Temperament and puppy development are two topics that any responsible breeder must place at the top of their “to-do” list. For almost 30 years, I have been a student of these two very important topics. I have devoted much of my time educating dog owners on the importance of correct breed temperament and the role that proper puppy development plays in the correct temperament.

Before I get into the meat of this series, let me first introduce myself. Dogs are my life. They are not a sideline or a hobby; this is what I do. When I am asked to train a dog, for whatever purpose, I want 100% of that dog’s capabilities to be put to use. I want their brains to be full-functioning and thinking all the time. But most importantly, I want them to want to work. What’s the sense of having a “working” dog if you limit its working and thinking capabilities? It is easy for any trainer to use his strength, aided by “tools of the trade,” to make a dog perform a particular task. But the true mark of a great trainer is one that can use the dog’s attributes and let the dog train himself – even making him think it was his idea!

My methods are designed to do just that. From an early age, I want to encourage a dog to think. I want him to figure out what I am trying to get him to do. From a very early age, I want to “bring out” all of the God-given attributes that make a good working dog, a good working dog. In order for the dog to reach 100% of his full potential, this must begin with the breeder. So much of the temperament and working attributes are developed in the first seven weeks after birth. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the breeder to get the ball rolling right from the start.

Research has shown us that 35% of the dog’s working abilities are obtained through genetics, and as much as 50% of the temperament is obtained through genes. The remaining percentages are developed mainly through environmental and nutritional avenues. So, the ground work was laid for us 63 days before the birth. Some may look at the percentage of working ability and say, “One-third of all the dogs a sire produces will be as good as he is.” I believe it is more accurate to say that EVERY puppy produced is NATURALLY at least one-third as good as his sire; and we have the chance to greatly improve on these numbers. We, as breeders and trainers, have in our power a higher percent of affecting the working ability of a puppy than does his parents! We also have an equal chance of affecting his temperament.

My comments are primarily directed towards the breeder; however, these methods can be applied to handlers and owners of older dogs as well. When selecting a puppy, it’s a good idea to choose from a breeder who uses a method that nurtures early working instincts. These natural instincts – often referred to as “drives” – can be powerful tools that enable us to train our dogs. All dogs have some degree of drive; and by using his drives, we can get the dog to do what we want. Unfortunately, there is a high percentage of a dog’s instinct or drive that goes undeveloped for several reasons: the mother does not have to hunt for food and there are humans who do a lot of the work for the “working” dogs. If we allow this pattern to continue, we will soon have a new breed called “couch potatoes”! You may have already noticed this in your own lines, or the lines of your peers --- it’s always easier to see it in their lines!

These are the “drives” that we should focus on:

PACK DRIVE:

This drive gives a dog the desire to be a part of a pack. Included in this is the requirement to obey the pack rules. This drive also gives the dog the desire to please.

PREY DRIVE:

Prey drive is stimulated or triggered by movement. It is a dog’s natural drive to find and catch food. Although it is a calm, non-emotional drive, it may be taxing on a dog physically, causing him to tire quickly. It is often signaled by a high-pitched bark. A dog in prey drive can zone out other things around them. This is often a sign that the dog has strong nerves. By developing a strong prey drive, you develop early confidence and can teach a dog to work simply for a ball or a tug. If you intend to do bite work, this is always the drive you want to start your dog in. Prey drive also works wonderfully for teaching a dog obedience or agility.

PLAY DRIVE:

PLAY drive and PREY drive are often confused because of some similarities; however, there are subtle differences. A dog can have a strong PLAY drive, yet not display any of the usual signs of PREY. The dog may display a solid temperament and openly play with its master, but have no desire to bite a moving tug, ball, etc. When a dog has a strong PREY drive, he will usually have a strong PLAY drive.

BALL DRIVE:

Ball drive is a dog’s obsession to chase, mouth, carry, or otherwise play with a ball. Dogs that have a high ball drive usually have a high prey drive and a high play drive. Ball drive is a very powerful tool. You can use ball drive to teach obedience and agility. Most often, ball drive is used to teach narcotic and explosive-trained dogs the tricks of the trade.

HUNT DRIVE:

Hunt drive is simply the drive that makes a dog look for the thing that most excites it - such as a ball, tug, or favorite toy. It is used to aid in training tracking/search and rescue dogs.

RETRIEVE DRIVE:

This drive is not exclusive to Labradors! Many dogs possess this drive and it can be a powerful training tool. Working dogs that are high in retrieve drive are often possessive of objects they have retrieved. If you need this drive in your type of sport, you must start early and build the drive and control the possessiveness (not “stop” the possessiveness).

DEFENSE DRIVE:

Defense drive, also called “ Fear Drive,” is a very misunderstood drive. The dog goes into defense drive when it feels it must defend itself or when it is in fear for its life. Often referred to as “fight or flight,” the dog must decide if it should stand and fight or turn and run. Unlike prey drive, defense is very emotional. It is a kill or be killed mentality. It is also physically stressful and mentally draining. It creates a hectic work environment and should never be used in early bite training, obedience, or agility training.

FIGHT DRIVE:

If you talk to five people about fight drive, you could possibly come up with five different answers. Although the results of fight drive may be genetic, it is not actually a separate drive. Fight drive combines the focus and non-emotional nature of prey drive with the intensity of defense drive. When watching many dogs displaying a strong fight drive, the trained eye will see the dog switch gears, so to speak, from prey drive to defense and then back to prey drive.

By assisting in the development of these drives, we are laying a solid foundation on which to build a well-rounded dog. I want a dog that is full of attitude --- one who’s presence says, “Pick me, I’m the one you came to see!” I want a dog that is so confident that there is nothing he can’t do; no task he can’t accomplish; and that nothing upsets. I want a dog that is so eager to work and please, that he’s almost out of control! If there’s a problem to be had in training, that’s the one to have!