An embarrassing question...

[L.M.]

As a new owner of 2 dogs, a male and female, brother and sister but not littermates....I have a bit of an embarrassing question to ask.  Seamus is about 20 months and Stella is almost 5 months.  Tonight, for the first time ever, I caught Seamus trying to hump his sister.  I looked it up online and it said dominance....well I know they often try to establish dominance over one another and all that, but this was more than that.  They were sniffing one another "down there" (lol I'm sorry) and would not let up!  Then Seamus proceeded to hump/mount, which he really never does, and he won't stop!! He is fixed, she is not because she is still too young.  What should I do??  I pulled him off of her, but he won't leave her alone now.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

Oh Gosh what a question!!  But I am not sure why you say Stella is too young, I have read between 4-6 months is the ideal age for females to get spayed.  Rosey was 4.5 months old, they heal faster when they are young too.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Don't know if this will help, but maybe spray her rear lightly with some bitter apple- it might discourage the problem.  Good

luck and don't be embarrassed, puppies do the silliest things!

[L.M.]

Hmmm I was told that 6 months was the age for a female to get spayed?  I will call my vet tomorrow! lol

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

There are many differing opinions about the optimum timing for spaying a dog. Some believe in extremely early spay and neuter-6 or 7 WEEKS. Some believe it should be 6 months or older. Some say let them have one heat cycle before spaying.  I suggest you research the issue, decide what you would like to do for your girl and then discuss your decision with your vet.

[Kyoko]

I got Charlie spayed before old Butter got any idea..... I think she was 5 1/2 months old. She did fine and recovered fine. May be because Butter is really old, but it never this never happened between them two....

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I am pretty sure that Seamus intense interest means that Stella is ready to be spade.  Dogs will mate with close relatives, so you may end up with puppies to abort if you don't get going on this.

[L.M.]

Luckily Seamus is fixed!  =)  But we will definitely call the vet asap!

[GBK]

My Buddy is larger than Kona and he constantly tried the humping with her, I taught her to "down" the minute he got on top of her.  It worked :)  He still tries and my smart girl immediately goes into a down, Buddy walks away......  Now she will also hump him, usually when he is sitting or laying down.  He really could care less, she humps a few times and get's off on her own. 

Here is a nice link for teaching the off and timing out:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/down-amp-dirty-humping-sex-sta...

 

Buddy also will hump only the young and the older at the dog park at times.  His preferences are golden retrievers and labrador retreivers, of either sex :)  We have been working with time outs and I now always carry my leash for him with me in the park.  If he starts, I put the leash on and he sits next to me for a few minutes.  He remembers pretty quick what it means if I ask him if he wants to go on lead, leave it. 

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Kirby and Dex are both fixed (and are 4.5 yrs old).  I catch Kirby humping Dex now and then.  I just tell him to "get off Dexter".  It's totally a dominance thing...Seamus may continue doing this once she is fixed.  I mostly let them work it out, but I do tell Kirby to cut it off if I see him doing it. 

Honestly Dexter doesn't mind and actually looks like he enjoys it (I've caught him with a goofy doodle grin several times) which is really odd. Kirby doesn't hump any other doodles other than Dex. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I would definitely call the Vet to see if Stella can be spayed now.  Murphy was 5 months when he was neutered.  Even after that he may still try it on occasion - actually she might too.  My two males will often "take turns", when they get playing and are excited.  I usually tell them to "knock it off", and they do.  There are other recent discussions on the "Humpty Dumpty" that are pretty interesting (and humorous).

[Debbie and Thomas]

I am confused...what has Lindsays question got to do with spaying her dog?  Do you think that the neutered male Seamus can smell her fertility? Do you think that could happen when she is still so young? I don't think he knows that she is his biological sister so I wonder if the "mounting" of her is because she is an unspayed female or because he wants to dominate. Just asking because we are thinking of a female doodle and have a 2 year old male.

[L.M.]

I was wondering the same thing myself.