Dogs With High Prey Drive: A Breed and Containment Guide

A high prey drive is a strong instinct to chase moving animals such as squirrels, rabbits, birds, or deer. Dogs with high prey drive can be more difficult to recall or contain when they become focused on prey, making training and secure boundaries especially important.

Prey drive is one reason, among many, that dogs may escape. Which is why many owners of dogs with high prey drive are so happy to discover SpotOn GPS containment. For Toni, a SpotOn user with a German Shorthaired Pointer, life before SpotOn could be summed up in one word: stressful.

"Anywhere we go, if there are chipmunks, I know she would run after it and I might lose her, or she might get hit by a car. My goal was to find some kind of containment system to keep her in an area so she wouldn’t chase the chipmunks."

Since SpotOn, Toni’s relationship with Finn has changed:

"I feel like we have both grown and built trust and independence together. Our last camping trip was a big success, she had freedom to move around and do what she wanted as long as I could see her."

What Is Prey Drive in Dogs?

Most dogs have some level of prey drive, and moving small creatures are hard to resist for almost any dog. Beyond the irresistible squirrel chase, dogs with lower prey drive will often express and burn off their prey drive through forms of play, such as chasing balls or thrashing around their toys (including de-stuffing their stuffed animals)!

If you’ve got a high prey drive dog, you’re likely acutely aware of their strong tendency to chase their prey. From squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, rodents and deer (to name a few), if they see it, the hunt is on!  And part of the stimulus to chase is the scent, which is why your dog will likely stay focused on the tree long after the squirrel or chipmunk has scurried up to safety.

Not surprisingly, dogs with high prey drive don’t usually make a good addition to the family if you already have small animals at home (cats, rabbits, hamsters, etc.). There are exceptions of course based on the dog, and in certain cases if they’ve been raised together since they were young it may work, but it’s a risk and not generally advised.

Which Dog Breeds Have High Prey Drive?

Some breeds and breed groups are more likely to display strong prey-drive behaviors because of the work they were historically bred to perform. Individual dogs vary, but breeds commonly associated with stronger chase, hunt, or herding instincts include:

How Do You Contain a Dog With High Prey Drive?

Another big challenge for these breeds can be containing them, especially given the danger of chasing an animal across the street or into other dangerous situations.

Build a Physical Fence

A physical fence is one way to contain these dogs, but may not be the best solution. There are ways out of a physical fence - including jumping, climbing, digging, or finding a weak spot or small opening in the fence. And a physical fence does not require training your dog to address this (ingrained) hunt and chase behavior. And if your dog does escape from a physical fence, you may not know it, particularly if you have a large yard where your dog is not always visible. 

Use a GPS Dog Fence

Another solution for containing high prey drive dogs is a GPS dog fence like SpotOn. With SpotOn, your dog is trained to understand and respect the boundaries, rather than just put outside behind a physical fence without training. A GPS dog fence does require training. But once your dog learns the system boundary cues (2 tones, vibration and an optional static correction), he or she will understand the boundaries wherever you go, since they are trained to the tones, not the specific fence or landmarks. This means that you can take SpotOn GPS Fence with you when you travel - whether camping, beach-bound, visiting friends & family, or if you move. 

Plus, you can keep tabs on your dog with the app, and if he or she does escape, you get a notification and tracking kicks in (updated every 6 seconds), so you can locate and retrieve your dog. With a physical fence, you may not know if your dog has escaped, particularly on large properties.

"We love our collar because our dog was a runner and could be a mile away after critters in a heartbeat. He responds beautifully to the warning tones, so static correction is very rare."
– Belinda J.

  Can a GPS dog fence work for dogs with high prey drive? 
Yes. With appropriate training, a GPS dog fence can help contain dogs with high prey drive by teaching them to respond to consistent boundary cues even when distractions are present.

Training a Dog with High Prey Drive

The key however, and why SpotOn GPS Fence can work to contain your dog is that it requires training. And any training is a learned behavior. Which is why we don’t recommend SpotOn for puppies under 6 months old, as training to the SpotOn system (or any wireless system), should build on basic, established training and obedience. Like kids, puppies don't usually have the necessary maturity or focus at that early stage.

"In all aspects of training, you must take it in baby steps and crawl, walk and then run. There are no shortcuts in dog training. Dogs learn through association and with repetition and consistency. Training sessions need to be fun for the dog, because your dog initially sees this training activity as a game where they are being rewarded with treats, praise or toys for playing by the rules.

Through repetition and consistency, your dog will learn that the tone means return to the safe zone every time, even with distractions present. Remember, if your dog experiences any difficulty, take a few steps back in their training to find a distraction they consistently succeeded with and start reintroducing higher level distractions. The key is to build distractions slowly and end every training session on a positive note. Train, test, proof and repeat!"

– Rick Alto, ExFed Dog Training

Any dog behavior really boils down to understanding your dog’s instinct, and training to curb that instinct if it poses a threat. If you look into the history of your dog’s breed, you can get an understanding of your dog’s behavior, including prey drive. 

Get the #1 Fence for Dogs with High Prey Drive

Dog owners with some degree of property can greatly benefit from investing in a GPS dog fence system. While traditional fence options get pricier by the acre, SpotOn GPS Fence is one price, with no boundary too big. Bring home SpotOn today and start living life unleashed!