Dog Humping Child [Archive]

abfleck

04-20-04, 06:29 PM 04-20-04

This may sound funny, but our dog just started humoing our 18 month old boy when he is one the floor. Why is this and what can we do to get it to stop?:splat::goof:

SapphireWolf

04-20-04, 06:47 PM 04-20-04

I don't know what to do about it, but I do know that he is trying to show he is dominant over the child. Hopefully someone else will be able to help you further

abfleck

04-20-04, 06:51 PM 04-20-04

Thanks for the reply..........but the dog i forget to mention is a female and my child is a boy. This is very weird, but thanks for your help:flippy:

I don't know what to do about it, but I do know that he is trying to show he is dominant over the child. Hopefully someone else will be able to help you further

SapphireWolf

04-20-04, 06:54 PM 04-20-04

Dosen't matter if it's male or female, it still a dominance thing. I have a female dog who tried humping me for a while, I would just tell her "No" in a firm voice when she did it and then she finally learned

SapphireWolf

04-20-04, 06:55 PM 04-20-04

Actually, she tried to hump my arm

Roz

04-20-04, 07:25 PM 04-20-04

Yes, Sapphirewolf is right, female dogs do dominance humping, too. Your dog is merely trying to show your son (and anyone else watching) that she is more dominant, and that your son is below her in ranking in your family pack. This behavior is not acceptable as it shows your dog believes she is, let's put it this way, more important than your son. She is less likely to obey him. Maybe he is currently too young to be taking her for walks or giving her commands, but in some years, he may try to give her a command and she will be less likely to obey. She may even feel the need to punish your son for trying to command her to do things. And even now, she may feel she has the right and obligation to punish your son if he misbehaves. This could become a serious issue. Dogs need to know where in the family or pack they belong. Your son should have a higher ranking than the dog, even if he is younger and newer to the family than the dog, if for no other reason than because your son is your offspring, your child, and you are the Alpha. The Alpha's pups are always higher ranked than the lowest member of the pack. Your dog is the lowest member, your son is not..

Now there are definitely things you can do about this, though some of the things I may suggest will have to wait until your son is older.

For one, if your dog is not spayed, spaying her is likely to effect her in good ways. It is likely to make her less dominant and more calm. If she is not spayed, she should be. Dominant dogs should be spayed and neutered, especially before their hormones go out of w.

I also recommend obediance training. This will help form a better bond between your dog and your family, as well as teach your dog how to behave properly and teach her where she belongs in the pack. Have every member of your family get in on obediance training. When your son is older, have him start practice obediance training with your dog, so she sees that your son is higher ranking than she is and learns to obey him.

Make sure everytime you catch your dog humping your son that you tell her "No" in a firm, steady voice.

It may also be important to watch your son's interaction with your dog. The way they interact and play together may show why your dog thinks she's higher ranked than your son. If your son is getting down on the ground and playing with your dog, your dog may be seeing your son as her littermate. Puppies who grow up together play together and do things like hump one anothe to determine who's more dominant and to show eachother who is more dominant. Even though your dog isn't a puppy (or so I am assuming) she could still see your son as her littermate, and so she's merely going about play with your son in a similar way. But, even so, it still boils down to a dominance thing.

andreaS15

04-20-04, 09:04 PM 04-20-04

I agree 100% with everything Roz has posted.
I would like to add, I also have a Dominant female dog. She humps the other dogs when she thinks they are getting out of line.
One thing you can do to establish dominance for your young son, is feed him FIRST, and let the dog watch. Then feed her.
Once your son gets a bit older, you can have him feed her, again after she has watched him eat. Bosses eat first, dogs eat second.
You have to think "pack mentality", not people mentality.
Don't let your dog sit on the furnature where "people" sit, or on the beds where you or your child sleep, If she does, she will take it as she's the boss.

Good Luck!

abfleck

04-25-04, 07:40 PM 04-25-04

MY chiwawa humps the new pit bull too. They are both females. This is interesting, but I guess it is common right? TAKE CARE ALL :splat:

Kayl

04-26-04, 07:30 AM 04-26-04

Chihuahuas as a breed, according to my research, tend to be very self confidant dogs who prefer their own breed (which is weird), so the dominance issue is pretty normal, but needs to be dealt with. What everyone else has said is completely correct. I'll just add a suggestion for when you catch her on your son, if saying no isn't working (don't worry about the pit--they'll figure that out themselves).

You can try an air horn (don't let the kid have it ^_^). It seems to work with jumping, so why not? Just make sure if you blow it, she can't see where it's coming from, otherwise she'll figure out that the air horn goes off when you hold it and she may continue doing it when you don't have it or aren't around.

abfleck

04-26-04, 10:11 AM 04-26-04

Thanks for the great advice :flippy:

Chihuahuas as a breed, according to my research, tend to be very self confidant dogs who prefer their own breed (which is weird), so the dominance issue is pretty normal, but needs to be dealt with. What everyone else has said is completely correct. I'll just add a suggestion for when you catch her on your son, if saying no isn't working (don't worry about the pit--they'll figure that out themselves).

You can try an air horn (don't let the kid have it ^_^). It seems to work with jumping, so why not? Just make sure if you blow it, she can't see where it's coming from, otherwise she'll figure out that the air horn goes off when you hold it and she may continue doing it when you don't have it or aren't around.

Kayl

04-26-04, 03:22 PM 04-26-04

No problem. Good luck ^_^

abfleck

05-01-04, 11:03 AM 05-01-04

Kayl

05-03-04, 06:42 AM 05-03-04

That's great!

abfleck

05-04-04, 01:10 PM 05-04-04

GOOD NEWS.............MY LITTLE CHIWOWO (SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING) HAS STOPPED THE HUMPING THINGS SINCE WE GOT THE SECOND DOG.. SHE DOES NOT EVEN TRY WITH MY SON IN A WHILE AS FAR AS I HAVE NOTCIED. IT SURE WAS REALLY GETTING ANNOYING AS HECK :bouncy:

FLECK

I WILL HAVE TO TAKE THAT STAEMENT BACK FOR A MONENT WHILE I SAY THAT LAST NIGHT MY WIFE CAUGHT MAISE (CHOWOW) HUMPING THE PITBULLS HEAD AND MACKENZIE PUT HER IN HER PLACE, BECAUSE SHE GROWLED REALLY LOUD. CAN ANYONE INTERPRET THIS FOR ME. IT SOUNDS LIKE MACKENZIE IS TIRED OF THE LITTLE DGOS bs......lol

TAKE CARE ALL

AJ FLECK :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy:

Kayl

05-05-04, 06:03 AM 05-05-04

Not getting tired of little dogs, just testing the waters of dominance ^_^

It's possible that if your Pit doesn't believe the bluster the Chihuahua puts forward, the pit will wind up being the dominant dog since she's bigger. Right now it sounds like she's getting tired of the dominance displays. Keep an eye on them--your Chi is small enough that if the pit gets too tired of it and snaps at her, the Chi could get hurt simply because she's smaller.

abfleck

05-05-04, 10:11 AM 05-05-04