A Dog with the Strong Prey Drive

My dog is a friendly Cairn Terrier called Barry the Brave. He is smart, handsome, and an absolutely nuclear prey-driven dog, like many other terriers. The moment he spots a rabbit, deer, or livestock, the switch flips, and he’s run off - completely ignoring me shouting for him to come back.

We live in the UK countryside, so temptation is literally everywhere. Once he realised that hunting is a thing in itself, and I don’t fully support his habit, he went self-employed. At first, he’d disappear for a couple of minutes and come back like nothing had happened. Then he would disappear for longer, so it became 30 minutes, then an hour… eventually two or three hours in the forest at night, pouring rain, while I ran through the woods, shouting his name.

What We Tried

By that point, he was wearing a GPS tracker, so at least I knew which direction he was in. I’d eventually find him, exhausted and completely out of his mind, and get him back home – until the next walk. I got to the point where I would not know whether we would come back home together or not.

Then came the day when we walked in Witley Common, the local rabbit heaven. He bolted straight across a road in full hunting mode. Cars slamming on brakes, I saw many scared faces in cars. That was my point of no return – I had had enough. Just imagine the dog would not only hurt himself, but would also cause a car crash and else…

Meanwhile, we tried two different trainers and behaviour specialists. Both told me Barry was “untrainable”, had “a very strong prey drive”, and would have to live the rest of his life on a lead. Walking a frustrated, leash-bound terrier every single day felt like a prison sentence for both of us. And I thought it was the only way until I spoke to my neighbour Lucy, who has two large dogs with the same insane prey drive – yet they walked calmly off-lead, even around deer. Whoa! Is that even possible?

What Worked

When she told me it was possible with modern low-stimulation e-collar training, I almost didn’t believe her… but I was desperate to try. Lucy recommended I call Richard and Jodie at Enrich K9 (Instagram: @enrich .k9), a Prey Drive and Recall specialist in Surrey, UK.

The transformation was magical. Richard had Barry responding beautifully in under 20 minutes. It then took him three more days to train me how to use the tools properly (apparently, humans are the slower learners!). On the final day, we did the ultimate test: a walk through Petworth Park with around 300 wild deer grazing everywhere. Barry saw them, looked at me, and chose to come back every single time.

Suddenly, the map was unlocked. We could go anywhere – forests, beaches, countryside – without stress, without shouting, without danger. Barry got his freedom back, and I got my peace of mind.

That experience changed everything for us. Richard and Jodie, as well as other e-collar trainers, are doing a fantastic job – they save dog lives, save the livestock and give the dog’s owner control in any situation (hence peace of mind).  

How We Started Flex Collars

I am very grateful for the e-collar training, so I wanted to add my contribution to the e-collar industry. So I started working on design for a tactical bungee e-collar strap: a comfortable, durable, handmade in the UK, that keeps perfect receiver contact and actually feels good on the dog.

That’s how Flex Collars was born. Every strap we make saves lives. Every strap we make is built from the lessons Barry taught me – because no dog with a big personality should have to live on a lead, and no owner should have to live in fear. I hope our collars help unlock your map.

Why Are We Different?

We work closely with manufacturers to create materials specifically for our collars. An elastic element with a unique pattern and qualities was made for FlexCollars, which can last up to 3,000 elongations. We use the AustriAlpin Cobra Quick Release buckle, which is known for its durability ( and widely used in many other dog collars). We use coated metal elements for better protection.

Our collars consist of 2 separate elements, and can be fitted in 4 different ways. This is to meet the demand from various dog trainers and dog owners who like to fit them in a different way.

Thanks,

Julia & Barry

P.S. Huge thanks to Richard and Jodie at Enrich K9. If you have a high-drive dog, they are dog specialists who can truly change your life.