DRIVES
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Drives defined

The four drives outlined by Volhard include prey, pack, fight, and flight reactions;

The Prey drive includes those behaviours that highlight hunting and foraging behaviours. Dogs that hunt and kill their toys, chase anything that moves, steal food, stalk the cat, and pounce on other animals are probably high in prey drive.

The Pack drive involves a dog's affinity for humans or other dogs. A dog with a high pack drive cannot get enough of people. He barks or cries when left alone, solicits play and petting, likes to touch, enjoys grooming, and loves the sound of his master's voice.

The Fight drive is defensive and indicates a dog's self-confidence in stressful situations. A dog with a strong fight-defence drive stands his ground, walks high on his toes, guards his territory and his family, may guard his toys and food, tolerates petting and grooming but does not really enjoy these activities, enjoys tug-of-war, and seems ready to fight.

The Flight drive is also a defence drive and indicates a dog's lack of self-confidence. A dog with high flight drive is unsure in new situations and may hide behind his person, is stressed when separated from his person, crawls on his belly or urinates when reprimanded, and may bite when cornered.

What they mean

A dog with a strong fight drive may be described as dominant; a dog with a strong flight drive is often described as submissive and can become a fear-biter if not trained appropriately.

Although each breed exhibits a general character, individuals in each breed can vary. Akitas, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds are guard breeds and are expected to be high in both prey and fight drives and moderate or low in pack and flight drives, some individuals in these breeds have a high pack drive or a high flight drive. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Standard Poodles, and other companion breeds are expected to be high in pack drive and moderate in prey and fight drives, but some individuals may have a high defence drive and become either aggressive or excessively fearful. Problems can arise when a breed is chosen for its general drives but the individual dog differs from the prevailing character of the breed.