TL;DR
Prey drive is the urge to run the hunting sequence: spot it, stare, stalk, chase, grab. Breeding kept different pieces of that sequence in different groups, so sighthounds keep the chase, terriers keep the grab and the kill, herders keep the stare, and retrievers keep the find and the carry. No breed guarantees a thing about your dog, though, so use this page to understand the drive and then give it a job.
Who This Is For
- Owners asking whether their dog’s chasing is breed or behavior
- People choosing a breed for a home with cats or small pets
- Rottweiler, Malinois, and Border Collie owners who searched their breed
- Anyone whose dog stares down squirrels like it’s a job
- Owners who want an outlet for the drive, not a fight with it
What Prey Drive Actually Is
Prey drive is a dog’s built-in urge to run the steps of a hunt. The AKC describes predation as a chain of behaviors that merge into each other and reward the dog as it goes. Because each step feels good on its own, a dog can get hooked on one piece, like the chase.
The chain has eight steps: orient, eye, stalk, chase, grab-bite, kill-bite, dissect, consume. This list comes from the AKC’s breakdown of the predatory sequence, which groups the first two as the search. The AKC’s prey drive guide also names the groups that commonly carry a strong drive: hounds, terriers, sporting breeds, and herding breeds.
Why the breed matters
People bred dogs to keep the useful steps and dial down the rest. A sheepdog that stares and circles is useful, while one that kills sheep is not. It explains why a Border Collie and a Rat Terrier both have a high prey drive, but they show it in completely different ways. For the full science of the sequence, read the predatory motor pattern explained.
Find your dog’s slice
Watch what your dog does the next time a squirrel moves. A dog that freezes and stares is showing the eye, while one that creeps low is stalking. If it bolts, that is the chase, and a dog that grabs and shakes a toy is running the bite steps. Whichever step lights your dog up hardest is the one to feed, and dog body language shows the early signs in detail.
High Prey Drive Breeds, Group by Group
This table lists the six breed groups most owners ask about, what each was bred to do, and which steps of the hunt tend to show up. The source for each row is the AKC’s group or breed description. Treat it as a map of tendencies, since a calm Greyhound and an intense Lab both exist.
| Group | Example breeds | Bred to | Steps that show up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sighthounds | Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki, Borzoi | Chase game by sight | Eye, chase, grab |
| Terriers | Rat Terrier, Russell Terrier | Hunt and kill vermin | Chase, grab-bite, kill-bite |
| Herding | Border Collie, Malinois, German Shepherd, Cattle Dog | Gather and move livestock | Orient, eye, stalk, chase (heelers add the nip) |
| Working and guardian | Rottweiler, Boxer, Doberman, Cane Corso | Guard, drive cattle, hold game | Varies widely by dog |
| Sporting | Labrador Retriever, Standard Poodle | Find and retrieve game | Orient, chase, carry |
| Northern sled | Siberian Husky | Pull sleds over distance | Chase of small animals |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Sighthounds: built to run it down
The AKC says sighthound breeds pursue prey over long distances by sight rather than scent. Its Greyhound profile says the breed has a strong prey drive and will take off after small animals, so it should only be off leash in a securely fenced area. Whippets were originally bred to pursue and capture small game.
So the drive here is the eye and the chase, at speed. In my experience, a sighthound that locks onto a running rabbit is not ignoring you. It simply can’t hear you over the chase.
Terriers: the grab and the kill
Per the AKC, the Terrier Group was bred to hunt and kill vermin and to guard the home or barn. The AKC’s Rat Terrier profile warns that most will not resist the urge to chase a strange cat or squirrel, so they should never be off lead. Russell Terriers were bred to go to ground and bolt prey.
Terriers are the group that kept the back half of the sequence: grab-bite and kill-bite. Bull-type terriers such as the American Staffordshire Terrier sit in the same AKC group. In my client dogs, their drive shows up more as grip and tug strength than as ratting; see the pit bull and power-breed guide.
Herding breeds and the Malinois: the front half
The AKC says the Herding Group shares an instinct to control the movement of other animals. Herders show the early steps (search, stalk, chase) most strongly, while the later steps were bred down. A Border Collie’s sequence tends to stop at the chase, and a Cattle Dog’s stops at the grab-bite on a heel.
The Malinois is the loud one here. Its AKC breed profile says that, like most herding breeds, the Malinois has a high prey drive that can lead to chasing children, vehicles, or other animals. Breed-specific routines live in the Border Collie routine, the German Shepherd and Malinois guide, and the herding breeds guide.
Rottweilers and guardian breeds: most, not all
The AKC says Working Group dogs were bred for jobs like guarding property and pulling sleds. Its Rottweiler history traces the breed to Roman drover dogs that guided cattle and guarded camps, and the profile doesn’t rate prey drive at all. Among the Rottweilers I have trained, some have a high prey drive and some don’t, but most do. Dobermans were bred as protection dogs, and the Cane Corso guarded farms, drove livestock, and hunted wild boar.
Boxers descend from the Bullenbeisser, a big-game hunter used to run down, catch, and hold game. None of these were bred as pure prey hunters, so drive varies dog to dog. Their guides: Rottweilers, Boxers, Dobermans, and Cane Corsos.
Sporting breeds: chase, then carry
The AKC says the Sporting Group was developed to work with hunters to locate and retrieve game. Its Labrador history notes the breed’s keen retrieving instinct. The AKC Poodle profile says the breed was originally a water retriever and duck hunter, so it belongs here too.
Retrievers keep the orient, the chase, and the carry. The kill steps were not the point. So a Lab can be obsessed with a ball and still live well with a cat. For the Lab-specific plan, see the Labrador guide.
Northern sled breeds: the escape artists
The AKC Siberian Husky profile says these are energetic dogs who can’t resist chasing small animals, so secure running room is a must. It also says Siberians were bred to run, and it calls a leash, harness, or fenced yard vital at all times.
Huskies were bred as sled dogs, not hunters, but the chase is real. The AKC places them in the Working Group; I list them apart because owners search for them apart. For a routine that works, read how to tire out a Husky.
High prey drive is not one trait. It is a different slice of the same hunt in every group. Know which slice your dog carries and you know what kind of outlet it needs.
Breeds With a Lower Prey Drive
Companion breeds usually sit at the low end. The AKC notes that Toy Group breeds were bred to be companions and lap warmers, and it names Basset Hounds, Beagles, Bulldogs, Cavaliers, Collies, Golden Retrievers, Labs, Papillons, and Pugs as breeds that tend to do well with cats.
Pugs are the clearest case. The breed’s AKC breed profile says the Pug has been bred to be a companion. Still, “lower” does not mean zero, and plenty of Pugs love a chase game. Flat-faced dogs need short, cool sessions, which the Pug flirt pole guide covers.
The same AKC cat-compatibility article also makes the honest point that matters most. Most breeds can live calmly with a cat if they are socialized as puppies and trained to leave the cat alone. Notice the two scent hounds on its list, too: the article’s hound warning is aimed at sighthounds.
You Have a High-Drive Breed. Now What?
Don’t try to erase the drive. Manage the risk, then give the drive a legal target it can finish every day. A dog that gets to stalk, chase, and catch a lure on your terms has less pressure left over for the squirrel, the cat, or the kid on the bike.
Manage first
The AKC’s advice for chase-prone dogs is a secure yard, a well-fitting harness, and a long line in areas full of wildlife. Recall usually fails once a dog is in full chase mode, so don’t bet on it yet. If your dog already fixates on other animals, read the warning below before anything else.
Then train and outlet the drive
This page is the lookup; the training has its own home. The step-by-step method is in how to train a high prey drive dog, and the impulse-control work is in the flirt pole impulse control drills. Chasing cars and bikes is covered in how to stop a dog chasing cars.
Predatory behavior often comes with no warning. The ASPCA notes that a predatory dog usually doesn’t growl or show teeth first. If your dog has stalked, grabbed, or injured a cat or small pet, keep them fully separated.
After that, get help from a veterinary behaviorist or a qualified trainer. This page is general education, not a behavior diagnosis.
Your dog isn’t bad, they’re underemployed. A high-drive breed without a job will invent one, and you won’t like the job it picks.
Christopher Lee Moran · Working Dog TrainerGive the Drive a Legal Chase
A flirt pole lets a high-drive dog run the whole sequence on your terms: stalk the lure, chase it, catch it, and let it go on cue. Because you control the start and the stop, it builds impulse control at the same time. Ten minutes of that beats an hour of a dog straining at the leash for squirrels.
Why this and not a ball launcher or a laser? A machine gives the chase but not the catch or the control. The AKC points out that a laser is a game with no closure, since the dog can never catch it. A flirt pole ends in a real catch, with you holding the other end.
The Whimsy Stick flirt pole
Most breeds on this list are 30 lbs and up, so they need the Rugged XL with its 800-lb Dyneema line and free US shipping. Small terriers, Pugs, and other dogs 30 lbs and under run the Standard with a 450-lb Kevlar line.
Go Deeper on Your Breed
High Prey Drive Breeds: FAQ
Which dog breeds have the highest prey drive?
No official ranking exists, and the AKC does not score breeds on prey drive. The AKC does name hounds, terriers, sporting breeds, and herding breeds as the groups that commonly carry a strong drive. Its cat-compatibility article flags terriers, sighthounds, and herding breeds as the groups to watch around cats.
Do Rottweilers have a high prey drive?
Most do, but not all. In my client dogs, some Rottweilers have a high prey drive and some don’t, but most do. The AKC breed profile doesn’t rate prey drive, and it traces the breed to Roman drover dogs that moved cattle and guarded camps. Judge the dog in front of you and socialize early.
Do Belgian Malinois have a high prey drive?
Yes. The AKC breed profile says that, like most herding breeds, the Malinois has a high prey drive and a strong interest in moving objects. It can lead to chasing children, vehicles, or other animals, so the AKC says to direct it into acceptable activities through training.
Do Border Collies have a high prey drive?
Yes, but mostly the front half of it. The AKC says a Border Collie’s predatory sequence tends to stop at the chase, which is why you see the famous stare, the crouch, and the circling. Expect them to try to herd kids, bikes, and other pets.
Do Labradors or Boxers have a high prey drive?
Labs have a strong retrieving drive: chase and carry, not kill, and the AKC lists them among breeds that tend to do well with cats. Boxers descend from a big-game hunting dog and were developed as guard and companion dogs. Drive in both breeds varies a lot between individual dogs.
Do Pugs or Poodles have a prey drive?
Every dog has some. The AKC says the Pug has been bred to be a companion, so its drive is usually low. The Standard Poodle was originally bred as a water retriever and duck hunter, so many Standards enjoy a real chase game.
Which dog breeds have a low prey drive?
Companion breeds usually sit lowest. The AKC names Basset Hounds, Beagles, Bulldogs, Cavaliers, Collies, Golden Retrievers, Labs, Papillons, and Pugs as breeds that tend to get along with cats. Individual dogs still vary, so meet the dog before you trust the label.
Can a high prey drive dog live with a cat?
Often, yes, with slow introductions, management, and training. The AKC says most breeds can live calmly with a cat if socialized as puppies and trained to leave the cat alone. A dog that has already stalked, grabbed, or hurt a cat needs full separation and a professional’s help.
Can you train prey drive out of a dog?
No, and you don’t need to. The drive is bred in. What you can train is control: a solid leave it, a reliable stop, and a daily outlet that lets the dog finish the chase on your terms. That is the whole idea behind flirt pole work.
This page is general education from a working dog trainer, not veterinary or behavioral advice. See the exercise disclaimer before starting any new exercise routine.
