Embarrassing Problem --- Help?!

[Dice Smith]

Kodi has recently developed a new embarassing problem. When we're training certain tricks he gets overly excited and begins thrusting. At first I was so shocked that I squealed "nooo...." and ended the training session. Ever since the first time he did this I have been simply ignoring the behavior and carrying on our training session as normal, as if nothing's happening, thinking that eventually it would go away on its own. It has been a month and a half now and it's only getting worse.

I'm confused because he is neutered and I didn't know that neutered dogs did this. It isn't because he is, umm, interested in any female dogs or anything like that. He's simply getting overly excited and expressing it this way. But he only does it when we're working on certain tricks or when I aske him do a trick he already knows like the backstall, hug (where he hugs a tree with his front paw), say his prayers, etc. I just don't get it....

I really want to teach him the backstall but for now I've put this trick on hold because he just won't focus, he only thrusts. I'm at a loss as what to do. Any suggestions? I would really love to be able to put an end to this behavior for good.

 

[kcmetric]

Hi there,
Humping behavior is definitely stemmed from over-stimulation typically from excitement, some dogs do it when friends come over, some do it when play is getting intense (not necessarily bad play), etc. Yes, humping can also be from dominance in both male and female dogs but that's definitely not the only reason and often people are confused when their dogs continue humping others. In fact, even if it is dominance motivated neutering certainly doesn't always effect this behavior. It's also been seen in dogs that were pediatrically neutered (4-6 months) the problem can actually be ignited in a dog or it just doesn't change the eventual habit the dog would form anyway -- due to an inability to know it's debated. I do not, however, think this is related to dominance.

I personally would take a break every time he does this. You don't need to end the session, just take a step back for a couple of minutes and definitely stop the behavior as soon as it starts -- being humped isn't all that fun. You can let him kow there are better ways to express himself.

 

[648117]

For a while Holly and Lewis were constantly humping each other. Holly was neutered at 6 months and Lewis is also neutered (not sure when, but at least a year ago), so it's definitly not limited to un-neutered male dogs

They did it when Lewis had just started to get comfortable enough to play with Holly, then one of them would always end up over stimulated and start humping, then they'd swap etc. Most of the time we just left them unless one had had enough (usually it was Holly that was over-excited), or if we were just sick of seeing it. We would just hold the over-excited dog still until they calmed down.
They don't do it anymore, they just stopped on there own. I guess once they knew each other better they didn't get so over-stimulated when playing.

I agree that you should just take a break whenever he starts. Maybe hold him by the collar until he calms down.

Do you use a toy or food as the reward?
If it's a toy then you could switch to food (I think food is less stimulating) or decrease the value of the food so that it is less exciting.

 

[Mutt]

Humping is often a sign of overstimulation (too much incentives) or frustration. By doing so the dog tries to lose this frustration. Though it can get a habit over time and will often not calm them down but nake them even more excited.

I once saw a very clear example of my neighbours dog doing this:
I walked by their fenced yard with Boef (which is quite long) while doing attention exercises. Meanwhile their cocker spaniel (male) had happily come to the fence and was walking with us because he wanted to greet me and Boef. However we weren't paying attention due to the attention excercise. The cocker started running along the fence with us and got frustrated because he didn't get any attention and couldn't greet us. Than he turned around ran to my neighbours other dog (golden retriever male) and started humping him, to lose his frustration.

It very rarely has anything to do with sexuality.

A quote from another thread, if it happens I would first calm Kodi down (let him sit or something) and stop the traing session or switch to a less exciting trick.

 

[MaryK]

Yes, just stop the training session for a while, not completely until Kodi calms down. Ask for something calming like 'sit'/'stay' until he's calm.

Ra Kismet has only ever humped once (he's neutered) and that was when he got very excited over play. I stopped immediately and asked for sit/stay.

 

[Dice Smith]

Do you use a toy or food as the reward?
If it's a toy then you could switch to food (I think food is less stimulating) or decrease the value of the food so that it is less exciting.

I use both, but mainly food depending on the trick we're working on. I'm currently using pretzels as a treat because I figured they would be a less valuable treat to him, but it turns out he is OBSESSED with them. (And on a completely unrelated note they make his breath smell like french fries which I rather enjoy! )

So I've started using one of his favorite toys as a reward more than food now and the thrusting behavior has decreased quite a bit, which I am very happy with!

 

[Dice Smith]

Thank you so much everyone for the help and suggestions. It has helped us TONS!! I can definitely see how the thrusting behavior is related to over stimulation and frustration. Kodi gets really, really excited over his training sessions to the point we're he's bouncing off the walls practically. He's a very excitable dog and I'm a really excitable person so I think I've been going into the training sessions with a bit too much gusto that we both get carried away! I have found that he learns much faster and has better focus when I'm calmer and a lot more quiet. Too much excitement makes him frazzled and then all he wants to do is throw a party and get mischevious.

He also takes learning new tricks very seriously, it's like he looks at training as his job to perform (since we don't have sheep ) and if he doesn't get the hang of a new trick right away he starts to get frustrated (I worry I raised him to be a perfectionist like me ) and then the thrusting behavior begins. So I've started having a couple of different tricks ready for each session and each time he gets frustrated we move on to another one and I throw in some of his favorite tricks he already knows too cause he thrives off any opportunity to show off. And any time he does start thrusting I ask him to lie down and wait until he's calmed down before we resume the session. That along with less valuable treats has really helped to significantly decrease this behavior. Which is perfect timing too since spring's coming up and Kodi loves nothing more than too show off his tricks in front of my family.

 

[Mutt]

Glad that it going much better!

I'm currently using pretzels as a treat because I figured they would be a less valuable treat to him, but it turns out he is OBSESSED with them. (And on a completely unrelated note they make his breath smell like french fries which I rather enjoy! )

Keep in mind that too much salt is very bad for dogs (poisonous), not that they will drop dead due to one pretzel or french frite, but if you use them a lot a non salty treat with training is prefered. Though if not used that often it is okay

 

[Dice Smith]

Glad that it going much better!


Keep in mind that too much salt is very bad for dogs (poisonous), not that they will drop dead due to one pretzel or french frite, but if you use them a lot a non salty treat with training is prefered. Though if not used that often it is okay

Yikes! I didn't know that. Thank you for telling me. I only used them occasionally because he's on a diet so I thought they'd be a healthy treat for him. But we're out of pretzels now so I'll be sure to use them and other salty foods only occasionally and sparingly. I mainly use his some of his breakfast or dinner portion of his dogfood since he needs to lose a couple more pounds. He's still not sold on carrots for treats!

 

[walkadilley]

I'm currently using pretzels as a treat because I figured they would be a less valuable treat to him, but it turns out he is OBSESSED with them. (And on a completely unrelated note they make his breath smell like french fries which I rather enjoy! ) D

Oh my gosh that made me laugh!

)

 

[srdogtrainer]

It sounds like it is going well. My only other suggestion would be to increase exercise and maybe do training sessions directly after.

 

[MaryK]

So glad training is going well with Kodi LOL I've got a show off too, Ra Kismet just loves to show off his tricks.

Yes, do as Mutt says, be careful with too much salt it's not good for dogs. A little won't hurt, even when an entire package of Pretzels vanished under mysterious circumstances and one dog (who shall remain nameless) had breath smelling like french fries, we only had an upset tum for the night, but.... too many over a period of time can cause them harm.