My friend has an 18 month old German shepherd bitch that has started humping my neutered male. He is slightly bigger than her, I am basically curious to know if this is normal dominance behavior or if she's is sexually confused hehe

[sibebaby]

I agree, my female is top dog in my house and she humps my male all the time so that he doesnt forget it. She has also been trying to hump the new puppy which is female.

Is there some way to stop the behaviour mainly cause she is very playful and humps him a lot :-) He is a lot more placid and gets snappy with her sometimes normally they play fine together but we had them together the other night(first time in a while) and they didn't settle down all night play fighting and humping. Do we need to step up in the pecking order(my dog knows who is boss and so does Tala the bitch) but when they are together they are loons.

Originally Posted by Hunterwayit

My friend has an 18 month old German shepherd bitch that has started humping my neutered male. He is slightly bigger than her, I am basically curious to know if this is normal dominance behavior or if she's is sexually confused hehe

Is she also neutered? If not, perhaps she is in heat. My bitches will hump the males when they are in heat. They will also hump other girls while in heat. If not - then often this is just dominant behaviour.

BIS

I would make them take frequent short breaks during play. Watch them closely, if the female looks like she is about to mount interrupt her and end the play session giving them a few minutes to calm down.

When you notice the behavior just about to start, use a one word command for stop. Immediately, put both dogs, or just her if she is the only culprit, some dogs like to instigate, in a down. Praise, then after a time, let them resume play. When it happens to start again, you start the routine again. Soon, your one word will stop the action, and it will be ingrained. Rex's word for no humping, is Heeeyyy! He now drops into a down.

Thanks everyone they will be seeing a lot of each other on thursday so will have to try it out. She is entire so she may well of been in heat. I'm also glad it isn't just our dogs haha. We will make a word I'm sure Dom(the bitches owner) likes to have funny words like for her to go toliet is "Rugby" so may have to keep you updated on the word we use :-P

Have a Merry Christmas and Safe Holidays Everyone

You could even use a one liner, like Get a Room!! LOL

Yes, Helly, what we say in our house, is Enough!

It is all about dominance over the other. She is trying to tell him she is in charge. My dominant little puppy Kona tries to do it, or tried to do it, to my Lucy a Great Dane. Lucy let her do it a couple of times then got sick of it and put Kona back in her place.

Hans

Molly our schnauzer humps Abe(our other schnauzer). He doesn't care. She only does it when someone new comes into the house. She is asserting pack order to the newcomer. They are together all the time so they are used to each other. Abe is really the dominate one, but he lets molly think that she is because he could care less. She is trying to show the new person that she is the boss. Bless her heart, I am the pack leader and as soon as I say her name, she quits.