Mar 4 (edited) • Predation Tidbits
Breed Specific Considerations
Part of the reason I am doing weekly posts about a particular breed is not just because it is interesting but also I think it is important to understand what your dog has been bred for (and with). With knowledge comes understanding and lack of knowledge leads to frustration so understanding what a dog’s historical purpose has been could help with understanding how to redirect and satiate your dog to perform a more desired and safe behavior.
This is not to say that every dog within the same breed has the same preferences and that just because it is a [insert dog breed here] they will like this over that and that is all there is to it. It is a good starting point but try not to get tunnel vision. I encourage you to learn who your dog is as an individual.
Back to topic
Something to note is that not every dog displays each step of the predatory motor pattern:
- Scent/Scan/Search
o Eye/Stalk
§ Creep
· Chase
o Grab-bite
§ Kill-bite
· Possess
o Dissect
§ Consume
An example of a typical predatory motor pattern for a Border Collie would be as follows:
- eye and stalk the stimulus
o creep/chase
This former part of the predatory motor pattern is more stimulating for the breed due to their historical and present day purpose. The rest of the predatory motor pattern is as follows:
- grab-bite
o kill-bite
§ possess
· dissect
o consume
The latter half of the predatory motor pattern is not a typical behavior for the breed as far as killing and consumption. It is possible that a Border Collie without a proper outlet could escalate to killing and consuming. This escalation is not unique to just Border Collies.
Another example would be for a Labrador their predatory motor pattern would typically have emphasis on:
- scent/scan/search
o eyeing the stimulus
§ then chase
with emphasis on:
- grab-bite
with another emphasis on:
- possess then consume
Something else to consider is your dog’s personal history and practiced behavior along with what type of training they have had in the past. Which part of the predatory motor pattern has been disciplined? How was it disciplined? How consistent was the discipline?
**I know the word “discipline” can have a negative connotation to it and while with some people that may be accurate I do want to note that I am using the term broadly here. Discipline could be anywhere from a physical punishment such as an e-collar or hitting (which I don’t condone) to just leash restraint and pulling dog away from stimulus without offering an alternative to just name a couple of examples. It also includes what the dog perceives as discipline**
Understanding the breed (or breeds) that you have, their history if you are lucky enough to know that and what they find rewarding is very important to being able to safely redirect your dog to performing desired behaviors and most importantly wanting to do that with you.
What do you think your dog’s predatory motor pattern is and what breed is your dog?
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Breed Specific Considerations
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