He keeps humping things!!

[Brattina88]

The behavior the dog is displaying sounds like a dominance issue to me, the barking upon being "caught in the act" is the dogs way of saying "This is mine!"

I've fostered two dogs that did this (a couple years apart)
One was a female laso apso mix, spayed. I got advice from a trainer and 2 vets for her becuase she even hiked her leg which weirded me out because I'd never heard anything like that at the time. One vet wanted to do x-rays and the whole nine yards. Talked about the genitc issue of having both male and female parts (she didn't) It turned out to be on very dominent little dog...
The other was a male poodle, also fixed...
He stopped right after he attempted to 'hump' my leg. I abruptly knocked him over onto his back, exposing his belly, and 'growled.' I usually don't use this type of correction, but he needed to know that the behaivior was NOT acceptable! (that was the last time I ever saw him 'hump' anything again. And I'm not really suggesting anything like this to anyone, just wanted to share a crazy story! )

I've personally never heard/witnessed about a situation where it wasn't a dominance issue. Its probably more a common behaivior than everyone thinks, just something no one wants to talk about!

 

[neko_my_baby_lab]

I think it something with small dogs because I have 3 small dogs and they all hump a toy.

 

[Kathy74]

My friend's little female spayed yorkie does this on occasion too! I've heard it's because they understand that you're the alpha and they are trying to find something to dominate. Maybe he's just telling the lion "They're my leaders, but you listen to ME!!!" I just about fell off my chair when I read thet he barks when you catch him though!

 

[Renee750il]

You know, guys, I've been thinking back about all the dogs I've seen and/or dealt with that went through a humping phase, along with the situations they did it in, and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's not always dominance; sometimes it's just pure possessiveness.

 

[Baileys]

Whatever it is, it's just sick. I know, it's their nature, but still. This little demon has this stubborn streak a mile wide anyhow (btw, I thought I had him broken of peeing on my side of the bed to mark his territory until last night. I got up to go to the bathroom, and came back to a wet spot.) I love the little brat, but the more he does stuff like this and exemplifies his determination to NOT stop, the less and less I can tolerate him. He goes through spells where you couldn't ask for a better pet, and then he gets all territorial and contrary. I love animals and up until him, had never encountered one, male or female, that I could not get along with and bond with. Now I'm just to the point where I say, it's the boyfriend's dog, and don't even attempt to make up with him.
I have tried the feeding him from my hand, buying him yummy treats, cuddling with him, everything I have ever read anywhere. It all works until he figures out there are no more treats, or I'm busy, and he's at it again. I don't want to complain about him to my boyfriend because I know he loves him dearly and it would be like someone telling you that your kid is the demon spawn of satan, I know it bothers him when the dog and I don't bond and get along. I have just ran out of ideas on how to get the dog to bond and stay bonded.

 

[Renee750il]

Okay. Different solution. When it happens, wake the boyfriend up and make him change sides. You haven't complained about the dog, but he has to confront the problem, and the dog hasn't accomplished anything. If he won't change sides, take your pillow and make a comfy spot on the couch. After a few times, either the dog will give up, the boyfriend will start addressing the problem (like securing the dog in another room to sleep) or you will have found out just exactly where you are in the pecking order.

Good luck! Keep us posted on your progress. You may just be dealing with an incorrigible brat who isn't going to straighten up until your boyfriend steps in and backs you up.

 

[RD]

Oh, I had a HUGE problem with Ripley in adolescence, because we were not bonding at ALL.

Have you taken this dog to obedience classes? Agility class? Find something that you can do with the dog, that not only shows your leadership but that is a special "you and me" time. That's what saved me from selling Ripley, because I honestly had NO bond with that dominant little rat dog.

 

[Baileys]

oops.. see next post

 

[Baileys]

lol Well thanks for the advice Renee and Grace. Nope, no obedience classes or agility classes. My boyfriend has had him since he was a puppy. When he got Bailey, he had been abused (the dog not the boyfriend ha ha), but that was almost 5 years ago. My boyfriend is very patient with him and overly understanding I think. I also think that maybe I may not be as patient as I could be sometimes due to the fact that this is the first inside dog I have ever lived with.
I'm not used to the temper tantrums and the peeing on the beds and wherever he decides he wants to mark at times. Don't get me wrong, he is a loving dog when he wants to be. I just sometimes get inpatient with the stubborn streak and it drives me nuts. I have also heard from a few people who have owned Daschunds before that they are one owner dogs, and once they bond with that one person, they don't feel the need to bond or attach themselves to anybody else. This I can believe, because the days that he doesn't go to work with my boyfriend, he lays on his little doggy bed like he's on his last leg and pouts and has to be prodded into going outside to potty.

 

[Renee750il]

You may have to switch tactics with the dog. Play hard to get. Ignore him. When you feed him, just put the food down and walk off. The one thing all dogs have in common is the absolutely and completely detest being ignored, even by someone they don't particularly give a flip about.

 

[Baileys]

I'm happy to report that I've been ignorin' the little scamp for about a week (hard to do when he's always within arm's reach) and he's started initiating contact. A little more and I think I may have him swung

 

[Renee750il]

Way to go!

 

[sirlocksley]

Jessie,
I see this behavior often when working with K-9's. I work with dominate dogs in my line of work, and this is their way of showing the other who is "top dog". Even with dogs that have been fixed. Even after being fixed, there is still testosterone produced by the dog's body. You can correct the issue by first taking the stuffed animals away. If your dog turns his attention to other objects, just correct him out of the behavior with whatever obedience techniques you have trained him with. Hope this helps,
Joe

 

[JRT_Rattie_Mom]

I have to admit I had some GOOD chuckles about the stuffed lion humping.... and really just wish that was my problem! My Rat Terrier, Holly just turned 6 months old (and was spayed at 12 weeks by the rescue we adopted her from) but in the past month she has turned into the little "humping monster" at the dog park!

I am SO embarrassed by her behavior, and spend a good portion of time chasing her around to "remove her" from her latest victim! Fortunately, all of the dog owners are understanding (it is an all small dog area.. and there are several "hump monsters" there) but "unfortunately" almost all of the dogs are very tolerant of Holly doing this to them!

When she first started this, she tried it with Lucy, our JRT... and Lucy told her off big time right away, so she doesn't even try it with Lucy now. I don't know if this is connected somehow with Lucy going blind... or it is just some stage Holly is going through. I would like to try something to get my point across more seriously (besides running up to "remove her" each time) but a water bottle would punish the dog she is humping if I try to do "while" she is doing it, and don't know if this would be as effective doing it after I stop her? Any other ideas to try? I'm thinking pull her off and putting her on the leash for a time out might be the best option?

The funny thing is... this little dog at home is an absolute angel! She sits quietly looking so sweet, and always perfectly behaved for a puppy! Get her around other dogs... and she is a wild woman, LOL!

 

[Renee750il]

Sounds like little Holly is letting everyone know who's the boss. And it sounds like maybe she really is, if the other dogs are tolerating it; or they may just be putting up with it because she's still a pup.

The time out on the leash is a good idea, and you might also want to think about getting a good water gun that shoots a straight stream so that you can hit Holly and not her latest victim.

Sounds like you've got a hard-core Terrier there! It's a funny thing, I've noticed that Jack Russells in particular seem to enjoy the company of big dogs more than dogs that LOOK more their own size.

Is Lucy having a good time at the park?

 

[JRT_Rattie_Mom]

I'll probably try the time out on the leash first! A squirt gun might be a good idea... if I do target practice before using it, just not sure I'd trust my aim!

Yes, Lucy does have a really good time at the park! Lucy is like so many JRT's, and did always prefer big dogs to play with. From the time she was a puppy we went to a large dog park that was big/small dogs together, but when we adopted Holly in July at just under 4 lbs. I decided it was time to change to a new park with a fenced small dog area. Lucy pouted a little at first (she actually had to learn to enjoy the small dogs... since she never gave them the time of day before!) I was so grateful after she went blind that I had made this decision, and she'd had several months to adjusted to the new park, and had made "friends" with the smaller dogs before she lost her sight.

Lucy still runs with the dogs just like before, but lets some of them stay on the outside of her listening to their tags, so she knows she won't run into anything. She has this favorite old tennis ball that is missing half the felt, and has a big crack in it. The dogs all know this is Lucy's favorite ball... so they all want it! They will grab the ball... and run with it... Holly's job (she assigned this to herself!) is to chase the dog that has the ball, and Lucy chases "them" until Holly gets the ball back! Then Holly brings the ball back to Lucy, and they have a little "tug" game they play with the ball before Holly turns it back over to Lucy.... and then they do it all over again!

 

[Renee750il]

That's one of the sweetest things I've ever heard!

You know, after reading about Holly taking so much responsibility for Lucy's well-being, I can't help but wonder if her dominance seeking is something she's assumed because she is protective of Lucy. She still needs to stop the humping behaviour, of course, but that might give you a little more insight.

Dogs are so much more intelligent and cognitive than most "experts" give them credit for being.

 

[ChiliBeans]

That is such a sweet story! It's great that your dogs have such a bond.

My dog likes to "hump" as well. She's not spayed yet, however. She is only interested in humping during her heat cycle. It's funny because her "object" of choice is my husband's arm! She doesn't make any contact with him, just goes through the motion. I think it has something to do with his being male, because she doesn't do it to me at all. When she's in heat she eyes my husband like a piece of meat. Then if he lays on the floor or props up on his arms, she latches on! She's so small, it looks like she's just jumping up and down on her hind legs, but we know what she's doing!

I think I'm going to try the squirt gun tactic. It sounds like a great idea!

 

[Renee750il]

And it's a great excuse to "miss" every now and then and soak the hubby . . .

 

[JRT_Rattie_Mom]

Thanks for your thoughts Renee on the possiblity that Holly's dominance "thing" might be related to Lucy's blindness. Right after Lucy went blind (and right before the humping problem started) Holly also started this thing where as soon as we got out of the car at the dog park she would look at the dogs in the park and start barking this horrible bark (like she was some kind of aggressive guard dog!) but as soon as she would got into the park she was friendly. I let it go the first time she did it (since this little dog is normally abnormally quiet!) thinking she saw something scary... but she continued to do this every time we got out of the car. I had to start making her quiet down before I would take her into the park (it was so embarrassing... like this little 6 lb. dog thinks she is a killer, LOL!)

So... after she had to be quiet to go into the park... is when the humping thing started! I will probably never really know for sure if all this is connected to Lucy being blind, or just a stage she is going through. I do know for sure that Holly just ADORES Lucy! She will just sit and look at her sometimes and you can just see the love in her eyes Before we adopted Holly I had never known a Rat Terrier, and didn't know anything about them. If Holly is an example of what this is... I could have another dozen at least!