Golden Rule Three — Prey Drive

£24.99

Golden Rule Three — Prey Drive is a focused, practical course designed to help owners understand prey drive, how it influences a dog’s behaviour and how to develop appropriate training strategies to guide that drive constructively.

Prey drive is not simply about chasing. It involves understanding a dog’s motivation, recognising the triggers that influence its behaviour and learning how to develop focus, engagement and control around distractions.

This course covers the key foundations owners need to understand when working with prey drive, helping them recognise how motivation influences behaviour and how to develop a structured approach to training.

What This Course Covers

The course covers the essential questions owners commonly have about prey drive:

What is prey drive?

Why are some dogs more motivated to chase than others?

How does prey drive influence a dog’s behaviour?

What triggers a dog’s prey drive?

How do I recognise the early signs of increased drive?

How do I understand my dog’s motivation?

How do I use toys and rewards effectively?

How do I develop engagement with the handler?

How do I encourage focus around distractions?

How do I introduce appropriate control during training?

How do I manage chasing behaviour?

How do I develop reliable responses when my dog becomes excited?

How do I use structured play to support learning?

How do I recognise when drive is increasing?

How do I adjust training when distractions become too strong?

How do I develop consistency through repetition?

How do I avoid reinforcing unwanted chasing behaviour?

How do I progress training as my dog improves?

How do I balance motivation with control?

How do I develop the foundations for more reliable behaviour around distractions?

Understand Prey Drive

Successful prey-drive training begins with understanding what motivates the dog.

You will learn how prey drive can influence attention, movement, excitement and the dog’s response to environmental triggers.

The course explains the importance of:

• Observation.
• Motivation.
• Focus.
• Engagement.
• Timing.
• Consistency.
• Appropriate rewards.
• Environmental awareness.
• Gradual progression.

Understanding these principles helps owners recognise how drive influences behaviour and how to create suitable conditions for learning.

Understand What Triggers Prey Drive

Different dogs respond to different triggers. Movement, toys, animals and other environmental changes may increase a dog’s interest and motivation.

You will learn the importance of observing your dog and identifying the situations that influence its behaviour.

The course focuses on:

• Recognising individual triggers.
• Observing changes in attention.
• Understanding the influence of movement.
• Identifying increasing excitement.
• Recognising when focus shifts away from the handler.
• Adjusting the training environment.
• Developing a more structured approach to distractions.

The aim is to help owners understand what influences their dog’s behaviour rather than responding only after chasing or excessive excitement has begun.

Build Communication Between Handler and Dog

Effective training requires clear communication, particularly when motivation and excitement increase.

You will learn how to develop communication through:

• Attention and engagement.
• Clear verbal cues.
• Consistent body language.
• Appropriate positioning.
• Reward timing.
• Repetition and practice.
• Recognition of the dog’s response.

The aim is to help owners develop a clearer understanding of how their communication influences the dog’s behaviour during training.

Understand Rewards and Motivation

Motivation plays an important role in prey-drive training.

You will learn how suitable rewards, toys, play and positive experiences can encourage engagement and support learning.

The course covers:

• Understanding what motivates an individual dog.
• Selecting suitable rewards.
• Using toys appropriately.
• Delivering rewards effectively.
• Reinforcing desirable responses.
• Maintaining engagement during training.
• Recognising when motivation changes.
• Adjusting an exercise when necessary.

The objective is to help owners use motivation constructively while developing appropriate training habits.

Learn How to Develop Focus and Engagement

When a dog becomes interested in a trigger, its attention may shift away from the handler.

You will learn the importance of developing engagement before expecting reliable responses in more challenging environments.

The course focuses on:

• Building attention towards the handler.
• Developing engagement during training.
• Reinforcing voluntary attention.
• Introducing clear cues.
• Practising in manageable environments.
• Gradually introducing distractions.
• Recognising when an exercise becomes too difficult.

The aim is to develop the foundations for better communication when the dog’s motivation increases.

Understand Drive and Control

Motivation can help a dog engage in training, but excitement must be managed appropriately.

You will learn why effective training involves understanding the relationship between drive, attention and control.

The course covers:

• Recognising changes in arousal and excitement.
• Observing the dog’s response to triggers.
• Adjusting the level of difficulty.
• Maintaining appropriate distance from distractions.
• Reinforcing desirable behaviour.
• Simplifying an exercise when necessary.
• Progressing only when the dog can manage the task.

The focus is on developing appropriate responses without relying on fear or physical punishment.

Learn How to Manage Chasing Behaviour

Chasing can present practical difficulties, particularly when a dog reacts strongly to moving objects or animals.

You will learn why environmental management and suitable training conditions are important when working with chasing behaviour.

The course focuses on:

• Identifying situations that encourage chasing.
• Managing access to triggers.
• Using suitable leads and secure environments.
• Avoiding uncontrolled opportunities to chase.
• Developing engagement before increasing difficulty.
• Reinforcing appropriate alternative responses.
• Recognising when professional support may be needed.

Dogs with a strong history of chasing wildlife, livestock or other animals may require individual assessment and carefully managed training.

Understand Why Punishment Can Create Problems

Effective training involves understanding the difference between teaching a desirable response and reacting to a dog’s excitement.

You will learn why shouting, frightening a dog or using physical punishment can create confusion and anxiety without teaching the dog what it should do instead.

The course focuses on:

• Teaching appropriate alternative behaviours.
• Reinforcing successful responses.
• Providing clear and consistent guidance.
• Managing the environment.
• Recognising when the dog is struggling.
• Creating opportunities for successful learning.

The aim is to develop understanding and appropriate behaviour through positive reinforcement rather than fear.

Learn How to Progress Prey-Drive Training

Training should develop as the dog’s understanding and ability to respond improve.

You will learn how to progress through a structured learning process:

INTRODUCTION → UNDERSTANDING → REPETITION → CONSISTENCY → PROGRESSION → RELIABILITY

Each stage provides a foundation for the next.

If the dog struggles, simplify the exercise.

If distractions are too strong, reduce their intensity.

If the dog succeeds consistently, gradually increase the challenge.

If performance deteriorates, reassess motivation, distance, distractions and difficulty.

The aim is to develop more reliable responses through appropriate progression rather than rushing through training stages.

Understand Freedom and Responsibility

Training around prey-drive triggers requires careful consideration of safety and the environment.

The course explains the principle:

MORE FREEDOM REQUIRES MORE BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSIBILITY.

As the dog develops more reliable responses, opportunities for freedom can be considered gradually and appropriately.

Where chasing behaviour or environmental risks remain, suitable supervision, secure areas and lead management remain important.

Learn How to Respond When Training Goes Wrong

Prey-drive training does not always progress as expected.

You will learn how to identify potential difficulties and adjust your approach.

If the dog loses focus, reduce distractions.

If excitement increases, reassess the distance and difficulty.

If motivation decreases, review the reward and training conditions.

If the dog cannot respond reliably, return to a simpler exercise.

If chasing presents a safety risk, manage access to the trigger and seek professional guidance where necessary.

This encourages owners to identify the cause of a problem and improve the training process rather than repeatedly making the same mistake.

Positive Reinforcement

The course focuses on reinforcing desirable behaviour and helping the dog develop positive associations with training.

The training process is:

OBSERVE → CUE → RESPONSE → REWARD

Clear communication, suitable rewards and consistent repetition help the dog develop an understanding of what is expected.

As learning develops, owners can gradually introduce more challenging conditions while continuing to reinforce successful responses.

A Practical Learning Process

Throughout the course, owners are encouraged to use a simple decision-making process:

OBSERVE → INTERPRET → DECIDE → COMMUNICATE → OBSERVE RESPONSE → REASSESS

This encourages owners to assess what the dog is showing them, make an appropriate training decision and evaluate the result.

If the dog succeeds, continue developing the behaviour.

If the dog struggles, simplify the exercise.

If excitement increases, reduce the intensity of the situation.

If distractions interfere with learning, increase distance or change the environment.

If progress becomes inconsistent, return to a stage where the dog can succeed.

The objective is to develop a thoughtful, consistent approach to prey-drive training that can be applied safely and appropriately.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is suitable for:

• Owners who want to understand prey drive.
• Owners whose dogs are highly motivated by movement.
• Owners who want to improve focus and engagement.
• Owners who want to understand motivation and rewards.
• Owners who want to develop better communication.
• Owners who want to manage distractions more effectively.
• Owners who want to understand chasing behaviour.
• Owners who want to develop structured training habits.
• Owners who want to use positive reinforcement.
• Owners who want to establish the foundations for more reliable behaviour around triggers.

What You Will Take Away

By completing the course, you will have a clearer understanding of how to:

• Understand prey drive and motivation.
• Recognise triggers that influence behaviour.
• Observe changes in attention and excitement.
• Build communication and engagement.
• Use toys, food and rewards appropriately.
• Develop focus around manageable distractions.
• Understand the relationship between drive and control.
• Manage situations that encourage chasing.
• Recognise when a dog is struggling.
• Avoid common training mistakes.
• Use positive reinforcement effectively.
• Progress training at an appropriate pace.
• Respond constructively when training becomes difficult.
• Develop consistency through structured practice.
• Make more informed decisions about safety and management.

Course Price

Golden Rule Three — Prey Drive — £19.99

A focused, practical course covering the essential principles of prey-drive training, from understanding motivation and triggers through to developing engagement, appropriate control and more reliable responses around distractions.

£24.99 one-off purchase.