Comments | dogsintraining: Humping at the dog park

choo_choo_bear in dogsintraining

Humping at the dog park

Feb 22, 2009 16:58

I've just discovered a fenced dog park that's a 15-minute drive from my place. I've taken my 1-year-old Cocker Spaniel (Dexter) there twice now, and each time he's humped other dogs. The other dog owners (the "regulars" at the park) are less than impressed, and have made it clear that this is something I should train him not to do. What bothers me ( Read more... )

dog parks, annoying puppy behavior, aggression, socialization, dominance

Comments 31

miss_teacher February 22 2009, 22:29:27 UTC

If you want to keep going there I would try to redirect Dexter before he starts humping. If you see him moving towards another dog and it looks like he might hump, call his name, throw a ball, do something to distract him ( ... )

miss_teacher February 22 2009, 22:30:18 UTC

Also, if the people who go there often break all the rules then it might not be a good place to keep going to. Some dog parks can be fantastic and some are nightmares.

cryslea February 22 2009, 23:51:10 UTC

YES. The dog park closest to me is a nightmare. I actually saw someone bring a dog into the park with a shock collar on. Someone asked why the dog was wearing a shock collar, and the stupid person said it was to break up fights.

papilio_luna February 22 2009, 22:43:32 UTC

I've really stopped taking one of my dogs to dog parks because he's a humper and the only thing that stops him from humping is a reprimand from the other dog. He listens very well to other dogs when they tell him to stop and he'll leave them alone after that, but some dogs don't really have a problem being humped and thus don't ever tell him to stop, and either which way before the other dog can decide one way or the other, the owner tends to jump in and Conrad just gets completely confused. It's like he's trying to have a conversation with this other dog, but all these people that he's not talking to keep butting in and cutting the other dog off before he can answer ( ... )

Thread 12

taleofaredhead February 22 2009, 22:35:34 UTC

I'm sorry, but I don't think it's fair of you to expect another dog to just "tell off" your dog. In fact, this is might be one of the last things you want to happen, since they might not ask nicely (and end up biting your dog). Not all dogs will tell off another dog, even if they don't like something, just like people.

The other owners shouldn't push their view of punishment off on you. However, as a member of the dog park society (so to speak) it is your job to have a well-mannered dog that isn't a pain in the butt to be around. If someone's dog came up to my dog and kept humping it all of the time, I'd be pretty irritated. Maybe use your new clicker training abilities to teach your dog not to hump.

Good luck!

2morrows February 22 2009, 22:39:49 UTC

I agree with ALL of this.

papilio_luna February 22 2009, 22:51:37 UTC

I don't think it's fair of you to expect another dog to just "tell off" your dog

Why not? I see way more trouble caused at dog parks by owners running around trying to "speak for" their dogs in various situations than if the dogs were just allowed to speak their own language to one another. Dog social communication is designed to avoid fights. Most dogs don't want to fight and all the posturing and vocalizing they do with one another is done so they can avoid fighting.

miss_teacher February 22 2009, 22:54:55 UTC

I mostly agree with you. I think people step in at times they should not, but also let things go farther than they should because they think they dog is playing or being cute when it clearly is not.

Too many people are just awful at reading dog body language. And too many people go to dog parks with dogs that are socially inept. For well socialized dogs it would probably work well to let them figure a lot of things out on their own. But you throw into the mix one or more dogs with poor social skills and poor bite inhibition and it could be dangerous.

Thread 7

datista February 22 2009, 22:45:24 UTC

"if another dog doesn't want to be mounted, IT should tell off my dog (by snapping, growling, or giving some other warning)"
"if an owner is worried about their dog biting another dog, THEIR dog shouldn't be allowed at the dog park."
Logic fail! By leaving the correction up to the other dog, you have to accept that their first response might be a very serious bite. YOUR DOG will be provoking the attack by humping the other dog. Not all dogs will tolerate humping, nor should they have to. It's like having a random man run up and hug your arms to your sides. Some people will freeze and hope he lets go, some will just yell, but some will knee him in the nuts and kick him while he's down. You have no way of knowing how tolerant the other dogs are of your dog's rude behavior (yes, it's a very, very rude behavior, and will likely get him bit if you don't retrain his behavior). Letting another dog "tell off" your dog is much more dangerous than a correction on your part. Did you read that list you linked to?
Humping (Mounting): This ( ... )

omnipoodle February 22 2009, 22:46:03 UTC

I have a wimpy dog who does not like it but will not tell off another dog who is humping her. Some dogs just won't. I'd be irritated if someone let their dog keep harassing her, and I'd have no problem with pulling that dog off her myself if its owner did nothing. At my dog park, allowing your dog to hump another dog is against the rules, too. It's not fair for you to let your dog put another person's dog into an uncomfortable situation.

It might be a lot easier for you to prevent Dexter from humping other dogs if you visit the park when it's less busy. Mine is usually pretty empty in the mornings.

magnoliafly February 22 2009, 23:09:09 UTC

I have a dog like this too and I bring him to my puppy classes to let my clients socialize. The humpers always pick him to mount and do it repeatedly.

I do think it is partially the owners responsibility to try and circumvent the behavior before it occurs if they observe a dog that isn't saying, "Get the f*** off me!" or if a dog does say that and your dog doesn't stop mounting, a fight could escalate.

I find it particularly annoying to be around humping dogs when I have Basil with me. I've waited before separating the dogs to see if he'll give them a signal to get off but he never does because he is a very soft dog.

Something else I see a lot of clients do is call the dogs name over and over and over when they start humping like that should be some sort of magical signal to stop the behavior. It should be something instantaneous like what miss_teacher said, use a toy that he REALLY likes, bring a treat and call him away from that dog BEFORE he begins mounting ( ... )

teacupdiaries February 22 2009, 22:46:29 UTC

In my opinion, biting is far worse than mounting, and if an owner is worried about their dog biting another dog, THEIR dog shouldn't be allowed at the dog park.This isn't really fair considering that even well-behaved dogs will bite if pushed too far. My own boy has good bite inhibition but if, for example, a large puppy kept jumping at his face, he would definitely snap, and he might one day make contact by accident, or if no one stepped in (and, obviously, I consider it my job to protect him from these things ( ... )