Oh dear what can the matter be...

To give you an idea of the small problem we have, I've included a copy of an email I sent to my husband when he was on night shifts.

"I need to tell you something...

This is isn’t easy for me to tell you although I always knew there was a possibility that one of our children might end up being “alternative”.

Beulah is humping her duvet <sniff sob> she is obviously confused & I’m not quite sure how we should support her in this.

Let me know what you think we should do – I’m not sure whether to ignore or remove any items she makes “special relations” with.




This is happening about once every day or two - she is 6 mths old - is it a sign she is coming into season? I have been giving a firm no & then put her duvet back in her crate (she drags it out first usually). I suspected this was becoming a game yesterday so I just removed her duvet from the kitchen - although I feel a meany for doing it! She normally sulks when I clean out her crate.

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

you can't stand in the way of true love

also I don't think this is unusual
I used to correct Riley but he's an intact male so I didn't want him to form a habit. I'm not sure if it's an issue with girls and if they just grow out of it. I hope so as my young daughter sometimes has a special relationship with her soft toys! Imagine my face !!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Glad I made you smile! We're off for walk now - wish me luck!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Good luck !!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Well, I think you need to be open-minded about Beulah's relationship choices, NHM

Humping their own bed is a fairly common thing. Obi does it too, when he's over-tired or bored. I don't really care that he humps his bed. However he also likes to hump a rather expensive cushion we have on the sofa and he gets told NO for that and the cushion is put up high. He doesn't hump anything or anyone else or any other dogs.

If you think it's becoming a game or you just don't want her to do it then stopping her and taking it away is fine.

Dogs of all ages can do it, even puppies, so I don't think it's necessarily a sexual maturity thing, though it may be for some dogs.

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Charlie humps his mat when he is bored. He gets told No and the mat removed (he is intact so I don't want a habit forming).

He then nicks the mat back if he can, drags it just out of my reach, humps the mat until I make a move to get up and take it off him - then stops, grins at me, wags his tail and play bows. : I don't think it's sexual!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

lol - that's a relief! 8) I'm just hoping my boys don't realise what she's doing! I'm not ready for that talk yet!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

I have no advice or opinion on this except that I'm finding it very funny!!! ;D

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

I have two humpers...Brodick (18 months, and he has been de plumbed) humps the same sofa in the lounge when he comes back from his long walk. Every single day. I stop him when I catch him, but he tries to sneak back when I'm not looking for a good few minutes after we get in, and needs distracting. Cuillin (girl and 2) humps Brodick, right after they have had a wee training session in the house. I used to stop her but now Brods does as he has decided eighteeen months down the line that Enough is Enough already....he lies down and growls at her and she looks all guilty and stops, and licks his face in what looks like an apology...bless them all and their strange wee habits... I think with both of mine its an excitement thing....

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Poor Brodick - obviously he prefers to be the dominant one...

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

We meet Inca(black lab) and Sorrel(pointer) out on our walks. When Riley goes to say hello Inca starts humping Sorrel - apparently it's a jealousy thing as Riley thinks Sorrel is gooooooorgeous!!!!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

No humping here ;D I'm starting to think I have abnormal dogs : Helen xx

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Be careful what you wish for Helen!!

Any tips on stopping them from digging through to next doors garden? I have lined the fence with bricks but that doesn't seem to have deterred her. What if I bury some chicken wire? I don't want her to hurt herself & I can't be with her every minute of the day - she can dig a big hole in the time it takes for me to visit the powder room!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

The short answer to that is 'it could be'. Most female dogs hump each other when they are on heat, and some will hump inanimate objects. Humping objects can become a habit, especially if you reward it with attention, so it is fine to just quietly take the offending item away for a while. ;D

Pippa

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

no humping here, i was thinking the same helen about jasper

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Dex has started to hump his friend Loco,a GSD .They are the same age and it only started when Loco got bigger than Dexter so I've always taken it as Dexter trying to assert himself as Loco can get the better of him now when they are playing ....Dexter can still outrun him by miles though
It will be interesting to see what happens now Dexter has lost his plums!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Simba has decided the best thing to do at the dog park is to hump all the dogs... : ...ack....luckily most of the other owners are dog people and understanding of it all. Sometimes he "gets" as good as he "gives" which serves him right in my opinion ...just hoping that when my brother comes to visit this weekend he won't revert to this with him. Somehow the bro was the most "attractive" thing around, when bro came to visit pre-neuter. Was hoping the op would tame the behaviour but the antics at the dog park are worrisome....

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Rourke would make humping movements on Drift by other Lab, but since being castrated he has neverdone it again

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

Oh Lisa I forgot about that.....it was early days wasn't it when Simba fell in love with your brother!hope it was just a phase and your brother has been dumped for this visit!

 

Re: Oh dear what can the matter be...

He He ;D
Good luck to your bruv Angela