02/07/2025
Scent Work: A Vital Tool for Prey-Driven Dogs
When people talk about “prey drive,” it’s often with a tone of concern—especially if their dog has a history of chasing squirrels, birds, or even shadows. But prey drive isn’t a flaw; it’s a natural, instinctive part of many dogs’ behavioural makeup. Rather than suppress it, we have a far more effective and fulfilling option: redirect it.
Enter scent work.
At its heart, prey drive is about searching, stalking, chasing, and sometimes catching. Scent work allows dogs to engage with the searching and tracking phases of this sequence in a safe, controlled, and rewarding way. By doing so, we honour their instincts while gently guiding their energy into something positive.
Why it works:
• Mental fulfilment: Prey-driven dogs are often highly intelligent and energetic. Scent work challenges their brain as much as their nose, giving them a “job” that scratches the same itch as chasing.
• Emotional regulation: The calm focus required in scent work helps balance the adrenaline highs prey-driven dogs often experience.
• Reinforcement through sniffing: Dogs with high prey drive are often motivated by the thrill of the chase—but if we make sniffing just as rewarding, they begin to choose it on their own.
• Safer engagement: Instead of darting after deer or lunging at birds, scent work offers a structured outlet to express those instincts without chaos or danger.
Take Charlie, for example—a bright and beautiful spaniel who first arrived at the field bursting with energy and a nose for mischief. His recall was hit-and-miss, especially when a pheasant made a surprise appearance. But then his person introduced him to scent games—hidden treats among tyres and pallets, little trails through the long grass. Within weeks, Charlie transformed. The once-scattered dashes became purposeful hunts. His tail wagged a little lower, his eyes stayed soft and engaged, and that wild energy found a focus.
Now, Charlie’s visits to the field are a joy to witness. He still loves a good chase—but he’s learned that the real thrill lies in the search. And we’ve learned, too: that a dog’s instincts don’t need suppressing—they need celebrating.
So instead of asking how we can curb a prey-driven dog’s urges, let’s ask how we can channel them—ethically, creatively, and compassionately. The field is proof that when we do, both dogs and humans find something truly rewarding.
The video is of my own dog Tano and not Charlie @ a Trail hunt day run by JBK9S
