The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [44]
A Although intact male dogs are the most frequent offenders, neutered males and even spayed females are capable of humping legs and other objects. While it is usually viewed as a sexual action, some dogs mount as a form of play or when overexcited and unsure of the correct behavior. In your case, humping may be the way Rocky is alerting new guests that he is a powerful pooch. In neutered males and spayed females, humping signifies a bit of dominance and daring to push the boundaries. Your dog is challenging you and others to see how far he can assert himself with humans. It is vital to stop this habit before it escalates to more aggressive types of behavior. If your dog gets away with humping, he may begin growling and air-snapping at guests.
The peak time for this behavior to surface is during the challenging teen years, which for dogs fall between six months and two years, depending on the specific breed. The smaller the dog, in general, the faster the maturation. In Rocky’s case, his physical strength and size might be spurring him on to continue humping since he can get away with it. He needs to learn that you are the leader of his pack and that guests also outrank him.
Breaking your dog of this habit will take time and patience. Start by making Rocky work for his needs and desires so that he understands that he has been demoted. He must sit to greet people, lie down and wait before receiving his food bowl, and wait at doorways for people to go through before him. (See Paying the Price, page 156.) To show Rocky what is acceptable behavior, put him on a leash when he is greeting people and tell him to sit and wait for them to come to him. Step on the leash and sharply tell him stop when he starts showing too much interest in their legs. If his behavior persists, discuss with your vet the possibility of temporarily using an antianxiety medication as an adjunct measure to let some air out of his Big Dog ego and to chill his libido.
BREED BYTE
Silence is golden for the basenji, a hunting dog from Africa that is know as “the barkless dog.” Basenjis do vocalize, however; they make a distinctive yodeling sound.
You don’t mention whether Rocky acts this way with other dogs, but I see humping at dog parks far too often. Size doesn’t seem to matter, and sometimes the humping dog is smaller than the object of his mounting. A dog may mount another dog because he is confused about how to act when first meeting new dogs. Mounting is also an assertive way to show who ranks as top dog, literally. The “humper’s” victory over the “humpee” is a way that dogs in the wild determine without fighting who earns the right to procreate with the best available bitches in the pack.
You can’t always stop another person’s dog from humping your dog, but you can teach your dog some defensive postures that may curb the mount-minded canine. If possible, get your dog to sit. A sitting dog is not as easy to hump as a standing one. You can also call your dog over to you. If possible, use your body to block access to your dog. Try to distract the other dog by tossing a tennis ball in the opposite direction.
A Tail’s Tale
Q Often when my dog wakes up from a nap, he will start circling around to chase and try to catch his tail. He seems very determined to catch his tail. He spins around and around and seems almost frantic. I found it amusing at first, but now, it’s a little disconcerting. What’s the reason he does this?
A Researchers do not know why dogs chase their tails, but offer the theory that as predators, dogs instinctively react to movement. The blurry movement of a tail may be mistaken for a squirrel or rabbit and then the chase is on — in circles. Even tail-less dogs will romp around in circles on occasion. As long as the circling is done infrequently and stops within a few seconds, chalk it up to one of those weird but harmless canine behaviors.
For the occasional tail chaser, the answer may be as simple as a way to break up the monotony of a ho-hum afternoon. In mild forms, it can be the canine equivalent of people who