toastythemosty
Cathlete
My puppy who is 8 months will try to hump either my arm or leg. Is she just showing affection or trying to be dominant? I am being serious here, though I know it must be funny. }(
Charlotte~~
Charlotte~~
O/T: Dog Question
- Thread starter toastythemosty
- Start date
bestoutwest
Cathlete
Sounds like she is being dominant. Is she spayed yet? If not, I would definitely advise that, and then some obedience training to make her realize her "place" in the family.
0 Push ups
Cathlete
Sounds like she wants to play. http://www.techhelpers.net/e4u/animal/527.gif
Charlotte,
She is most likely being dominant. Humping is something dogs do to each other from the time they are very small (with their littermates) and it rarely has anything to do with sex!! My 15 pound female terrier mix humps my 55 pound Aussie when the Aussie is lying on the floor. It's a pretty funny sight!
I wouldn't let her continue to do it, if I were you. A good thing to do when she does this is to tell her no, and gently put her on her back and hold her there for a few moments. If she struggles, don't let her up until she stops struggling. This is a way to use canine language to let her know her behavior is inappropriate and that you are the one who is in charge. Always praise her for being calm when you place her on her back and praise her for stopping the humping, too! She's just trying to figure out her boundaries, that's all.
Good luck!
Kat (who is a dog trainer/behaviorist, BTW
)
She is most likely being dominant. Humping is something dogs do to each other from the time they are very small (with their littermates) and it rarely has anything to do with sex!! My 15 pound female terrier mix humps my 55 pound Aussie when the Aussie is lying on the floor. It's a pretty funny sight!
I wouldn't let her continue to do it, if I were you. A good thing to do when she does this is to tell her no, and gently put her on her back and hold her there for a few moments. If she struggles, don't let her up until she stops struggling. This is a way to use canine language to let her know her behavior is inappropriate and that you are the one who is in charge. Always praise her for being calm when you place her on her back and praise her for stopping the humping, too! She's just trying to figure out her boundaries, that's all.
Good luck!
Kat (who is a dog trainer/behaviorist, BTW
)Hi Charlotte,
Your puppy is trying to be dominant. What need to do is show that you (and all the other human members of the household) are in charge or "alpha".
Spaying won't necessarily fix this behavior, but a good obedience class (where both the dog AND the owner get trained) just might.
As a side note: Have you ever seen "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. Cesar Millan, the dog behaviorist on this show, deals with similar types of behavior. It's a very good program.
Edited to add: Our spayed female Boston Terrier started humping a lot a few years ago. Kat's suggestion of rolling her on her back in a submissive posture worked for us.
Your puppy is trying to be dominant. What need to do is show that you (and all the other human members of the household) are in charge or "alpha".
Spaying won't necessarily fix this behavior, but a good obedience class (where both the dog AND the owner get trained) just might.
As a side note: Have you ever seen "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. Cesar Millan, the dog behaviorist on this show, deals with similar types of behavior. It's a very good program.
Edited to add: Our spayed female Boston Terrier started humping a lot a few years ago. Kat's suggestion of rolling her on her back in a submissive posture worked for us.
0 Push ups
Cathlete
Ok, I found this on the net:
Why do dogs hump? Dogs humping humans may amuse other humans, but rarely the human who's being humped. Some dogs will hump a toy or sofa cushion incessantly. We accept dogs humping other dogs in the act of mating, but in other situations it can create problems. What does all this humping mean, and what can we do about it?
Early Days
Puppyhood socialization to another dog of the opposite sex can help a dog orient sexual behavior for adulthood. Whether you're going to breed the dog or not, it helps for the dog to develop the concept that sexuality is toward other dogs, not humans or pillows.
Much of the humping you'll see among puppies as well as among adult dogs is play. Some of it expresses dominance, but that's not always the case.
If a dog persists in humping another dog in a social situation, distracting the dog who's doing the humping into another activity is a good idea. For one thing, it's best that a dog not get obsessed with humping. Besides the potential annoyance to others, it can even result in physical irritation. When you consistently interrupt the humping, you prevent it from becoming a strong habit in the dog.
Secondly, being humped can become oppressive to the dog who is the target, so that's another reason to interrupt. This is a common complaint in situations where dogs get together to play, such as dog parks. Just distract the humping dog, without punishment of any kind.
THE CANINE BEHAVIOR SERIES
By Kathy Diamond Davis
Author and Trainer
Why do dogs hump? Dogs humping humans may amuse other humans, but rarely the human who's being humped. Some dogs will hump a toy or sofa cushion incessantly. We accept dogs humping other dogs in the act of mating, but in other situations it can create problems. What does all this humping mean, and what can we do about it?
Early Days
Puppyhood socialization to another dog of the opposite sex can help a dog orient sexual behavior for adulthood. Whether you're going to breed the dog or not, it helps for the dog to develop the concept that sexuality is toward other dogs, not humans or pillows.
Much of the humping you'll see among puppies as well as among adult dogs is play. Some of it expresses dominance, but that's not always the case.
If a dog persists in humping another dog in a social situation, distracting the dog who's doing the humping into another activity is a good idea. For one thing, it's best that a dog not get obsessed with humping. Besides the potential annoyance to others, it can even result in physical irritation. When you consistently interrupt the humping, you prevent it from becoming a strong habit in the dog.
Secondly, being humped can become oppressive to the dog who is the target, so that's another reason to interrupt. This is a common complaint in situations where dogs get together to play, such as dog parks. Just distract the humping dog, without punishment of any kind.
THE CANINE BEHAVIOR SERIES
By Kathy Diamond Davis
Author and Trainer
toastythemosty
Cathlete
Thanks everyone! I figured it was probably a dominance issue, but since my dog is so gentle and loving, I wasn't sure if it was just a way she wanted to play.
Charlotte~~
Charlotte~~
merrybaker
Cathlete
How funny ,I have an 11 yr old Akita our other one died about 1 yr ago . anyhow when they were young (Both Males /fixed)if they would get overly excited about a walk or something they would suddenly start humping each other ..!!! I always felt it was a way they expressed excitement/frustration LOL I would tell them to knock it off they would seem embareassed LOL .... My new 8 month old Saint has yet to do this ..Hes so big , I hope he doesn't }( }( }( :7 :7 :7
It is definitely dominance. I have the same problem w/my nuetered 4 year old pug. The little guy is completely out of control & I'm currently undergoing "behavior modification" with him (this is for both dog & owner, & believe me it's much tougher on me than it is on him!). The "behavoral therapist" told me this is a form of dominant behavior.
He's finally learning that I'm the boss in the house, not him, but it has not been easy. I would suggest getting some training now before you have to go through what I'm doing now.
He's finally learning that I'm the boss in the house, not him, but it has not been easy. I would suggest getting some training now before you have to go through what I'm doing now.
Please DO NOT roll her on her back. That way of training is rarely used anymore, very outdated, and the people who created don't even use it. I would teach her an alternate behavior or give her a timeout maybe in a crate when she humps. It isn't necessarily dominance.
Again, please don't roll her on her back. It's an ineffective technique and most trainers don't use it anymore.
Colleen
http://www.geocities.com/colleenp99/
Again, please don't roll her on her back. It's an ineffective technique and most trainers don't use it anymore.
Colleen
http://www.geocities.com/colleenp99/