Dog Breeds With a High Prey Drive
Which dog breeds have a high prey drive? The AKC names four groups that commonly carry a strong one: hounds (sighthounds most of all), terriers, sporting breeds and herding breeds. Some sled breeds like the Siberian Husky chase hard too. What’s different between them is which part of the hunt each group was bred to keep. Every dog is still its own dog, so when you’re ready to work with the drive, start with prey drive training.
No official ranking: the AKC doesn’t score breeds on prey drive. This page covers 6 breed groups and the 8 steps of the hunt, and every breed claim is sourced to an AKC page.
By Christopher Lee Moran, working dog trainer, about 10 years and around 400 client dogs. I make the Whimsy Stick, so I’m not neutral about flirt poles.
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
The short version: prey drive is the urge to run through a hunt, spot it, stare, stalk, chase and grab. Breeding kept different pieces of that in different groups. Sighthounds kept the chase, terriers kept the grab and the kill, herders kept the stare, and retrievers kept the find and the carry. No breed guarantees a thing about your dog, so use this page to understand the drive and then give it a job.
What prey drive actually is
Prey drive is a dog’s built-in urge to go through the steps of a hunt. The AKC describes it as a chain of behaviors that run into each other and pay the dog off as it goes, and since each step feels good on its own, a dog can get hooked on just one piece of it, like the chase.
There are eight steps: orient, eye, stalk, chase, grab-bite, kill-bite, dissect and consume. That list comes from the AKC’s breakdown of the predatory sequence, which groups the first two together as the search. The same guide 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 steps that were useful and turn down the rest. A sheepdog that stares and circles is useful, and one that kills sheep is not. That’s why a Border Collie and a Rat Terrier both have a high prey drive but show it in totally different ways. For more, read the predatory motor pattern explained.
Find your dog’s slice
Watch what your dog does next time a squirrel moves. A dog that freezes and stares is showing the eye, and one that creeps along low is stalking. If it takes off, that’s the chase, and a dog that grabs a toy and shakes it is running the bite steps. Whatever step lights your dog up the most is the one to feed. Dog body language goes over the early signs.
High prey drive breeds, group by group
These are the six breed groups most owners ask about, what each was bred to do, and which steps of the hunt tend to show up. Every row comes from the AKC’s group or breed description. It’s just what tends to happen, cause there are calm Greyhounds and intense Labs out there too.
| 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 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 |
Sighthounds: built to run it down
The AKC says sighthound breeds pursue prey over long distances by sight, not 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 fenced area it can’t get out of, and Whippets were originally bred to chase down and catch small game. With these dogs the drive is the eye and the chase, at full speed. A sighthound fixed on a running rabbit isn’t ignoring you, it’s all in on the chase, and that’s why the fence matters.
Terriers: the grab and the kill
The AKC says the Terrier Group was bred to hunt and kill vermin and guard the home or barn. Its Rat Terrier profile warns that most won’t resist chasing a strange cat or squirrel, so they should never be off lead, and Russell Terriers were bred to go down into holes and run the prey out. Terriers, though, kept the back half, the grab-bite and the kill-bite. Bull-type terriers like the American Staffordshire Terrier are in the same group, and a lot of times their drive shows up more as grip and tug strength than as ratting, so 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 how other animals move. Herders show the early steps, search, stalk and chase, the strongest, and the later steps were bred down. In the AKC’s words, a Border Collie’s “predatory sequence tends to stop at chase,” while a Cattle Dog goes on to the grab-bite on a heel. The Malinois profile says that like most herding breeds, the Malinois has a high prey drive that can lead to chasing kids, vehicles or other animals. Routines are in the Border Collie routine, the German Shepherd and Malinois guide and the herding breeds guide.
Rottweilers and guardian breeds: it varies
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. My take: most Rottweilers do have a high prey drive, but some don’t, so judge the dog you’ve got. Dobermans were bred as protection dogs, and the Cane Corso guarded farms, drove livestock and hunted wild boar. Boxers come from the Bullenbeisser, a big-game hunter used to run down, catch and hold game. Guides: Rottweilers, Boxers, Dobermans and Cane Corsos.
Sporting breeds: chase, then carry
The AKC says the Sporting Group was developed to work with hunters finding and bringing back game. Its Labrador history talks about the breed’s strong retrieving instinct, and the Poodle profile says the breed started out as a water retriever and duck hunter. Retrievers kept the orient, the chase and the carry, and the kill steps were never the point, so a Lab can be obsessed with a ball and still live fine with a cat. See the Labrador guide.
Northern sled breeds: the escape artists
The AKC Siberian Husky profile says these are energetic dogs that can’t resist chasing small animals, so they need running room they can’t get out of, and that a leash, harness or fenced yard is vital at all times. Huskies were bred as sled dogs, not hunters, but still, that chase is real. The AKC puts them in the Working Group, and I list them by themselves cause that’s how owners look them up. For a routine, read how to tire out a Husky.
The takeaway: high prey drive isn’t one thing. Every group carries a different piece of the same hunt. Figure out which piece your dog has and you’ll know what kind of outlet it needs.
Breeds with a lower prey drive
Companion breeds are usually on the low end. The AKC notes that Toy Group breeds were bred to be companions, and its cat-compatibility article names Basset Hounds, Beagles, Bulldogs, Cavaliers, Collies, Golden Retrievers, Labs, Papillons and Pugs as breeds that tend to do well with cats.
Pugs, for example, are the clearest case. The Pug profile says the breed was bred to be a companion. But lower doesn’t mean zero, and plenty of Pugs love a chase game. Flat-faced dogs need short sessions when it’s cool out, and the Pug flirt pole guide covers that. The same cat article makes the point that matters most: most breeds can live calmly with a cat if they’re socialized as puppies and trained to leave the cat alone.
You have a high-drive breed. Now what?
Don’t try to get rid of the drive. Manage the risk, then give that drive something it’s allowed to go after and finish every day. The way I see it, a dog that gets to stalk, chase and catch a lure on your terms has less built up for the squirrel, the cat or the kid on the bike.
Manage first
The AKC’s advice for dogs that chase is a secure yard, a harness that fits right and a long line anywhere there’s a lot of wildlife. Recall usually falls apart once a dog is in full chase mode, so don’t bet on it yet, at least not until it’s solid.
Safety first. The ASPCA notes that a predatory dog usually doesn’t growl or show its teeth first. If your dog has already stalked, grabbed or hurt a cat or another small pet, keep them completely apart, no exceptions, and get help from a veterinary behaviorist or a qualified trainer. This page is general info and can’t diagnose your dog. See dog chasing the cat.
Then train and give the drive an outlet
This page is for looking up the breed. The step-by-step method is in how to train a high prey drive dog, the impulse control work is in the flirt pole impulse control drills, and chasing cars and bikes is covered in how to stop a dog chasing cars.
Drive with an off-switch. A Malinois holding a down and a doodle holding a sit until the release, with the lure right there.
Impulse control drillsGive the drive a legal chase
A flirt pole lets a high-drive dog go through the whole thing on your terms: it stalks the lure, chases it, catches it and lets it go on cue. Since you control when it starts and stops, it builds impulse control at the same time. In general my clients tell me their dogs are a lot calmer and more relaxed and seem more satisfied after using one.
Why this and not a ball launcher or a laser? A machine gives the dog the chase but not the catch or the control, and a laser is a game the dog can never win, cause there’s nothing to catch. A flirt pole ends in a real catch, and you’re holding the other end.
Most of the breeds on this list are 30 lbs and up, so they need the Rugged XL, one 46-inch piece of reinforced fiberglass with an 800-lb Dyneema line. Small terriers, Pugs and other dogs under 30 lbs use the Standard, with a 450-lb Kevlar line. I bought the flirt poles I could find, handed them out to clients and watched what broke, then built my own and tested it on high-drive client dogs for years before I ever sold one.
Rugged XL + 3 Lures
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · 800-lb Dyneema line
- 3 lures to rotate · free US shipping
Rugged XL
- Same pole and line, 1 lure
- Dogs 30 lbs and up · free US shipping
Rugged XL Pro Kit
- The XL with 5 lures and a spare line
- For dogs that shred lures · free US shipping
The Standard
- Dogs under 30 lbs · 450-lb Kevlar line
- $20 flat US shipping, cause it goes in a longer box
Every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you pay return shipping unless the pole failed. Rated 4.9 across 49 product reviews. Every breed guide is in one place at flirt poles by breed.
Want more of this in your Google results? Add Whimsy Stick as a preferred source.
High prey drive breeds: FAQ
Which dog breeds have the highest prey drive?
There isn’t any official ranking, and the AKC doesn’t score breeds on prey drive. It does name hounds, terriers, sporting breeds and herding breeds as the groups that commonly carry a strong drive, and its cat article flags terriers, sighthounds and herding breeds as the ones to watch around cats.
Do Rottweilers have a high prey drive?
My take is most do, but some don’t. The AKC profile doesn’t rate prey drive, and it traces the breed back to Roman drover dogs that moved cattle and guarded camps. Go by the dog you’ve got, and get them socialized early.
Do Belgian Malinois have a high prey drive?
Yes. The AKC profile says that like most herding breeds, the Malinois has a high prey drive and a strong interest in things that move. That can lead to chasing kids, vehicles or other animals, so the AKC says to point it at acceptable activities through training.
Do Border Collies have a high prey drive?
Yeah, but it’s mostly the front half of the hunt. The AKC says a Border Collie’s sequence tends to stop at the chase, and that’s why you see the famous stare, the crouch and the circling. So don’t be surprised when they try to herd your 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 as a breed that tends to do well with cats. Boxers come from a big-game hunting dog and were developed as guard and companion dogs. In both breeds the drive changes a lot from one dog to the next.
Do Pugs or Poodles have a prey drive?
Every dog has at least some. The AKC says the Pug was bred to be a companion, so its drive is usually low. The Standard Poodle started out as a water retriever and duck hunter, so a lot of Standards enjoy a real chase game.
Which dog breeds have a low prey drive?
The companion breeds are usually the 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. But every dog is still different, so I’d meet the dog before I trusted the label.
Can a high prey drive dog live with a cat?
A lot of times yes, with slow introductions, management and training. The AKC says most breeds can live calmly with a cat if they’re socialized as puppies and trained to leave the cat alone. A dog that’s already stalked, grabbed or hurt a cat needs to be kept completely separate and needs a professional’s help.
Can you train prey drive out of a dog?
No, and you really don’t need to, cause the drive is bred in. What you can train is control: a solid leave it, a stop you can count on, and somewhere every day for the dog to finish the chase on your terms. That’s pretty much the whole idea behind flirt pole work.
High-drive breed? Give it a job.
A stalk, a chase and a catch every day that ends when you say so. The Rugged XL is for dogs 30 lbs and up, with free US shipping and 30 days to try it.
Add the Rugged XL + 3 Lures, $94.95Smaller dog? See the Standard, $55.95
General education from a working dog trainer, not veterinary or behavioral advice. Exercise disclaimer.
