The Power of Following Your Lead: Understanding Dog Drive States

Dog trainers often talk about "drivey" dogs, but understanding drive states is key to effective training and fundamentally changes how we approach common behavioral issues. • Drive states are innate biological impulses that motivate behavior in dogs • Pack drive (following the leader) is the most valuable drive for behavioral modification • Walking drills build pack drive by teaching dogs to follow your lead • Defense drive manifests when dogs feel threatened and may result in aggression • Prey drive involves the instinct to chase and is activated during food/toy focused training • Most dogs don't want to be "front of the pack" – they prefer following a confident leader • Training exclusively with food/toys (prey drive) explains why dogs may only listen when rewards are visible • Dogs cannot be in multiple drive states simultaneously – use this strategically for behavior modification • Structure around doorways, crates, and walks is essential for establishing leadership • Walking drills should be emphasized before moving to obedience/active training sessions Our next round of the virtual shadow program for aspiring dog trainers starts on the 26th. Check the website link to learn more. theeverydaytrainer.com Visit us on the website here to see what we've got going on and how you can join our pack of good dogs and owners.