Sophie keeps all the critters in her yard in line. Here, she appears to have treed a pesky squirrel! Her owner, Lori Marino of Tampa, FL, says Sophie keeps herself busy for hours, watching for rabbits, squirrels, and birds!

To keep visitors at a minimum in your backyard, do not put up bird houses, bird feeders or bird baths in your dog's fenced-in area.

Also, do not feed your dog outside as leftover food and crumbs will attract wildlife.

There are many fun dog sports that allow dogs to release their prey drive, like AKC Coursing Ability, in which dogs chase a white trash bag tied to a pulley system that moves the bag quickly around a field. Coursing Ability is open to all breeds and mixed breeds registered with AKC, like Sophie, who is a member of the AKC Canine Partners program for all dogs.