How to Introduce Your High-Prey Dog to a New Smaller Pet

A dog with a high prey drive is not necessarily aggressive. The need to chase and catch smaller animals, birds, or vermin is instinctive in many breeds and shouldn’t be construed as a behavioral issue that can be trained out of them. But regardless of how strong the bond and how obedient your dog, managing their need to break rank and chase may ultimately require the skills of an experienced dog trainer to teach you how to work with it.

Now, how you safely introduce a dog with a high prey drive to smaller animals is not the same as how you would introduce a dog with a lower prey drive. You need to take a slower, cautious approach that keeps all parties safe. And because you know how your dog responds to smaller animals best, you may decide, after doing some homework, that bringing a smaller animal into your family may not be the right choice after all.

So, let’s help you with that homework.

Which Breeds Have a High Prey Drive?

No surprise that the dogs most inclined to have a high prey drive are those used for hunting and sporting activities. Hounds such as Beagles and Coonhounds, terriers like the Jack Russell and Airedale, or herding and sporting breeds including Retrievers, Border Collies, and Greyhounds all possess an innate need to track and hunt.

How to Tell If Your Dog has a Strong Prey Drive

While your pet may not necessarily be a high prey breed, there are signs you can watch for that suggest they still carry this innate characteristic. And it starts with watching how they play:

1. Do they destroy plush toys? Biting down hard and shaking them back and forth as if going in for the kill?
2. Do they become fixated on a “target”? A squirrel, a bird, or simply a rolling ball… And is it difficult to get them to respond or break their gaze as they stalk this intended prey?
3. Do they like to crouch low and slowly creep forward as if sneaking up on prey? This could be with toys, other animals, or even an inanimate object.
4. Do they exhibit sudden bursts of energy, sprinting towards a moving animal or even just a blowing paper bag or a bicycle going by? As if they’re about to take it down.

If your dog exhibits any of these behaviors, you may need to rethink bringing in a smaller pet.

Different Forms of Prey Drive

Not all high prey instincts are about capturing and killing. For example, with herding breeds, they want to chase but then herd their targets. Not pounce or injure.

For terriers, they’re all about catching and killing vermin, while hunting breeds range from stalking and flushing out prey to stalking and pointing to where the prey is hiding.

And some dogs like to chase down and capture (not kill) their intended target.

But aside from breed, simply watching how your pet plays and interacts with other animals, animate or inanimate objects, will help you determine how strong their prey drive is.

How to Make Those Introductions

You’ve decided to bring a cat, pup, or bunny, or other small animal into your home, and you’re worried about your current pet because they tend to stalk and chase.

If you are convinced that your dog will not harm a smaller animal (and no, saying that he’s never been aggressive around other dogs isn’t the same thing), then you’ll need to move forward with caution.

From the onset, never introduce your dog to a smaller animal unless they are leashed and you are in total control. No casual meet-and-greets where they get to sniff one another, and you assume they’re going to become best buddies. Use appropriately sized crates, cages, or baby gates to ensure a protective barrier. And never do a face-to-face meet-up until your dog has become familiar with the other animal’s presence in your home.

And that starts with:

Scent

For dogs, scent is a language they all speak. With more than 100 million olfactory scent glands, this sense is more powerful than sight or hearing for our canine buddies.

• Feeding them on either side of a closed door can help them pick up each other’s scent. Eating is an enjoyable time for any animal and will help “introduce” your dog to the new pet in a safe, positive way.
• Allowing your current dog to sniff the other animal’s bedding or blankets will also help encourage familiarity. And offering treats as you’re doing this turns this strange new smell into a positive thing.

Sight

That first glimpse of a brand-new housemate can be very exciting for a dog – particularly one that’s keen to chase and pounce. So, start by taking your dog for a long walk to tire them out and help them feel more relaxed.

• When you bring your dog home, allow them to watch the new pet from a distance. Avoid anything that might cause them to lunge or struggle to get a closer look. A new pet, when startled, may begin to scramble and move in ways your pet decides call for a chase. During this time, your dog must be leashed, a safe distance away, and the new pet must be caged, crated, or behind a baby gate.
• Keep introductions slow. Let your dog observe the other pet for 20 to 30 minutes before you consider introducing them. If they struggle aggressively to get closer, extend the observation time. Once they have noticed the other animal, yet remain calm, reward them with some high-value treats.

The Meet-Up

This is very exciting for your existing dog, and although you’ve followed the scent and sight steps, they may still behave aggressively.

• Keep your dog leashed at all times, with you firmly holding onto his lead. Be prepared to pull back or use the “leave it” command to regain control of a boisterous dog. Ensure your focus is on your dog, not both animals. Meaning the smaller pet should be in a cage, crate, or held by someone else.
• Allowing your dog to sniff the new pet several times throughout the day for a few seconds will help with gradual introductions. After each “session,” draw your dog back and reward his calmness with a treat.

If, after introductions and what seems like a positive period of time, you still have concerns about leaving your dog alone with this new pet, then you need to consider rehoming the little guy. You know your dog, and keeping all animals safe needs to take precedence