# Predatory Drift



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I've already posted about this in the past http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=12185&highlight=Predatory+Drift

But I received this post today at IAABC forum, regarding a thread I started, and thought it was a great reply.

Predatory Drift. Gail Fisher. IAABC and President APDT permission to quote

Predatory drift does not require a size differential. In my experience running an interactive doggy daycare since 1993, averaging over 70 dogs a day, in any active play situation, there is always the possibility of an incident. It can happen instantaneously without warning, with perfectly wonderful, calm, unaggressive dogs. Usually it is without incident, but if there is a significant size differential between the dogs, there is a greater danger.

It starts when a dog is inadvertently, and momentarily hurt (by another dog, by running into another dog or a tree, by who-knows-what). That dog vocalizes and may reactively strike out in a way that triggers an instinctive reaction by another dog or dogs. When the dogs involved are of compatible size, and staff is right there to intervene and prevent other dogs getting involved, it is over quickly and without incident. The danger is that if there is a small dog involved, and the larger dog grabs it, the smaller dog vocalizes further, etc. etc. It is for this reason that we separate our play groups by size, and don't mix small and large dogs.

Gail

Gail Fisher
President, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers
Author of THE THINKING DOG
All Dogs Gym®
"The perfect place for pets and their people"
Manchester, NH 03103
(603) 669-4644
http://www.alldogsgym.com


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Tucker has been to Gail Fisher's All Dogs Gym in Manchester, NH. One of the questions we asked was were dogs separated by size and the answer was yes. We didn't want Tucker being trampled by bigger dogs during play time. We think Gail's doggie day care is absolutely the very best. We haven't used it often, but we feel Tucker is well cared for when we leave him for a day (we haven't left him overnight).


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Rita Nelson said:


> Tucker has been to Gail Fisher's All Dogs Gym in Manchester, NH. One of the questions we asked was were dogs separated by size and the answer was yes. We didn't want Tucker being trampled by bigger dogs during play time. We think Gail's doggie day care is absolutely the very best. We haven't used it often, but we feel Tucker is well cared for when we leave him for a day (we haven't left him overnight).


Wow how lucky, you and Tucker are. You've probably got one of the best facilities in the world. This lady knows her dogs. She trains trainers and she is president of APDT the world's largest group of dog trainers.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> Wow how lucky, you and Tucker are. You've probably got one of the best facilities in the world. This lady knows her dogs. She trains trainers and she is president of APDT the world's largest group of dog trainers.


The loose leash walking YouTube I've been posting for people is from All Dogs. That is one of the places we go for APDT trials, and I love it! They're too far from us to go there for any sort of regular training (and I really like the place we go anyway!) but I love going up there.

One of the trainers there does the Rally trials her Malamute and I really enjoy watching her work with a breed most people don't think of in terms of "Obedience" breeds.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Yeah Karen, I'd love to see this facility. Yeah even "Pigs Fly " dogs have a chance. LOL


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