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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
TD Yandt wears many different hats in the Canine world. You may find her at Clicker Chicks' Pet-Centric Boutique teaching obedience or conformation handling. She might be out working with Service Dogs in Training as a volunteer and the founder of AASK; Animal Assistants Inc.. You're also likely to find her in the conformation ring lead in hand or standing just outside it with her camera. TD is a certified trainer with Animal Behavior and Training Associates Inc. and a mentor with the Animal Behavior College. Her new book, on clicker training the family dog, will be out early in 2006. You can read more about Tobi-Dawne and her Canine family at noselicks.com.
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1/4/2006
Well, as of this morning, December 18th Luca's started to attempt to grasp my leg and hump me, It is annoying and confusing, as I thought that after a while the sexual hormones dissipated from the ovaries being removed? (she was spayed on November 29th) SO! ... What's up with my little love bug? I thought only males attempted to mount for dominance purposes neutered or not. Luca has always been a lick-mister and persists in licking me to death after I get out of the bath and dry off to climb into bed, but now this? Is it a female dominance thing that she tries to lay on top of me and lick me to death, even though I actively discourage this? (Rhoda full of questions.)
The typical female is far more dominant than any male... Whether or not it was the intention, there is a reason a female dog is called a bitch. They will scent mark, they will hump, and they will fight with ferocity you simply don't see with male dogs.
As long as it doesn't bother you, licking you after a bath is just fine. My big girl (4 year old Lurcher) Thora is allowed to lick my legs after I've come out of the bathroom post shower/bath. It doesn't bother me. However she does not do this with Damon - it does bother him so he's never allowed her the chance to "clean" him off. With that said, lying on top of you during this is def
initely NOT okay.
Do not allow Luca to lay on you while she's licking you post bath. Licking is fine, but lying on top of you is very much showing you that she figures she's the boss. In a dogs mind, whoever is higher up physically is higher up in rank. Her lying on top of you is a very subtle, kind, way of letting you know where you fit within her perception of the family pack. It's the same with the humping (although not so nice or gentle a signal). It's pretty obvious that she figures she's the one in charge of your relationship.
Fixing the laying on top of you post bath? Stay standing or sitting and only allow her to lick during that time. Then calmly tell her "that's enough", ask her to sit, and then pet her for listening so well. It should satisfy her need to "clean" you, while keeping her from exhibiting the dominance display.
Fixing the humping? Get her a stuffy that will from now on be considered her "hump toy". When she begins humping you make a disapproving noise. "ugh" is mine. The noise should interrupt the behavior. Then offer her the stuffy (under her body if possible). Repeat if necessary. A hump toy may not sound all that appealing a thing to have around, but it's better it be a toy and not you.
Dominance issues are not a fun thing to deal with, but these two things should help. :)
As a trainer, handler, and Canine photographer, Tobi-Dawne Yandt's goal is to positively impact the lives of pets and their people by providing an education on individual species, their proper care, and the use of operant conditioning to enhance the human-animal bond. You can learn more about TD, and her animal family, at www.noselicks.com.
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