I didn't know if I should post this in puppies or in behavior. So...behavior it is. So my 10 week puppy met my sister in law's 14 month miniature Dauschund. This dog totally and immediately submitted to my Toby. He played dead basically and froze, laying on his back. My Toby got his full freedom to sniff and lick and then humped (didn't mount, just made the motion). Is this a dominant characteristic? Was Toby just accepting the invitation? I'm mostly curious how a sexually immature dog would do that...or am I completely missing the point of what it means to hump and what sexually mature means..... After all - at 10 weeks he can barely hold his pee for a significant length of time "because he's a baby" but shouldn't the same philosophy apply to dominance? He's just a baby.... PS - thanks for not laughing and insulting my ignorance. I'm just curious and feel that this is a safe place to ask.
I think you confusing over excitement with sex. If you see tiny pups in a litter they do it to each other if the play gets too exciting. If you go onto the main site you can read about it along with the outdate dominance theory. Many little dogs do this belly up lying still thing when they meet a bigger dog. It can be frightening for them. No one would laugh at you we're all learning. I would try to let go of your ideas about your pup trying to dominate, the behaviours displayed by our dogs are much more interesting than wanting to take over the world.the more I've learned the more fasinating ive found my dogs behaviour. Its difficult at first pups can be really well pups. No one tells you what a lab pups is really like.
I took my puppy to a Puppy Party at our Vets when she was about 11 weeks. She tried to hump one of the other puppies who was smaller than her - I felt embarrassed. She then went on to hump her bed a few times. DH told me to ignore it and it wasn't of any significance. He was right - she doesn't do it anymore.
Humping is a sign of excitement, my females do it to each other, much more than Zaba - an entire male - does it. I distract them from it as I don't want it to become a habit - embarrassing in front of guests!
Good to hear more from you and Toby! I'm more surprised to hear that a nearly-adult dachshund would go belly up for any other dog, no matter the size. Most of the ones I've seen could hold their own against a crocodile, let alone a 10 week old puppy. At least here in Germany, that is one seriously tough-as-nails dog breed, up there with JRTs. I agree with the others, it's all about excitement, nothing sexual. You don't say, but did the two play and/or get on well after the original introduction?
Thank you! We are doing well Yes, his owner was surprised by the behavior as well. It's probably because he had no interest in playing with Toby because he was excited to see me and the kids - we dogsat him for about 2 months before we got Toby so it was a little reunion too. We should have waited introducing the dogs after we had had our reunion first. Later on they played nicely - the dachshund initiated play and Toby even offered his belly to him. I actually got them on video and plan to make a little video to add to Toby's YouTube channel about meeting his "cousin" ☺️ I'll post a link when done. The dominance philosophy has been so engrained in my head it's hard to get out. I stopped the humping only because I didn't want him to get in the habit of it. My mom had a Papillon that would hump a favorite stuffed animal at any given moment every day. It was embarrassing...and he wasn't even my dog! Lol
Ah see, so all good! Sounds like a polite and patient little dachshund too and a good buddy for Toby. Oh, I hear you! I come from the early 2000's "watched every CM show/read every CM book" camp. I got quite an education the first time the subject of him and dominance theory came up here on the Forum. In a way, though, for me is was a real relief as the whole "act like you're the boss" thing absolutely did not come naturally to me! I'm more of a "You do your thing and I'll do mine" with humans and "Let's form a furry partnership and have some fun" with dogs.
