Does your dog have a strong hunt or chase drive?

[Ben's mum]

Ben hasn't really got a strong chase drive and can safely walk off lead with sheep, he is not bothered really by rabbits, deer or squirrals either, if he does break away to chase one (not sheep he doens't bother at all)  he he will give up really quickly and loose interest.  Birds are slightly different he will go for them and I struggle to get his attention, but its not imporssible.

Harry is another matter   I think before we had him he was allowed to do as he pleased, which means he knows how rewarding/exciting chasing things is.  When we went to look at him with the breeder we went for a walk in the woods and she had him off lead and just charging round with no control at all chasing anything that moved 
I am finding it really hard to stop this, despite using the same reliable recall we were taught by Top Barks to use with Ben.
I resort to the long line much of the time and once he sees a bird it is almost impssible to get his focus back on to me as he just wants to be off and he is deaf to anything I do or say and even the most tasty treats do not get his attention.

Do you think that once they have had the adrenalin rush from a really good hunt and chase experience its harder?  Thats my theory with Harry.

[saffysmum]

All the land where I walk mine is farmland with sheep so I am lucky that mine have no desireto chase livestock.  Birds and rabbits on the other hand are free game!  I don't mind if mine have a bit of fun hunting out and chasing these.

[JaspersMum]

Louie is only 1/4 worker but still has tremendous hunt drive.  It's only now he's 4, and with lots of calling him back to keep him more focussed that we are getting somewhere.  However a rabbit or squirrel and he'd be off...  As long as I can keep some focus, I can get him back. (well except 2 minutes before it's time to get in the car and come home  )

[vixen]

The only real issue we have is foxes... she will chase those for 30secs to a min, and she is deaf to any recall on that.

My two are a bit like Honey.  Most of the time they are absolute  around sheep, horses, deer etc.
Last winter when the canal was frozen solid, they saw ( before I spotted it ) a fox strolling along the middle of the canal and gave chase (on the canal  ) and I was SO worried as this is the only time they have ignored me. 
They occasionally like to ruffle some feathers of ducks sitting on the canal side but never pursue them into the water    They have passed by off lead, adult swans a foot away from them.
I think it is because they have always seen water fowl since they were allowed out and see them daily that they take no notice.
My girls  haven't really displayed much of a hunting drive, on walks their eyes are constantly on me and as such they don't take themselves off at all.

[SkyeSue]

Harry is another matter   I think before we had him he was allowed to do as he pleased, which means he knows how rewarding/exciting chasing things is.  When we went to look at him with the breeder we went for a walk in the woods and she had him off lead and just charging round with no control at all chasing anything that moved 
I am finding it really hard to stop this, despite using the same reliable recall we were taught by Top Barks to use with Ben.
I resort to the long line much of the time and once he sees a bird it is almost impssible to get his focus back on to me as he just wants to be off and he is deaf to anything I do or say and even the most tasty treats do not get his attention.

Do you think that once they have had the adrenalin rush from a really good hunt and chase experience its harder?  Thats my theory with Harry.

Yes Ben's Mum, I do think that once they have experienced the thrill of the chase, it is harder to stop it. I know Top Barks has posted this link before, but for anyone else who is interested, I think this is probably the best article I've ever read about chase drive. It makes so much sense, but requires a huge amount of commitment, time and patience. I do keep trying with it though  http://www.dog-secrets.co.uk/how-do-i-stop-my-dog-chasing/

[Nicola]

yes - but thats because he's a working cocker from working lines and he should have working drive!  I would HOPE all the working cockers on the board did.

Same here, I'd be concerned if my dogs didn't have a strong hunt drive, it's what they should be bred for and Rodaidh and Caoimhe both have very strong drive, especially Caoimhe. Neither of them ever chase anything though as they never get the opportunity to do it, if they see or flush a rabbit or pheasant they stop and mark it. A hard hunting dog is fantastic but one that has no self control and hasn't been taught to control its chasing drive is no good as a working dog.

Caoimhe is very hard hunting and if it wasn't channelled properly and she'd been allowed to free hunt and chase she would be hell to handle, as it is she's learned great self control and she's very focussed. Rodaidh will hunt like a demon if he knows there's something there but he's rock steady around all game, livestock etc. He's already done a bit of dogging in of pheasant poults over the last few weeks and he's a joy to work with, he knows when to go and when to stop and he just enjoys it so much. I allow Tilly to free hunt rabbits in the garden when she's up to it these days because of her illness but I can still call her off them straight away.

Do you think that once they have had the adrenalin rush from a really good hunt and chase experience its harder?  Thats my theory with Harry.

Yes I definitely think that's true, it's a very rewarding behaviour for them. A young dog losing control once or twice isn't going to be a disaster as long as it's dealt with properly but if they get to do it over and over it can become very ingrained. Despite her extremely strong hunting drive it doesn't occur to Caoimhe to chase because she's never been allowed to, all her exposure to game during her training has been very controlled.