Behavior Copying? Problem (warning slightly graphic) Please Help
 

Sorry this is a little graphic, but my DH begged me to ask you all about what we should do about this... Dogs are so much smarter than they seem to be, and in the weirdest of ways. *Sigh*

For the first time with the puppy in the room with us (in his crate), my DH and I had a little intimate alone time. Puppy started out asleep, then woke up and started barking, so we stopped... TMI, I know, but sort of important to the point: I was on top, which I assume through a puppy's eyes might look like I was showing my dominance?

The very next day, Nikko's behavior changed. The little guy has never and still doesn't ever lift his leg to pee, but he decided to start humping his dad's arms and legs that next day. He does not hump me at all still. He also started listening better to me when I would tell him to stop biting me, he started licking me WAY more often (but biting at my DH way more often), AND that day was the first day he walked over to the door at one point while we were playing and pretty obviously asked *me* to let him out to pee.

What is going on? Did that one experience so completely change him? Am I now garnering some super respect, and has my DH lost all respect from the dog? What should we do about this? I want him to respect both of us, not just me (though I really am kinda enjoying the extra respect, lol).

Thanks guys... I know this is weird.

Lauren & Nikko

I have absolutely no idea, but I think this is very interesting. I wonder what Cesar Millan would say??? LOL

I'm curious to see if anyone has any insight into this...

I don't know but I can think of a way to find out if your theory is correct. OK.. how can I state this delicately?/ you need to recreate the scene.... with hubby on top.. BLUSH.. make sure the dog is in the room and see what the reaction is..



OMG I can't believe I suggested that! lmao

Oh dear, it looks like I've spoken too soon. It's been two days since the change in behavior started, and he had only been trying to hump his dad since then... but just now, he obsessively started trying to hump me. I couldn't even play or do anything to distract him from it - humping my arm was all he wanted to do. I just put him in his crate (not as punishment, just because dinner's ready for us and I was going to put him in there anyways). He's only four months old! I feel so bad, like we taught him this behavior! Uggh, I feel awful. I guess now I get to go search through all the threads about humping to try and figure out what to do. :confused: I was hoping I wouldn't ever have to search that. :-(

Lauren & Nikko

Lauren,
Unless your planning on using him as a stud I am pretty sure using the same methods trainers use for stopping biting could work. Example. Whenever mine would bite I would say no bite or say ouch really loud and ignore them. So maybe you could say Yuck or No or eww and then ignore him. I have found that with Yorkies so far they hate to be ignored. So they will eventually stop whatever they are doing that is causing your attention to not be focused on them.

:lol2: I'm in hysterics at your reply!

To the OP... I have no idea but I hope you find the answer.

Of course my boy is a stud!!!! LMAO, but he's not going to be used as a stud, no... We're definitely getting him neutered at the earliest opportunity - which our vet says is in two months, when he's six months old.

I tried to read up a bit using the search tool on here... sounds like some people think it's an attempted show at dominance, and some think it's natural and shouldn't necessarily be discouraged if it's on a stuffed animal. Everyone definitely seems to say to get him neutered, and hopefully it will stop or at least slow down. Believe me, he will be neutered as soon as it is possible.

But we have two months still to wait, so I think I'm going to side with the dominance idea, especially considering the event he witnessed that I assume started this whole behavior change... We will both make an effort to be more his "alpha" leaders. And we will be shoving him off of us and saying "no" and doing the ignore every time he tries it. Poor guy had better learn to not bite and quit humping fast, or he won't be getting much attention! :(

Lauren & Nikko

PS: Please, if anyone else has advice (or experience!) on young puppies humping humans... please share. I didn't see many posts on owner-humping - mostly just stuffed animal humping. Please tell me I'm not alone, and that it will go away!

This isn't advice, but I share your pain.....

My MIL has a male poodle that is neutered. When you walk into their house JJ comes flying across the room and attaches himself to your leg and won't let go. Hummmmm you can't even "shake" him off. Humpity humpity hump hump hump. The expression on his face is pure bliss :rolleyes:.

Lol!!!!

:lol tears

OMG, this thread is hilarious! I don't have any advice since all 3 of mine (including the female) only hump each other when they are trying to get the other one to drop a favorite toy:rolleyes:

Walker is a 4 month old humper too. He hasn't witnessed any x-rated scenes that i know of;) He doesn't go for my or dh but some of our friends are like magic. We tell him no, detach him from his victim and have them put there legs up in the chair/on the couch with them so that he can't get to them and he forgets and runs off. Its sort of a temporary solution but its the only thing we've found that works so far. Good luck:)

P.S. I'm giggling uncontrolably. real mature I know:D

lol.. Maybe tthis is the reason another poster was pissed when her sister was Doing it with her husband while her dog was in the room/..lol.. Funny thread.. ;)

lol...you guys are so funny!!:):animal-pa

If I can stop laughing long enough to post.. I would find a Vet that would neuter now.
Now.. Back to laughing :)

Hmmmmmm...Now you have me wondering, because Winston ONLY humps my hubby...never me...I wonder why???

Hey! Grrrrrrrr, thanks a lot for laughing at our predicament!!!! :p Haha, just kidding... if it was one of the rest of you all, I'd be laughing too. Shoot, it's me and still I'm laughing at myself anyways - these little dogs sure do teach you to be able to laugh and shake stuff off.

Thanks in particular to those who had some advice, or at least could tell me we're not totally alone in having a toddler-age puppy who is a humper. I sure hope we don't end up with a dog like that poodle, chattiesmom, lmao.

So far we're doing more bending over at the waist (uggh) instead of being down on the floor with him, and making him do tricks for his food (high-five, sit, and sit-and-stay are pretty reliable already!). I'm hoping this behavior will help to make sure he sees us above him in the household chain of command. Beyond that, he only really gets humpy-feeling about once or twice a day at most, and we just avoid any situations that would put us in humping-range. He seems to only "like" our arms - maybe our legs are too big around, or maybe that idea just hasn't crossed his mind yet. So when he gets humpy, we go outside and run awhile so he tires out and we can put him in his crate for a nap. After he wakes up, the humpiness is gone. What on earth is up with our little weirdo?!?! LOL... gotta laugh, gotta laugh.

Lauren & Nikko

LOL ... what a politically incorrect thread :rolleyes:

Dogs will try to show dominance by humping
It's part of their language
We might find it embarrassing but they take it as a hello - I'm the top dog around here
Now did your dog pick up on a "Change in the order of thing's" when he saw you and your partner? Who knows ;)

But he's trying to assert dominance
You need to assert your own back
Some tricks
When feeding make believe you are taking the first bites then give it to him
When opening a door ... you go thru first
Walking on a leash don't let him pull you ... try to keep him one or two steps behind
That is dog language ... that YOU are top dog

We've upped the "you are not the pack leader" behaviors a little bit... just simple things like practicing tricks for food, and making him walk beside us calmly when we walk out to the potty area. Him always sitting when we take the leash off or on. Little easy stuff like that.

But anyways, the good news - NO attempted humpings in at least a few days now!!!!! He's even been feisty, and in the mood he would normally be in for feeling humpy, and given the opportunity (accidentally), but he didn't hump!!!! If we're lucky, maybe he just forgot about it. We certainly haven't given him any more demonstrations to refresh his memory, lol. :thumbup:

Lauren & Nikko

Good news! It sounds like your work is paying off. Let's hope this improved behavior continues. :)

One can't help but chuckle, but I'm sure you are quite concerned. I'm sorry I don't have any answers. I know my little girl who is about 1 1/2 still humps her stuffed animals. Luckily that's all she bothers with, but it is embarrasing. I've tried, Leave It, NO, and ignoring her. I have also taken the stuffed animals away from her. She still does it. Good luck with your dilemma.