Hi,
Recently been reading some posts on line questioning
the if predatory drift really exists. The following experience is in my opinion
an example.
Chi-Ping, the rat terrier mix and Blondie, the big former
street dog were playing tag running from the yard to the porch. Smoki, the curmudgeon
cat inserted himself into the game hissing and puffing at the big girl, who had
her play face on and backed up as he puffed at her. She even gave him a half
assed play bow. It was a sweet family moment. I smiled feeling good about my
animal friends.
Something in the grass or down the hill caught Blondie’s
attention for a second or two at most. She looked in the direction of the edge
of our property, when she looked back her whole demeanor had changed. She was
stiff, upright, ears forward.
The cat raised his paw to swat her again. Her mouth
opened. I delivered the stop what you are doing sound. Luckily both critters
looked at me. Blondie looked as if she came back to a place where she wouldn’t
hurt Smoki.
The whole thing lasted but a moment, but it was a Jekyll
and Hyde moment. I suspect this was one of those predatory
drift moments.
Blondie and Smoki have lived together for eight months.
Smoki is the house boss because he is the one most comfortable with his humans.
With a life time of experience training dogs Smoki had no problems with the
tough street veteran in the house.
Outside on Blondie’s home turf where she has killed
rats and cats and who knows what else. This was the first time I had all three
of them outside together.
So much of the discussion on line is about dogs in play
groups. During my years running dogs in day care groups, it seemed to me that most
of what people thought of as predatory drift was another behavior anomaly or
one dog with a history with another taking a cheap shot.
So what do you think?
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