Who would ever think that there
is enough material on this subject to warrant a whole ARTICLE - and who would
ever want to read such a thing?! Well, there seems to be enough material,
so if the spirit moves you, read on!
The big question seems to be WHY do dogs DO "this," and WHAT can we (humans)
DO about it? Some answers, as I see them.
Occasionally, mounting is done to produce more dogs, but in this day and
age of the wisdom of neutering, this is hopefully not the case too often!
Mounting is seen often as "play activity" -- not to be confused with "foreplay"
as this activity is not leading to anything else. Puppies often do this,
as do older dogs, and, much to the dismay of the owners, it is NOT limited
to male on female behavior! Anyone will do -- and often does!
Mounting behavior can also be a show of "who's in charge" between dogs, i.e.,
"I'm on top, I'm in charge at this moment, I'll show you who's boss!"
The mounting behavior usually bothers the HUMANS much more than the dogs.
I suggest that if it is going on in front of guests, just calmly say, "Oh,
Fred (or Ethel!) stop being a dog!" That generally implies that the behavior
is normal for a dog and that it does not upset you.
The best thing to do is just leave the dogs alone. Don't speak to them or
try to stop them. If the dog on the "bottom" is bothered enough by the dog
on the "top," he will do something about it -- growl, whirl around, sit,
lie down, etc. If, on the other hand, the dog on the bottom is not doing
anything about what is going on, it means that the behavior is not bothering
him (her). All that's left is for the humans to get over it!
The only real concern is dogs mounting humans -- hanging onto the guest's
leg, grabbing small children (always keep children OFF THE FLOOR with a puppy
or a grown dog - this invites the wrong kind of play.) This type of mounting
IS of valid concern to the humans. It is embarrassing and annoying and needs
to be stopped. The best bet is to give the dog something ELSE to do. For
example, sit and stay or lie down and stay -- it is impossible to mount while
doing either of these activities! For less obedient dogs, distraction is
better. Pick up a toy and throw it or distract him with a biscuit and call
the dog away from the person. If the dog persists, put a leash on the dog's
BUCKLE collar (never a pinch or choke for this one) and STAND on the leash.
Now the dog can no longer jump up or grab anyone.
Neutering while young is a good idea, but does not always prevent or change
the behavior. Humans are always amazed by this -- as the dog humps away,
the human can be heard to exclaim, "But he's been fixed" or, "But she's a
girl," etc. Oh dear.
If all else fails, when this behavior happens, calmly walk away and pretend
it is not your dog. By the time you dare to come back, they probably will
have stopped. (Just kidding.)
reprinted with kind permission from Leslee YGRR volunteer
http://www.ygrr.org/index.html
The above information is simply informational. It's intent is not
to replace the advice of a veterinarian nor to assist you in making a diagnosis
of your pet. Please consult with your own veterinarian for confirmation of
any diagnosis. Your pets life may depend on it.
