The author and trainer, Wendy Volhard, has put forward the concept of “drives” that controls canine behavior.  These drives are classified under three groups: defense, prey and pack.
 
   The defense drive has to do with fight or flight instincts, self preservation and survival.  This does become complex, because the same stimuli that causes a dog to flee at one age, will cause the same dog to fight when older.  The temperament test can gauge the fight or flight behaviors in an individual dog, and give the owner a hint as to how to train and give commands to the dog.  Whether a hard, or soft, approach to training is necessary.

     The prey drive refers to the hunting, killing and feeding behavior that dogs have inherited from their wolf ancestry.  When a dog is exhibiting behaviors such as looking intently at another animal, tracking in the woods, standing still and listening, perhaps cocking its head so that the location of the sound can be more accurately ascertained, barking, chasing, jumping, tearing and shaking objects, digging and burying, all are examples of the prey drive.

     The pack drive is a group behavior and this is the one that trainers key in on.  Since dogs are a social animal, that desire to be a part of the group and to fit in are important to the dog’s well being.  The canine now is a part of a family, instead of the pack of wolves.  The dog needs the physical contact, the petting, the grooming, the playtime and the attention it gets during training, as well as the acceptance it receives from the human family pack.  The dog will do anything it needs to do to get the acceptance as a member of the “human” pack, rather than face being ostracized.