Buster met an 8 month old rottie pup last week. They loved each other Buster doesn't get a chance to interact with dogs other than a quick sniff, (since our oldie passed away when Buster was 1 yr old) but this pup wanted to play & the owner was more than happy to let him  and being a rottie, he is of a decent enough size to not be easily 'broken'!!
Thier first 'paly' session, last week, was pretty much a free-for-all, the pup clambering & jumping all over Buster, Buster trying to sniff the pups bum & privates to the point he would nudge the pup into place in order to get a better sniff, it was mayhem but they both loved it and spent the next few days looking for each other while out on a walk, bless

They met again today
Buster was  more controlable (allthough, still not to sure how to play with the pup), sniffing was a bit more civilised, pup was still a loony pup (jumping all over Buster & me, licking Busters lips). However, Buster kept trying to hump the pup Pup was not bothered, in fact never even noticed! but each time I imediately told Buster 'no' and moved him away for a moment to calm down, but it must have been about 5 times he tried to hump the pup. Also, I was a little concerned that Buster was acting too 'dominant' (standing with his head over the pups shoulder, with a stiffening body posture, standing with the end of his muzzle pressed on the back of pups neck). Each time he was 'dominant' I told him 'gentle' (he knows this to mean be gentle as it's used if he's too rough with the cat) and moved him away for a second.

A few further points, Buster enjoys rough play, but never attempted any play-biting with the pup. Buster & rottie are both entire. I thought Buster had finished with his 'kevin' stage (he'll be 3 in July), but recently has had a few attampts at humping me/OH/my kids at home, which have all been stopped imediately and he has been made lay down for a few mins to calm down, it seems to be when he is excited & wants to play. When he starts to hump, it's as if he's a bit confused by it all and is just following an impulse/instinct.

His socialisation with other dogs really has been poor, as a pup he was crippled with ED (very short walks, training classes too much for his leg) and since he's got bigger it's a bit of a catch-22 situation, he needs to be around other dogs to learn some manners and not find them so exciting, but he's such a handful it's hard to do. So lack of socialisation means he finds other dog VERY exciting but is not sure exactly what he can & can't do with them.

I did tell Buster that if he tried humping the rottie when it was older, it may well bite him to tell him off, but he didn't pay any attention to me, LOL!

Ohhhhh, how I'd love for Buster to meet a large, mature, bitch that would put him in his place and teach him some manners.....

I am I right to be concerned about his humping the pup & 'dominat' behaviour or is this simply OTT play, that with training & maturity should subside?
Any advice or pointers atall?

So lack of socialisation means he finds other dog VERY exciting but is not sure exactly what he can & can't do with them.

Personally from what you describe and it's hard to say for sure without seeing it the above is key and I would say he is over excited and that is what the humping behaviour is about.  I would just go about distracting him or giving him a positive action something to do and be rewarded for rather than a no.  If you can see he is about to start with the numping then ask him to 'leave' if he would understand that in that context, reward him even if it's just a 'good boy' to mark it and returning him to play (which will be a big reward in itself).  If he gets too excited and needs a minute or two to calm down then call him to you, reward him and ask for a few basic things and then let him go back to play.

Try interupting the behaviours you don't want him to do during paly before or as they are happening so that he doesn't get the chance to practise them.  Reward him for listening to you and let him play again. I think shorts bursts of play with dogs taht are easily over excited ad lack a bit of self control are better anyway as other wise things can get ott and then can find it harder to respond to you and just get a bit silly.

When he starts to hump, it's as if he's a bit confused by it all and is just following an impulse/instinct.

Which if fairly typical when it's caused by over excitement or sometimes can happen in a similar way when dogs gets anxious (not suggesting that is the case with Buster).

I think he just sounds a bit lacking in doggie social skills when it comes to play and given that he hasn't had much practise for various reasons it's understandable that that would be the case - the more doggies that he gets to play with that are able to cope with him and that are good play mates the better.

Thanks for the pointers

> If you can see he is about to start with the numping then ask him to 'leave' if he would understand that in that context,

Silly, isn't it, I never thought of even trying the 'leave' command!! I'm sure that would help, as again it's used at home when he's pestering the cat! Thanks for that

to [hopefully] make you feel better/give you a laugh my 13 YEAR old NEUTERED[since I don't know when - done b4 I got her @ 2ish]  x collie bitch stills humps at times.  She does respond to 'Leave' though - failing that a quick threat of/spray with water bottle does the trick.  Better and less messy than a cold shower LOL.

My 7 year old Bearded Collie bitch humps me when she gets over excited.  She's a bit on the big side, and it's like being humped by a Shetland Pony!  She was spayed years ago, and had never been mated.

I don't tell her off, just get a toy, and her interest is immediately diverted.  I know that doesn't solve the humping other dogs thing, but may help when he's humping you!

> She's a bit on the big side, and it's like being humped by a Shetland Pony!

LOL!!!

> I don't tell her off, just get a toy, and her interest is immediately diverted.  I know that doesn't solve the humping other dogs thing, but may help when he's humping you!

Thanks for that

Allthough Buster isn't interested in toys, I'll  offer him his rope toy as an alternative to humping us next time he does it as he does enjoy a chew on that. He's not too bad with it, as I said, it all seems a bit confusing for him and he doesn't seem to know why he's doing it so he's not very insistant and it's very 'half-hearted' when he humps us. It usually starts if we are on the floor, ie my son kneeling down looking in the cupboard or me on hands & knees washing the floor. It's a bit of a shock to have such a big dog trying to clamber on your back when knelt down so out of sheer horror and an urgency to nip-it-in-the-bud, I've not thought of the re-direction, only stopping him ASAP and calming him down.

I do know he would love a game of rough-housing and I could use that as a distraction, but does anybody think there is any chance he would learn from that humping gets him a fun play session and re-enforce the humping? Or, with the right timing (before he starts humping - catch him as he has that look come over his face!) should it be fine? Gosh, I worry so much about getting things wrong, I do my head in!!!

Our last dog was a major humper (we got him when he was 4yrs old), it took years to get him out of the habbit, he was like a dog-possesed when he started, he would get a vice-like grip with his front legs and his butt would be going like a piston!! No visitor, toy, member of the family or soft furnishing was safe! I have the memory of him clinging on to the Dr's leg and humping it all the way across the livingroom when the Dr. came out for a home visit after having my first baby - how embarasing............The only way we eventually stopped him was to be quick and tell him no before he had chance to start.
I think our last dogs humping obsession has made me a bit paranoid and freaked out at the thought of Buster ending up like that.

I'm so glad I posted. As the tips I've had will help loads

My 2 girls aged 6months and 3yrs hump each other or try anyway,i dont allow it and they stop when i say leave.
The 6month old encourages it.

Ohhhhh, how I'd love for Buster to meet a large, mature, bitch that would put him in his place and teach him some manners.....

Pity you are so far from me.. My two older girlies (Mum and Daughter) Pepsi and Merlot though excellent with other dogs will not allow any "Boyishness" and a grump and "That LOOK!" put most over amourous dogs in thier place immediatley! Merlot is such an obviously dominant bitch that I have never seen a dog push it's luck with her. She is never agressive but just brookes no nonscence and weighing in at 54kg she is big enough to be listened too!!
Hope you find that in time playing with this Rotty, Buster will learn how to play nicely,  without humping!!!
Aileen

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on this thread but I'm having a similar issue with my Leo.  He never tries to hump other dogs, and 99% of the time has beautiful manners around people, however when he gets over excited/over tired he grabs peoples sleeves and tries to hump them (Usually the judge when he gets a rosette!!)

I've been advised to distract him but I think I must catch him too late as once he's got someone in his sights they're for it! : )

He's only 17 months so realise it has a lot to do with adolescence but want to nip it in the bud as soon as possible, at 60kg already, it's not much fun for the recipient!

adding to my previous post - Tinker [x colie] only humps our Elki bitch and then usually only when she's coming into season [maybe].  She did try it on with us when younger and I agree with other posters that it's over-excitment.
Wish I'd thought of mentioning the distraction too, I don't bother these days as Tink's getting on a bit and certainly knows by now it's not approved of - the humping that is. If dogs have something they're really into it's much better to distract - especially when young then they associate their feelings with a game or whatever and not resort to humping.

> at 60kg already, it's not much fun for the recipient

Ouch!

My GR has been well socialised from 12 weeks old and we have never had humping problem with him. Then it was about this time of year and he had just turned 3, we were in the park and he was playing with a lab pup, what I can only class as frantic play, once they stopped he humped the lab ! both males and entire, most embarrassing, to top it off he humped his head !!! this happened on several occassions afterwards with other dogs female/male/pups/old but always straight after play.

It was clear it was just sheer excitement with him and someone also said that it because spring was on the way. Thankfully I can count on one hand the amount of times he did it and as quick as it started it stopped. That was two years ago and its not happened ever again xxx