Dear Critter Corner: I keep hearing the term “drive” thrown around when talking about dogs, but what does it mean?
Canines are hard-wired to view and interact with the world in specific ways, categorically broken down and classified as “drives”. Many trainers will argue over the categories and subcategories of drives ad nauseum, but the three most described are Prey, Pack, and Defense. These drives are often genetic traits of a dog but can be modified to some degree through training. Together, the three function as a scale and altering one frequently will affect another. Understanding a dog’s underlying drives will give you a deeper understanding of their needs and wants. Note that there are exceptions to every rule and these terms should be used in broad strokes when describing canine behaviors.
Prey drive is the manifestation of a dog’s desire to hunt, play and chase. In most pet dogs it is often playful and does not necessarily end in a dog’s desire to kill. A dog ignoring a truck driving perpendicular to it but wanting to chase as soon as it turns and moves away would be an example of a dog with a high prey drive. Creating a tight recall command is useful for dealing with dogs with strong prey drive.
Pack drive describes a dog’s desire to follow another’s lead. A dog could have low pack drive with humans but high with dogs. This would be a dog that acts independently with their handlers but happily follow around a group of dogs. The reverse is true, and many dogs will bond and follow their human’s commands eagerly but show little interest in interacting with dogs. This drive is in constant flux and will change in either direction with maturity, socialization, and training.
Defense drive can be oversimplified to fight or flight. A dog with low defense drive is much more likely to be avoidant when confronted. A dog with a high defense drive is more likely to respond aggressively. However, a confident dog may often have a higher tolerance for confrontation before resorting to a bite than a more fearful dog.