Puppy Humping

[Narcissa]

So... Maxey had quite a few ch-ch-ch-changes (/sings) lately.

He's been flown home to Singapore from Perth due to OH's relocation of work and while we're waiting to get a place for the both of us, I'm staying with my parents who currently houses 3 dogs - a Spitz/Pom male rescue (10yrs), a Schnauzer/Poodle female rescue (4 yrs) and a Shih Tzu male puppy (4 months). We also have 2 rescue cats and an Amazonian Parrot.

Maxey has been humping the female dog incessantly. Obsessively. So we took him in for neutering a little earlier than we planned, at 5.5 months. Everything went well but he's stil humping! In fact, he resumed the humping a day after the surgery, with the Elizabethean collar and all! He's fantastic as the only dog - docile, extremely affectionate, really clingy to me - but now, he has eyes only for the female dog and refuses to sleep/eat/rest! His previously impeccable recall is out the window, and I can't get him to sit/down or anything. I have to pry him away from his heart's desire and take him to my room, where he'll fall asleep immediately. In the room, he becomes the perfect dog again, except for the eating, which is another story altogether.

I've tried reprimanding him every time he tries to hump but it doesn't deter him. He's also been challenging the oldest dog - barking, growling etc. All the dogs, except for the Shih Tzu pup, are desexed. The OH is now considering an electronic collar, but I'm not keen on the idea. He's a Chihuahua.

Anyone has ideas?

[corvus]

It can take 6 weeks for the hormones to fade away in a desexed dog.

[Narcissa]

Good to know, thanks corvus. May the countdown begin!

[Sandra777]

Humping in puppies is very rarely a sexual behaviour. What does the bitch do, accept it, get grumpy, encourage him. Many wouldn't approve but personally I'd be giving him a smack on the butt and a firm telling off. It is not acceptable behaviour and it's up to you to teach him better if the bitch won't. Or....arrange for him to meet a bossy bitch who will show him how rude and unacceptable this behaviour is in the dog world.

[RallyValley]

I am very lucky Lincoln is a private humper . He will drag toys into his crate and have his way with them.

[Narcissa]

The female dog sits down, as her way of not accepting the behaviour but she isn't telling him off. When I supervise them, it's a "Off!" every 5 seconds or so and smacking his little scrawny butt isn't detering him either. He just comes back for more. Now, I've taken to keeping him in my room unless I'm downstairs watching him. It's a little tiring and all I want is for them to all get along and respect each other. He's also taken to humping the male puppy...

[corvus]

Obsessive humping in a puppy that old most likely is hormonal. There's no point punishing him for it. He can't help it, and in dog society it's not necessarily bad behaviour. Some dogs don't like it, but if the bitch isn't making a song and dance, why should you? Erik is 7 months and has just been desexed and regularly humps our older dog. I just distract him. Sometimes he goes back, but it's not like Kivi cares. They are all over each other all the time anyway.

I reckon just distract him with some toy or something and maybe he'll hump that instead. He should settle down over the next month or so.

[Daydreamer]

We've found a plant spray bottle filled with water very handy in stopping unwanted behaviour along with a sharp "No" . Then give him something to take his mind off what he's doing!!