[Cassie'sPet]

Our new bulldog is scheduled for his neuter next Thursday and it can't come fast enough; he's ahem'd everyone in the house and keeps trying to get to my Cassie who is scheduled for her spay 2 weeks after Rupert. Tonight was NOT cool as Rupert was trying to do things to one of our sick twins who was sleeping on the couch, scratched her and everything.........I'm upstairs thinking she's going to be sick again and it's Rupert doing his thing but hubby stopped him VERY quickly, GROSS!! Poor kid just trying to sleep!!

Someone PLEASE tell me that this activity will STOP after his neuter; I don't want to be looking at that for years?!?! I've heard both stories about whether his drive will stop or not. Thoughts???

[reeskujo]

It should help but keep in mind that that behavior is not always a sexual behavior....A lot of time it has to do with dominance...I've known many male dogs who do that long after they've been neuter so if it's a dominance thing it won't necessarily stop just because he was neutered...

My last Akita was fixed at 10mths and until he passed at almost 6yr.s he continued to h*** my Husky...It was all a dominance issue...

So while it should fix the problem don't be upset if it doesn't...

[Todd]

Originally Posted by reeskujo

It should help but keep in mind that that behavior is not always a sexual behavior....A lot of time it has to do with dominance...I've known many male dogs who do that long after they've been neuter so if it's a dominance thing it won't necessarily stop just because he was neutered...

My last Akita was fixed at 10mths and until he passed at almost 6yr.s he continued to h*** my Husky...It was all a dominance issue...

So while it should fix the problem don't be upset if it doesn't...

I agree. How old is the dog? Is he sexually mature? This may or may not correct the issue. Probably will help a lot though. In the meantime, when he mounts someone or another dog, say "no" or "leave it" firmly and take him off and make him sit and stay. reward compliance with a treat and praise. A spray bottle may help to use in this situation...

Squirt Bottle Thoughts

[cigwyllt]

Bear in mind it can take 6 months for the testosterone to leave his body so it will not be a magic cure. As Reeskujo says it can be a dominant behaviour and is not necessarily anything to do with hormones. It sounds like Rupert needs to be disciplined and trained as much as anything else.

The only time it ever happens in our house is when the two terriers have been playing - during a game the female, who is the older dog, gives way to the younger male. If she fetches the toy, he takes it from her. If they are wrestling, she will roll over and he will mouth her. But when they have finished playing she will mount him - as if she is saying to him "I'm top dog and you only won because I let you!"

Be aware also that even after he has been "fixed" if the behaviour is sexual he may still want to "do the deed" and may well continue to try to mount Cassie.

[reeskujo]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

Bear in mind it can take 6 months for the testosterone to leave his body so it will not be a magic cure. As Reeskujo says it can be a dominant behaviour and is not necessarily anything to do with hormones. It sounds like Rupert needs to be disciplined and trained as much as anything else.

The only time it ever happens in our house is when the two terriers have been playing - during a game the female, who is the older dog, gives way to the younger male. If she fetches the toy, he takes it from her. If they are wrestling, she will roll over and he will mouth her. But when they have finished playing she will mount him - as if she is saying to him "I'm top dog and you only won because I let you!"

Be aware also that even after he has been "fixed" if the behaviour is sexual he may still want to "do the deed" and may well continue to try to mount Cassie.

For the most part this really has nothing to do with training.....I'm a Certified Dog Trainer and Kujo was extremely well trained...It's simply a natural instinct when dogs are trying to establish their pecking order in the pack...

Todd gave good advice on things you can do to help break him from doing that...While it didn't stop the behavior I used the spray bottle when Kujo would mount Nina and after a few times all I had to do was show it to him and he stopped...

Gosh I love the spray bottle....lol

[cigwyllt]

For the most part this really has nothing to do with training

Do you not think so? So far as the dogs are concerned I leave them to it. Mounting is dog behaviour and as such is a valid communication between two dogs.

But I will not allow my dogs to do it to anyone in the house - not even as puppies when they are simply role playing and exploring. I would say I have trained my dogs not to consider doing it to us (or to cushions or toys). Why else would they have stopped?

I'm not sure what your definition of training would be? Surely if you used a spray bottle to distract your dog and he recognised it as a deterrent you have trained him to stop?

[Cassie'sPet]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Rupert is 9 months old, almost 10 and Cassie is 3. I can well imagine that he's trying to exercise him dominancy as Cassie used to be so vibrant and bouncy, all over the house....even though she's in heat, end of it though, she seems to have had enough of him being so overbearing and hides a lot more. I thought female dogs in heat sought out male dogs like I've seen a few female cats do, YIKES, but Cassie tries to stay away from him now. She is SO grateful when she and I can go out for walks where it's just me and her where she can run freely with her friends or just with mommy. Thank goodness her temperment hasn't changed and that's crucial with Autism in the house but I'm thinking the spray bottle might be a good idea cuz if I see him trying to mount one of my 4 year old girls again I'm not going to be very happy to see that; Rupert is such a tank and they are so tiny that he'd knock them over and traumatize them badly. This may be harder than I thought it was going to be.....I sure hope his neuter next week does SOMETHING!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Cassie'sPet

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Rupert is 9 months old, almost 10 and Cassie is 3. I can well imagine that he's trying to exercise him dominancy as Cassie used to be so vibrant and bouncy, all over the house....even though she's in heat, end of it though, she seems to have had enough of him being so overbearing and hides a lot more. I thought female dogs in heat sought out male dogs like I've seen a few female cats do, YIKES, but Cassie tries to stay away from him now. She is SO grateful when she and I can go out for walks where it's just me and her where she can run freely with her friends or just with mommy. Thank goodness her temperment hasn't changed and that's crucial with Autism in the house but I'm thinking the spray bottle might be a good idea cuz if I see him trying to mount one of my 4 year old girls again I'm not going to be very happy to see that; Rupert is such a tank and they are so tiny that he'd knock them over and traumatize them badly. This may be harder than I thought it was going to be.....I sure hope his neuter next week does SOMETHING!

As others have said, this is dominance. Fixing him may help. At 9-10 months he is sexually mature. The behavior may have to be corrected with the addition if training too though since he wasn't fixed earlier. The behavior may already be a habit and harder to break. i have no doubt it will help though...

[Cassie'sPet]

Thanks Todd, we're just going to have to work with him......poor buddy came with no training, just housebroken but no manners and no neutering. We're willing to work with him since he's so gentle with our Autistic twins so he has a good temperment and that has to be a good start. ;-)

[reeskujo]

Originally Posted by cigwyllt

Do you not think so? So far as the dogs are concerned I leave them to it. Mounting is dog behaviour and as such is a valid communication between two dogs.

But I will not allow my dogs to do it to anyone in the house - not even as puppies when they are simply role playing and exploring. I would say I have trained my dogs not to consider doing it to us (or to cushions or toys). Why else would they have stopped?

I'm not sure what your definition of training would be? Surely if you used a spray bottle to distract your dog and he recognised it as a deterrent you have trained him to stop?

What I meant was the dog is not doing this because of lack of training but as you said it's the way they communicate...I would never allow my dogs to do it to a human but as far as another dog I don't get involved and let them work it out between themselves...Sorry if I didn't explain myself properly.

[cigwyllt]

That makes sense - I'm easily confused LOL