humping

[Bonne Bouche]

Just picked BB up from they daycare, and when I asked how he was today, the mentioned that he found another doodle (male) that he kept humping.

I'd like to nip this in the bud and was hoping to get some advise here. I did a quick search and didn't find much, even though I'm sure its out there somewhere...

Just to give a background. BB is 18 months old. He was neutered at 6 months exactly. As a puppy the only thing he humped was one of his stuffed toys. Never a person. About 3 months ago he humped one dog at the dog park (we go about once a week). We immediately corrected him by pulling him off, verbal sharp "no" and a little tug at his collar. It has happend about once or twice more since then, even though we've been to the park at least a dozen times. It seems as if he finds a "friend" and only does it to that dog, (not any random dog at the park). In our view, generally he innocently plays/wrestles with that dog for awhile, and then it escalates to humping. On at least one occasion, I suspected that one of the dogs at the park was "near heat" (if that is a thing) or "in heat" (though not the dog that BB was humping).

He has also started lifting his leg and marking in the last two or three months. Only while we are "out" on walks or at the park, not in our own yard.

I'm not worried about the leg lifting. But the daycare girl seemed like they might not let him come back if he kept his humping. So I'm very concerned about stopping this behavior. Please help....

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

 You are obviously concerned about this and the fact that it is happening when BB is at Day Care is indeed upsetting. It's nothing sexual in a neutered dog as far as I'm aware even though it's something we, as people are not comfortable with. This is to do with dominance.  I would have thought that the person at the daycare could easily distract/check this behavior as you yourself managed to do.  There was another discussion here very recently about the same subject so just search 'humping' in the search box above though I am sure others will also post and give you some good advice.

[Bonne Bouche]

I'm mostly concerned because the daycare has strict requirements for those who attend, and in August I'm going out of town, and will need to have him there during those two weeks, I think if he kept at it, they might "kick him out".

I know it isn't anything sexual, but to me it doesn't seem dominance either. I don't know if its possible to be something else, but he really doesn't seem to have dominance issues anywhere else? It seems like over-excitement thing, honestly... Even with his toy, he'd always play really hard with it, and then at the end he'd hump it.

I don't find the search tool to be very helpful, it seems to result in a number of photos about Camel Hump mountain, and other very old comments and threads, but I wasn't able to find the thread you were referring to.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm really shocked that the Daycare worker didn't stop this behavior immediately.  Any dominance behaviors are not allowed at our Daycare, and they know exactly how to address it.  I agree this is probably a bit of dominance, especially since he's started marking when he's out on walks.  He's smelling other dogs and leaving his scent on top of theirs.  Both of our guys do this pretty regularly.  You can stop the behavior when you're with him....and it sounds like you already have been on top of it.  As for when he's at Daycare, they will need to respond immediately and consistently.  You can't address it if you aren't there.  I would talk to the owner or manager of the Daycare.

[Bonne Bouche]

Oh I am sure they stopped it once it happened, but I guess they wern't happy that it happened in the first place, or, perhaps BB was just being persistent (i.e., going right back at it).

The person who checked me out only told me because I specifically asked how he was today. I may just be over reacting.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Okay, they were probably just mentioning it.  I'm sure they see it all the time.  Dogs often give this a try when they get overly excited. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This only happens to my dogs when they get extremely over-excited.

[Bonne Bouche]

This makes me feel better to know that it may just be an over excited thing.. It doesnt feel like bb has dominance issues to me...

[Adina P]

I'm not sure how you can 'fix' a problem that shows up under their supervision. 

[Bonne Bouche]

It makes me laugh at how logical this is, and yet it didn't occur to me until you said it. Though I guess when it happens under my watch, I am curious to know if I am doing the right thing.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Dominance behavior in Dogs is perfectly normal in dog world it just brings up some behaviors that we don't always find acceptable in the confines of domestic living.  I don't think anyone should be ashamed if their dogs occasionally do what dogs are wired to do.  

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I can't help you with the hummping issue because my son Oliver 2 yrs old. never humped but is the "humpe" so to say.  For some reason if there is a humper in the dog park they always find Oliver to hump.  Ollie just stands there and does nothing, I don't know if that is a submissive thing or not.  I am sure if BB met Ollie he would hump him LOL.  I can understand your frustration, I get annoyed at the people that don't correct their dogs when they are constantly on Ollie and don't help me pull their dogs off him arrrgggghhhh !!!!!

[Sue & Willy Babe]

 Wilson does that furry paw as I like to call it, and with all the suggestions everyone gave me last week, I am not worried, when his friend comes over I distract him and I do notice that he wants to play and SHE wants that silly green ball,

  But just on a side note,   My daughter has her puppy here this weekend for a wedding, they were playing outside, and Wilson was laying on his back, Maisy came up to him and tried to see if his "Thingy"  would squeek, hee hee hee  I just laughed.