# Play Dominating



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

Jersey likes to "play dominate" a lot (if you know what I mean). He is a neutered male so I'm not understanding why he does it, plus I make it very clear that I am the leader. I make him stay beside me on walks, plus I've even started to pretend to eat out of his food bowl before I give it to him. Is the play dominating meaningless? Should I ignore it, correct it, or make it more clear that I'm in charge?

Liz


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

I don't quite understand, what is Jersey doing? When does he do it? Does he stop for a 'no'? Does he do it for any people, or just you ect. 

No need to pretend to eat his food, just make him sit/stay before and while it goes to the floor before releasing him should do fine. =)


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

can you give us a little more info on what it is he is doing.


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

I meant humping. He does it even though he is already neutered. I was told that they do that to people they see as weak.


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

i think it depends on the dog, when was he nutered(nutering doesnt always compleatly stop it) my girls sometimes humpo the cat or have in the past tried it on eachother but not that often. 

does it happen at certen times or just where ever he take the urge. like does it happen when you are playing with him, or does he just come up to you when your on the couch and start.


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

I had a very strict rule over here. NEVER hump. End of it.

Whenever a male I own tries it, I grab his scruff, pull him off onto his back, and gave him a 'do it again and die' stare growl. I hate the idea of a dog humping pillows, legs, kids, anything really.

Don't ignore it, it would most likely get worst. I'd go with firmly correcting it. From what you've posted so far he sounds like a hyper and confident dog. No matter how hard a person is, if a dog has the right personality they'll need a lot more then just one telling of, no matter the severity. So don't go harder unless he does it like the same day you get on him before.

Be sure to get him in the act, you need to fuss him literally when he's still humping, not even a second after. You have to be sure he will understand what it's for so you don't confuse and scare him.


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

He was neutered pretty early. I'd have to check his records but they probably neutered him around two months. He does it at random times and in between he'll nip at me. I tried rolling him on his back and all that. It didn't work but I don't think I was holding him long enough. I will next time. Thanks again!!


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

Two months? Over here it's no earlier then four for a neuter, can't wait tell that gets here.  

The idea isn't to 'hold him' really, it's to calm him, to get him rational. If it's done in flat out anger, just to pin him, it won't work but to scare him. It has to be done smoothly, and he has to understand what will get him up.

When he humps something: (1) As he's till humping, say 'bad boy' -it can be mad, but no yelling- (2) Walk over/Reach over and grab his scruff and lay him flat out on his side. (2) Put a hand over his neck area and hip, and gently push him flat if he doesn't go himself. (3) Once he is, slowly raise your hands, trying to get him to stay flat withount hand contact, just let them hoover over the dog. (4) If he starts getting up, gently press him down again, then raise your hands a little above him again. (5) Do it until you can be sitting with him infront of you, flat out while your hands are in your lap. Even if it takes all day, go slowly, and don't be mean. (6) Once he is flat on his own, then say 'ok' and stand with him. Walk away calmly, don't start praising him crazily, jumping around ect.

As you can see (well read) it's not a hold the dog down until he strugles less deal, or a really mad 'out to get you' thing but once you have him down, your asking for him to be calm, not scared. You want to get a 'ok, I'm calm, I'm fine. Can I get up now?' sheepishness lol. Your problem sounds like you get him, put him down, but then only hold him, you don't ask him to keep himself down flat. If you are, he's probably getting more worked up and bity. Next time you try it, remember that after the Initial 'bad dog!' glare, you need to be smooth faced and calm. (exited/scared signs dogs read from humans include round 'o' mouth, wide eyes, holding breath, stiff still body, don't do these!)

The actual penning is only needed for my boy if he is really worked up, and shouldn't be a often thing. If he's calm (no biting, zooming, barking) then when he's humping you just need to glare and 'bad dog' him, and he needs to get off fast. It's only when the humping is done while he's really worked up that I'd use it, and just as a 'get it together!' thing. His humping, at this age and being neutered, isn't a sexual or even really a dominant thing yet. Even though Jersey appears to be a big dog, he isn't. I don't think penning them should be done often or taken too lightly. It's easy to do it wrong, and then it can do more harm them good. I only use it rarely. But if you use it anyways, thought I'd tell you my approach.


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

Thanks so much! He definitely has moments where he gets super worked up with the biting and humping all at once. The next time he does that I'll do exactly as you said. One question: what if he starts giving ME the stare and growls at me or if he starts to struggle really hard? Also, once I do this once do you think he will be more inclined to respect me because right now I don't think he sees me as the leader yet.


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

"if he starts giving ME the stare and growl" You don't give him the option. If he's biting and humping and generally freaking out energy wise, you need to walk right over, grab his scruff gently yet firmly and pull/lower him to his side. The scruff hand goes to the neck, and the other goes to the hip. Say the 'no' before you walk over, and be calm. Your calming him down, that's all. Remember that at his age he is NOT agresive with you. If he growls, it's not a 'real' growl, as in being truly aggressive. If he's staring at you, it's not being dominant, it's just being a obnoxious pup.

Edit to add. The stare and growl, to me, is reserved for a adult dog that understands. (I forgot how young he was when I said that...) I would not us this on Jersey tell he is older. With a pup, it's not needed. With an adult, like my D'Art who would hump when quiet a bit older then your boy, after a while he woulddin my mind start to get it. After you know the dog understands what's getting fussed (and the dog in question is older, at least five months or so) I do show of my anger more, namely in a focused stare and a deep throated 'growl' of there name normally. But for Jersey, lay him flat when he's going totally loco, and when a calmer mind, just verbally tell him off.

"if he starts to struggle really hard?" He will at first. Humping normally is done when a dog is really hyper, and you grabbing him will be, to him, play! You'll need to teach him that when he's held down, the only way to get up is it be still. Remember not to talk, give of any signs (put your poker face on) and don't have people hover around. If he struggles, spread your fingers and just focus on keeping him down, he'll go flat and relaxed on his own. If he flat out won't calm, keep holding his scruff instead of transferring your hand to his neck/shoulder area.

"once I do this once do you think he will be more inclined to respect me because right now I don't think he sees me as the leader yet." Your missing a important point here. He is a baby. You are his 'mother'. He is, in human years, what, 5? 6? Even seen a respectful 6 year old? lol. You won't get him acting like your the pack leader until he's older, more mature. In some ways I'm sure he does defer to you though, when scared, does he look to you? When hungry? when outside and he hears a bump in the night? More respect will come later. =) He will be obnoxious, testing, and flat out annoying for a good while, it's part of being a puppy! Don't think the fact that he's still taxing means your not firm enough, it means he's normal. If he was never annoying, he'd need a vet lol.

For biting, remember to keep with yelping, going poker face, standing and walking away, and closing the door behind you. Only with real persistent humping -or really hard biting after you've left once- would I think to pen him, he is just a baby. But it can be a great tool to get them to calm down, sometimes they can get so hyper they can't even control themselves lol.

How much exercise, both mental -training- and physical -walks- does he get daily? How much of his day is spent crated?


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

He gets two long walks a day and soon I will up it to three once I have his hair cut (it's too hot during the day for his long coat) and he is not crated during the day. I would crate train him but his bathroom schedule is so off I decided it just wasn't going to work, plus he doesn't mind going in there. I play with him almost ALL day except for when he naps.

Also, he was going insane today with the biting and humping so I did exactly as you told me. It totally worked! I will definitely take your advice though and only do that when it's really really serious. 

Also, thanks for the advice on his respecting me. I definitely have to be more patient with that. He's quite pushy and defiant so sometimes I forget that he's still super young. My family is just getting a little frustrated right now with the nipping, chewing, humping, etc. All the puppy stuff. This is our first dog so my brothers don't understand that nipping isn't an aggressive biting so they get scared and frustrated that they can't play with him without him nipping them and they're all putting it on me to "get him trained, fast!" I'll definitely keep everything you said in mind! Thanks so much! You've really helped a lot!


----------



## mum2bobs (Jun 23, 2010)

This thread has raised a couple of questions for me so I hope you dont mind me joining in.

My pup has been doing a bit of humping now and again ever since I got him really, at 8 weeks old, I have just been saying NO firmly, and it has been getting less and less.

Some posts mention about getting dogs neutered, but it seems to have been done at a really early age! My vet wont consider it until Bobby is at least 9 months old, stating that it harms dogs to do them early, affects their bone density etc. 

Has anyone else heard that?


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

all my girls were done between 5 and 6 months old, my eldist just turnd 4years old at the weekend and i can see no problems with her bones. 

i think under 5 months is too early, our ver sugested around 6 months as it is ment to stop mammary cancer when they are older(only time will tell if thats true or not) which is what my mums cockers died of. 


i ears different things some people say nutering too early stunts their grothe meaning that the frount legs dog develop to their full length, others say it makes their legs grow longer than they should. 

i think it depends on your own opinion and the opinion of your vet.


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

I rescued mine and he was already neutered when I adopted him. Rescues tend to do it very early. I've never heard anything about it being bad. I've only had Jersey three weeks and he's already getting bigger. 

Plus, my vet and everyone I know gets it done between five and six months because by seven-nine months they start getting the "uncomfortable urge to mate" and that can be dangerous since the last thing you want is for your dog to run away by accident looking for a mate and produce more unwanted puppies.


----------



## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

i think its only in the states its done as early as 2 months, in the uk i think the resues put it in their contract that the owner brings the dog back the be nutered. one of the guys at training was turnd down by ate sspca because he said he would consider nutering if the dog needed it as his old dog never humped and was intier all his life. the refused to give him a dog because he might not nuter.


----------



## Jerseypoo527 (Jun 25, 2010)

Oh. I didn't know that. Ya, the shelters here all get it done right away then include it in the adoption fee because they don't want to give people the option of not having the procedure done.


----------

