recall with her favourite treats, on and off the leash.
Use a mixture of treats, the best ones for when she is swimming. Let her smell them so she knows you have them.
Just thoughts on what we did with our Springer; we also took her to Gun Dog training which she loved (and we did!)
I'll try the food/treats thing. She's usually fine off the lead and can be recalled if we catch her quickly enough before she gets going, but once she's fixated on something, she's off!Use a mixture of treats, the best ones for when she is swimming. Let her smell them so she knows you have them.
Just thoughts on what we did with our Springer; we also took her to Gun Dog training which she loved (and we did!)
mojitomax said:
DoubleSix said:
herd of swans... 
i wasn't sure of the collective noun so i googled it and apparently there are a number of collective nouns that can be used to describe swans and herd was one of them. is it wrong?- bevy
Love your dog btw
mojitomax said:
I'll try the food/treats thing. She's usually fine off the lead and can be recalled if we catch her quickly enough before she gets going, but once she's fixated on something, she's off!
That was the same as Purdey, until we trained her out of it with treats; but then she was very food orientated 
Just persevere with recall training and he'll get it in the end. Beware of the distraction route as it's just avoiding the real issue and not really a cure... even though it helps short term.
TheBALDpuma said:
My terrier (patterdale/JRT) ...will go after crows... but they're in no real danger and once they've flown off...
For some reason I read that as COWS and had to read it twice.Very difficult in a terrier its natural for them to have such urges. Mum and Dad have a very old, slow one who will chase squirrels but not get anywhere close, she once caught a sick rabbit that was hiding in grass as they walked past and the dog dispatched it within seconds, not a pretty thing to watch.
Keep it on a 30ft lead that way it can run after things but your always in control and can prevent the kill.
Keep it on a 30ft lead that way it can run after things but your always in control and can prevent the kill.
Our wire fox is totally disinterested in treats when out walking.
He's a sniffer, head down & following trails on the ground left by other animals, many times to the detriment of actually spotting a live one in the vicinity (thankfully).
Had a very bad episode with him only last week, when after the start of the walk on the lead, which I use to exercise walk to heel, he buggered off after something that was totally out of sight (having picked up the scent).
Took me ages to get him back.
A further 4 times along the usually off-the-lead walk saw him stuck on the lead & the walk cut short.
He's never done this before, although when on the lead, he was surprisingly good (gentle trot, no pulling).
During training, we were advised that lead training was a long-haul effort & now he only really pulls (& is corrected) at the start of a walk.
His recall when mixing with other dogs is not horrendous & is improving slowly but I don't trust him & he's on the lead any time I think there is a flight risk, given the surroundings (the lead training has really helped here).
That said, wildlife has up to now been less of a challenge than other dogs. I'm not happy with him in the Thames though as he's not confident enough in the water yet - he's ok in lakes/steams & small rivers.
He's a sniffer, head down & following trails on the ground left by other animals, many times to the detriment of actually spotting a live one in the vicinity (thankfully).
Had a very bad episode with him only last week, when after the start of the walk on the lead, which I use to exercise walk to heel, he buggered off after something that was totally out of sight (having picked up the scent).
Took me ages to get him back.
A further 4 times along the usually off-the-lead walk saw him stuck on the lead & the walk cut short.
He's never done this before, although when on the lead, he was surprisingly good (gentle trot, no pulling).
During training, we were advised that lead training was a long-haul effort & now he only really pulls (& is corrected) at the start of a walk.
His recall when mixing with other dogs is not horrendous & is improving slowly but I don't trust him & he's on the lead any time I think there is a flight risk, given the surroundings (the lead training has really helped here).
That said, wildlife has up to now been less of a challenge than other dogs. I'm not happy with him in the Thames though as he's not confident enough in the water yet - he's ok in lakes/steams & small rivers.
Long and the short of this is its difficult as you have to kerb his natural instinct.
Try training him to the stop whistle. Once sat and stopped he'll be easier to recall. Basically a single pip or refs whistle and he should stop and sit. My gsp does this at 120 mtrs. Start close and build the distance start by using the verbal command sit and then the whistle, gradually phase out the verbal. It takes time and lots of correction. Long line is good as you build up distance because you can take them back to the spot where they decided to ignore you and correct them.any good gundog book will cover this in great detail as its the foundation of any working dog, they aint supposed to chase.
Try training him to the stop whistle. Once sat and stopped he'll be easier to recall. Basically a single pip or refs whistle and he should stop and sit. My gsp does this at 120 mtrs. Start close and build the distance start by using the verbal command sit and then the whistle, gradually phase out the verbal. It takes time and lots of correction. Long line is good as you build up distance because you can take them back to the spot where they decided to ignore you and correct them.any good gundog book will cover this in great detail as its the foundation of any working dog, they aint supposed to chase.
boy said: Long and the short of this is its difficult as you have to kerb his natural instinct.
Try training him to the stop whistle. Once sat and stopped he'll be easier to recall. Basically a single pip or refs whistle and he should stop and sit. My gsp does this at 120 mtrs. Start close and build the distance start by using the verbal command sit and then the whistle, gradually phase out the verbal. It takes time and lots of correction. Long line is good as you build up distance because you can take them back to the spot where they decided to ignore you and correct them.any good gundog book will cover this in great detail as its the foundation of any working dog, they aint supposed to chase.
Sorry just reread the op unless its related to moses it cant sit on water....just ignore me .Try training him to the stop whistle. Once sat and stopped he'll be easier to recall. Basically a single pip or refs whistle and he should stop and sit. My gsp does this at 120 mtrs. Start close and build the distance start by using the verbal command sit and then the whistle, gradually phase out the verbal. It takes time and lots of correction. Long line is good as you build up distance because you can take them back to the spot where they decided to ignore you and correct them.any good gundog book will cover this in great detail as its the foundation of any working dog, they aint supposed to chase.
thanks for the advice guys. Shes a really fuss pot.
I started out throwing sticks for her and when she had chewed through them she would forage for new sticks. But it couldn't be any stick. no it had to be one that SHE chose.
Anyway, got her weaned off sticks and onto a ball on a string. However, the other half threw it over the shed last night so i bought her a new one today. Did two walks, morning and lunch and she loved the ball, but this evening, she completely igmored it and went foraging for a stick. i ignored her and kept throwing the ball. she ignored me and kept bringing me the stick.
Then she got interested in some swans and i did what any bad parent would do and gave in and threw the stick for her to distract her from the swans.
at least when other small dogs come by, i can keep her completely focussed on the stick to stop her getting interested in the small creatures.
She is becoming hard work, but hilarious.
I started out throwing sticks for her and when she had chewed through them she would forage for new sticks. But it couldn't be any stick. no it had to be one that SHE chose.
Anyway, got her weaned off sticks and onto a ball on a string. However, the other half threw it over the shed last night so i bought her a new one today. Did two walks, morning and lunch and she loved the ball, but this evening, she completely igmored it and went foraging for a stick. i ignored her and kept throwing the ball. she ignored me and kept bringing me the stick.
Then she got interested in some swans and i did what any bad parent would do and gave in and threw the stick for her to distract her from the swans.
at least when other small dogs come by, i can keep her completely focussed on the stick to stop her getting interested in the small creatures.
She is becoming hard work, but hilarious.
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