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Location: dogsville
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,141
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Originally Posted by
Leanne_W
If a dog had been punished for chasing game or livestock, I would've thought that if it saw something else running, the last thing it would want to do is run after it because thats what it had been punished for in the first place...If you get me! I would've though the obvious thing the dog would do would be to cower or hide or take some other avertive behaviour.
I'm also thinking about Flynn. He has a very high prey drive and if he sees something he think he can catch, he's after it like a shot. If he does catch it and kill it, he completely loses interest. Even if he doesnt kill it and it simply stops struggling, he again loses interest and i've been able to intervene and let the animal go relatively unharmed. On the other hand, his prey drive isnt so high that he chases anything and everything. If he knows he doesnt stand a chance catching something, he pays it no interest (furthermore, not all animals interest him so livestock is fine, except of the feathered variety!)
Maybe Tango has a high prey drive and any quick movement sparks her then once she reaches her target she doesnt really know what she should be doing i.e she has a high prey drive but no killing instinct.
I dont know you and your dog so i'm not doubting your theories, i'm just throwing some other ideas out there.
I have no problem at all with other theories anything is welcome as at the end of the day I am trying to make her feel better about things.
I do see where you are coming from as well.I think she sees dogs running and worries about it, she gets so tense...and she just seems to want them to stop running. As long as they stay still she is okay. I am not convinced it's her high prey drive kicking in as she behaves differently with birds (and random pugs..) and squirrels. It could be her prey drive...it's just a different response that is very hard to explain unless you see it. She gets so tense and worried you see...she does want the running to stop.
All is well if they don't run.
She has such good manners with dogs in the house...again if they don't run. She plays beautifully with Cosmo...he lies on top of her chewing her neck etc and growling (as they do) and she isn't a bit bothered. She also has excellent calming signals at points...example if Cosmo gets daft and verbal and barks at me she immediately gets between us and tries to appease.
So I am not convinced that she has poor social skills and that's why she does what she does you see...because away from the running she is bouncy and doesn't like all dogs...but she does play well with ones she likes. That play can include bouncing and boxing...but just no running.
I am more than happy to hear suggestions..although I think I have taken this thread totally off topic!
Originally Posted by
Tassle
Not always...and very much depending on how the aversive was administered.
If the dog has been punished for chasing without giving it any form of redirection, then you placed it in a situation where it had to watch any object that it wanted to chase, you are likey to see an incredibly stressed dog who is all tensed up with no way to release - they may manage to contain it for a while but if you held the dog in the situation the frustration/stress levels would rise to a point at which it would have to release...at this point the dog would probably display some kind of appeasment gesture.
At least - this is often how I observe dogs who have been punished (using aversives) for exhibiting a behaviour without retraining or redirection.
With my dogs its all about the chase with Small furries.
Tassle likes to 'Set them up' but will not bother chasing Rabbits that are near hedges - she knows she cannot get them....instead she almost quaters the field looking for the sitters.
Siren, Trip and Gabe chase (Rabbits) without really thinking but can be called off very easily.
The one time I did have an issue was on a beach in Seaford at 1am....we met a fox.....Tassle and Gabe both shot after it, Tassle stopping as she hurt her foot on teh stones - Gabe did not stop....he ran off the beach....and panicked the life out of me....I think he hit tarmac and realised I as not there and came back. It made me work a bit harder on his recalls!
Cosmo has such a thing about rabbits and squirrels it is a worry. I was so thankful our local woodland only seemed to have squirrels (which cause enough recall issues with him at times..) but then spotted rabbit tracks in the snow the other day which he was VERY interested in. Bother.
Tango also likes squirrels and rabbits...in an excted way though, she tends to bark and twirl when she sees them.