The humping…Oh The humping!

[Tieghan]

So I take my dog to the dog park often. Twice daily during the week and 3-4 times on weekends (It's 15 minutes walking from my house) and Finn likes the woods that we use to get there! because I'm there often I am quite familiar with the people that show up that are regulars, Finley just wants to play, run, chase and of course be chased! He is very social with everyone he meets, zero problems with people (kids/adults). Now every now and then a new and or certain dog shows up and its like his mind switches from play, to relentless humping..Sex, Size,Age has no factor in this..yesterday was a poor 2 year old Great Dane..Every time (Romeo) would turn to try and get away Finn was already there lol Tried to distract him with toys/treats and other dogs no chance. I've seen it with a 4 month old female German Shepard, Rottweiler,Jack Russel…He really doesnt discriminate, What I would like to know from anyone is after his surgery will his drive to mount/hump continue? I almost want to stop bringing him there so it doesn't become a routine. Finn will be turning 8 months on the 28th, that's also when ill be scheduling his neutering

[tanza]

Not sexual, tyically, it is usually a show of dominance to the new dog. Key is "new dog"…... so IMO, it will not change when he is neutered.

[Buddys Pal]

(Here is an exerpt from Dr SophiaYin website. the link is here for more info if you'd like to read on…..) http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/dominance_in_dogs_is_not_a_personality_trait

"…..And there's the case of my naughty Jack Russell Terrier, Jonesy. When I first got him at 8 months of age, and introduced him to my parent's Scottie Maggie and my Australian Cattle Dog Zoe, he immediately tried to mount them. Was this a clear cut example of him trying to establish dominance rank? Or was it an example of a silly pup trying to have sex with two spayed females? Actually it was neither. If Jonesy, who was already neutered, were trying to establish high dominance rank, then when the others snapped at him to go away, he would have fought back. What he did instead was to bounce around and play bow. His mounting behavior was inappropriate play behavior. In fact, Zoe was clearly higher ranked. She would sometimes chase him away from chew toys or treats and he'd always back off. But if she wasn't paying attention, he would sometimes sneak up to her and mount her. So the trait he was exhibiting was that he was socially inept."

so if it is ill-mannered playing, then he may need some intervention from you to calm down a bit, or if another dog was to 'reprimand' him after his puppy stage, there may be an altercation or fight....I see it at my daycare, I intervene when the 'playing' gets too rough or someone is not minding manners...(a water filled balloon or "knock it off" or "let's go this way" to redirect the dogs involved.....)

[Tieghan]

Ya I can tell right away when he sets his mind on mounting..He will tolerate playing with other dogs but his eyes are always to his target. So if I can't distract him With toys or other dogs that is when we take our leave and go for a long walk!
Thanks for your input

[DebraDownSouth]

First, I agree with Pat, in my PERSONAL opinion it is dominance not sexual and neutering won't stop it. Worse humper we have ever had was a 10 yr old neutered (early neuter btw) toy poodle. I have see a LOT of articles that agreed, but I went looking for research. It is as if the 90's they did a lot, now, most keeps quoting those nearly 20 yr old studies–- and the research is totally against my personal experiences on behaviors. I find little new actual RESEARCH (other than thankfully a lot more on health and neutering effects), but going to give you Christie Keith's article first. I have known her for about 20 years and have yet to see her misrepresent anything. I think her analysis of the AKC article is spot on and good info. The bottom line is read, decide yourself.

BUT the good news with the research I posted is they all agree, other than females and cancer (best before first heat, still good before 2nd, after that no effect.. but only mammary which isn't that common and if you examine monthly can catch early so STILL your choice)--- the age you neuter doesn't matter on the benefits/effects so you can let those bones grow and growth plates seal without worrying you are waiting too late.

As she says passionately about vets and the push for neutering

It's Just That They LIE ABOUT IT

I have this deep-seated aversion to being lied to and manipulated for my own or the common good. I also am allergic to lying to and manipulating other people.

So let me be crystal clear. Like everything else, be it diet or vaccinations or drugs or herbs, there are risks and benefits to altering dogs and cats. I think we need to make informed decisions on all aspects of how to care for our animals, and you can't make an informed decision when you're being lied to. Lied to over and over and over, explicitly. Not metaphorically, not by omission, but actually told big fat lies.

Pick up any number of dog, cat, or general consumer magazines, and you'll be assured that not only are there no adverse effects of spaying and neutering, but altering will make your pets healthier and better behaved. They'll be less likely to soil in the house, to roam, to fight, and they won't get testicular, uterine, or ovarian cancer or infections (well duh), and will greatly reduce their chances of getting mammary cancer. You'll be spared messy heats and the risk of unwanted puppies or kittens. It's enough to make you rush right out and get spayed or neutered yourself.<<

Here is her article (not with above quote) on neutering:

http://www.petconnection.com/2008/01/08/spayneuter-what-does-the-science-say/

Behavior Benefits Androgens, or male sex hormones, such as testosterone have a number of behavioral influences in adult males. A previous study (Hart and Eckstein, 1997) showed that sexually dimorphic behaviors, that is behaviors
more common in one sex than the other, are reduced or altered by castration. Behaviors that are highly dimorphic in male dogs are urine or scent marking, aggressiveness toward other male dogs, mounting other dogs, and roaming away from home to find potential mates. Castration will not change behaviors that are similar between males and females such as hunting, playfulness, house guarding, activity level, and seeking affection.
Castration of male dogs results in a rapid or gradual decline of indoor urine marking, intermale aggression, and mounting of other dogs in approximately 50 to 70 percent of the dogs after castration. <<

From 2008

Effects of gonadectomy on behavior
Behaviors that are most likely to be affected by gonadectomy are those that are sexually dimorphic (seen primarily in one gender). Examples of sexually dimorphic behaviors include flagging in bitches, and mounting and urine marking in dogs. Incidence of sexually dimorphic behaviors decreases after gonadectomy in bitches and dogs, with the decrease in incidence not correlated with length of time the animal has shown the behavior prior to gonadectomy.

Those behaviors that are not sexually dimorphic, including most forms of aggression, are not decreased in incidence by gonadectomy. One behavioral consequence of spaying that has been documented in several studies is an increase in reactivity towards humans with unfamiliar dogs and increased aggression toward family members. This may be hormonally related; there may also be a breed predisposition.<<
http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/determining-the-best-age-at.html

Which of my dogs’ behavior problems can be expected to improve following castration?
As mentioned, only those behaviors that are “driven” by male hormones can be reduced or eliminated by castration. Although the hormones are gone from the system almost immediately following castration, male behaviors may diminish quickly over a few days or gradually over a few months.

Undesirable sexual behavior: Attraction to female dogs, roaming, mounting, and masturbation can often be reduced or eliminated by castration.

Case studies show that for roaming, there was moderate improvement in 70% of dogs, with marked improvement in 40%. For mounting there was moderate improvement in 70% of dogs with marked improvement in 25%.
In one study, castration led to reduced aggression toward other dogs in the house in 1/3 of cases, towards people in the family in 30% of cases, towards unfamiliar dogs in 20% of cases and toward unfamiliar people in 10% of cases.<<
(from Veterinary Care Animal Hospitals) http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/dog-behavior-and-training-neutering-and-behavior/169

From Journal of American Vet Med Assoc

RESULTS: Effects of castration on fear of inanimate stimuli or aggression toward unfamiliar people were not significant. For urine marking, mounting, and roaming, castration resulted in an improvement of > or = 50% in > or = 60% of dogs and an improvement of > or = 90% in 25 to 40% of dogs. For remaining behaviors, castration resulted in an improvement of > or = 50% in < 35% of dogs. Significant correlations were not found between the percentage of improvement and age of the dog or duration of the problem behavior at the time of castration.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Castration was most effective in altering objectionable urine making, mounting, and roaming. With various types of aggressive behavior, including aggression toward human family members, castration may be effective in decreasing aggression in some dogs, but fewer than a third can be expected to have marked improvement. Age of the dog or duration of the problem behavior does not have value in predicting whether castration will have a beneficial effect.<<
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/9227747

Dogs

Roaming, urine marking in the house, and mounting people, inanimate objects and other animals: A majority of dogs (50-70%) show very significant decreases in these behaviors following castration. Importantly, the age of the dog at the time of castration had little influence on outcome. In other words, the likelihood that castration prior to puberty will prevent these behaviors from developing is essentially that same as after castration in adulthood.<<
http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/reprod/petpop/proscons.html

[tanza]

Just to be clear, I am NOT against Spay/Neuter, my contract requires spay/neuter on all companion pets placed. Just on the "when"… early spay/neuter, is not IMO the best for the dog.