dog started to hump our spayed female dog constantly

[Autumnbee]

Well not exactly what I want to be writing about but hey - 

my male miniature poodle is just over 6 months and he has started to hump our other dog ( spayed female Labradoodle ) and he is at her constantly if he isn't separated and I mean constantly . Now I did expect some humping to go on as the male pup matured but he's gone from no humping at all to pretty much constant humping in the space of a few days . I suppose also I didn't expect him to be interested to this extreme with my other dog as she's spayed . I am planning on getting the male neutered and had previously discussed it with the vet and it was suggested that as my male dog is a bit of a nervous dog that it would be better to wait to get him neutered rather than doing it at exactly 6 months but now this has started I am thinking it needs to b done asap instead as unfair on my other dog and don't want this to become a habit ???. I will be calling the vets when they are open after bank holiday to see what the advise but I'm now sat worrying that maybe now the behaviour is started it won't stop even when he's neutered  ? I've also read lots of advice about how to stop your dog mounting dogs in the dog park ect but not about what to do when its your other dog at home , this is a lot more difficult to prevent happening not just a thing when u meet dogs on walks ect ? What happens when it's one dog after the other dog you own ? I can't just put the male dog in sit all day long !!! I feel very sad for my other dog and a bit sad as to this point owning two dogs had been going so well :/

 

[gypsysmum2]

He has hit puberty! Does your Labradoodle tell him off? If not, can you encourage her to do so. It will not cure it but might help a little.

How much exercise is your poodle getting? Although you shouldn't be going on marathons with him, at his age, a little trot around the block or a daily visit to the dog park is not going to be stimulating enough for him. I would aim at 2 hours per day split into two walks taken at a steady pace. The walks should be to different places if possible.

Is your poodle attending any sort of classes? If not could you find an experienced, trainer who uses modern, reward based methods. Mental stimulation is very tiring. It does not have to be formal obedience training that you do with your young dog. Training tricks is great fun and tires the dog as much as formal training does. Look into scent work training as this is very tiring.

Check the food you are feeding is not rocket fuel. Some are so high in protein or full of bad ingredients or additives that it is no wonder so many dogs are hyper active. On the back of the bag, as a general guide, the ingredients should list a high quality protein such as chicken or fish as the first ingredient on the list. Avoid those that use the word "meal" as in chicken meal as this means the whole carcase has been used including the feathers etc.

You are right to delay neutering for as long as you possibly can. Try to hold out until he is at least 18 months old when he will be sexually mature. Well done your vet for giving out this advice! Dogs gain a lot of confidence from having testosterone and it helps enormously when they are growing up.

When he approaches your bitch, distract him and redirect him to do something else. This can be an obedience exercise like a sit or a down, or it could be a trick like a fetch or find it. Each time he can be diverted from her and receive a reward for his efforts will be a building block. It will be hard work and almost constant at first but after a while he will start to enjoy the attention and rewards he gets and want to do more of them and less or the humping.

While he is learning, try to keep them as separate as you can to give him a chance to concentrate, and her a chance to relax. If he is crate trained then little spells in his crate with a stuffed kong or other stimulating toy will give you and your bitch a break.

Stopping unwanted behaviour is best treated by -

Interrupting the behaviour, redirecting the dog to do something else, reward the something else.

Hormones are powerful things so it will not be easy at first but this phase will not last forever even though it will feel like it!

 

[dogmatize]

I would take a urine sample from your bitch to the vet to have it checked for a urinary tract infection as this would be making her more attractive to him than usual.

 

[Autumnbee]

Thank you so much for your replys. Unfortunately my Labradoodle isn't really telling him off at the moment she tends to ignore him best she can . There is such a weight and size difference between them that she's managing to ignore the small humping dog a little :/ so so far any nastiness. I wish she would correct him :/! Maybe it's because I keep separating him before he gets too annoying but maybe I should see if I left it if she would tell him off ? She is such a kind dog . Gosh you can tell this is the first time I've had too dogs of the opposite sex . Upto now I've only ever had two females and I know ppl say you can still get issues with them mounting each other but it's never happened so what to do with this is new to me . 

The both eat natures menu as I wanted to give them what's meant to be best for them but too wimpy to give them raw meals where the nutrition was balanced totally by myself - a little daft I know . 

Luckily little man is crate trained very well so will spend periods in there without complaining to give the other dog a break I just worry that he will start to feel punished or pushed out  too much gosh I'm a worrier and this was not a problem I was expecting so bad as my first dog is spayed :/

He's been on a course of puppy classes and always got on with the other pups and where we walk everyday he greets dogs just fine although I'm hoping this won't change now he's displaying sexualised behaviour and he might want to do the same to dogs out walking now too but yet to see . 

As for the exercise yes it's definitely a good idea to increase it and we do kind of do the same routes each day so I will change this up a bit . 

And yes I will ask tomorrow about the possibility of my bitch having a uti it does seem a little strange that he's gone from no humping her to constant literally overnight like he's hit puberty in one day :/

thanks for your replys I know this is a strange one to have to talk about 

 

[gypsysmum2]

Not strange at all. It comes up regularly.

You may find that other, entire, male dogs may not like him now that he has hit puberty. Not sure that you will have too many of them around?

If your Labradoodle is left to chastise him then do back her up. Let her be as forceful as she needs to be. It will teach him very valuable life lessons. Any bitches that he meets on his walks should also be allowed to correct him if he is over attentive.

Natures Menu is a good diet so no problems there.

Not wishing your bitch ill, but if it is a UTI, as Dogmatize suggests, then things might settle down quite quickly once she is treated.

 

[Wotho]

Hello Autumnbee,

You tell him off instantly he even thinks about it!  VERY firmly, with a loud clap of your hands very close to him, and an assertive "No, Stop"!  Making it perfectly clear him that YOU object to this behaviour towards your other dog, and will not accept it.

Keep it simple and CLEAR ... Loud hand clap close to him, and very firm; "No, Stop".