Humping in the dog park - etiquette query.

[dylexicdementor11]

My lovely little 5 month old intact male puppy started humping a female dog today in the dog park.
The owners were horrified. I apologized profusely and put my puppy back on a lead and kept him by my side until they left.
I realize that my puppy could be sexually mature and could impregnate a female dog but the owners acted as if their dog had been violated.

We have not decided when or if we will neuter our puppy when he’s older but in the meantime I wouldn’t want to upset dog owners with my randy puppy.

Any tips on how to play nice in the dog park? Should I keep a male dog on a lead at all times unless he’s neutered? TIA

so funny. Etiquette for dogs shagging 😂😂😂😂

Yes, thanks, obviously everyone must control their dogs.

But this isn't about a bitch in heat in a dog park, this is about whether it's ok to be pissed off that a five month old jumped onto another dog and started humping. If the bitch had been in heat it as @TheYearOfSmallThings says. Pup would have had no chance.

Bitch, dog, child, adult, it's lack of control.

If you cannot recall and distract keep the dog on a lead. They were annoyed, you are projecting why.

Dog may be scared, recovering, who knows. Shouldn't have happened without owner consent.

Thanks, I had hoped the title would make someone laugh.

And actually mine wouldn't have cared, and probably would have eventually had a go, one of them certainly.

Then that would be another issue

If the bitch was in season, the owners were wrong to take her to the dog park.

Otherwise, in reality, some dogs get over excited around others and this results in humping. Sounds like that’s what happened. It’s not always truly sexual - I have seen dogs humping away at my dogs head, for example. But it is always unacceptable.

Train your dog with a sharp Off! If he tries this.

Some dogs will tell him off, others may get aggressive, and the owners will rightly be pissed off at you.

The girls need to be controlled and the boys can do what they like.

Sounds familiar.

Or... everyone's dogs should be under their direct control at all times and/or on a lead.

At 5 months old it’s probably not sexually motivated humping at all, it’s far more likely to be that your dog was overstimulated and the humping is almost a symptom of that really. You have to teach your dog how to play appropriately in all situations, if he has turned to humping then he’s not ready to be in that situation so take it back a few steps, on lead always to keep control, and train him up :)

Only on MN could someone manage to turn a thread about dog sex into something political..

ODFOD

That escalated quickly.

I’m not the one escalating it into something political, which it’s not.

Dogs aren’t humans.
Having said that, I am not implying that
It was okay for my dog to hump another dog. So thank you for the advice, I will keep my puppy on a long lead in the future. 😊

<backs away slowly>

So here’s an idea, might be a bit ‘out there’. Perhaps you could keep him on a lead?

I don’t think your idea is ‘out there’ at all. In fact, several people have kindly suggested the exact same thing. This is exactly the kind of helpful advice I was hoping for. 😊thanks!

Why do people keep saying she’s on heat? There’s every chance she wasn’t. Male dogs will hump regardless

So you were too thick to work that out on your own? What a smashing dog owner you are 👍

Yes, maybe or it could be that I was going for:
“irony1
noun

1. the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
2. "‘Don't go overboard with the gratitude,’ he rejoined with heavy irony"

😊happy Easter and all that.

Absolutely crazy response here tonight! 😝

Yes, if you decide not to have him done he will be fine to be around others HOWEVER he also might not be (our lovely old Corgi was a pain in the bum and could smell a bitch in heat miles off. My parents never thought to have him done). He was too little and slow to actually act on anything 🤣 It’s a see how he gets on. Personally, we have all ours done.

He’s very young and I’m sure, if he’s like my current pup, learning as he makes mistakes. That’s how dogs learn. They don’t read books, they have to learn ‘on the job’. Same with general off the lead play time. At some point, they have to learn what’s acceptable play, when they can’t play, if they over step the mark etc. You did the right thing and stopped what is like to just be over stimulation.

Humping in dogs isn’t often sexual. Our old collie bitch had a thing for my MIL’s leg! It was a dominance thing. So humping isn’t just for male dog, bitches are just as likely to have a go at his age too.

Except you didn’t have your dog on a lead? And you’re on here asking what you need to do? And needed to be told to keep your dog on a lead? How are you being ironic when that’s what you literally did?

My dog would have gone for him. Are you letting your dog run up to random dogs?

Thank you for your helpful comment. Gotta love mumsnet on a bank holiday weekend. 😊

It’s fairly normal for male adolescent dogs to do this.

As someone who walks female (now spayed, done at 18 mnths) dogs in the park daily it happens to us once a month and even more in spring.

Even if your dog has his lipstick out (and most don’t) then he would only be able to mate with an in season bitch. The owner would definitely know the bitch was in season and will have chosen to walk in the park anyway.

Your dog will learn not to do it any more when he gets an absolute bollocking from a female dog who thinks he needs better manners.

Assuming your dog is just a bit too friendly and enthusiastic your best bet is to find a friend with a confident but friendly female dog, larger than yours, and set up a scenario in your garden. When he starts to hump her she’ll give him a few warnings before flipping him over and pinning him by the throat. Don’t intervene.

If you don’t set it up this will happen at the park eventually and if it’s one of my dogs that does it don’t complain.

Why on earth do you think OP would let her puppy go up to random dogs?! Bizarre stance to take. The likely scenario is that OP’s dog met another dog, they played happily at the start before OP’s pup embarrassed her and OP dealt with it.

If your dog is the type to not want to play, presumably it’s trained not to go up to other dogs/and or is kept on the lead and away from others.

Thank you! This is exactly (not being ironic) the kind of useful advice I was hoping for. Reminds me of mumsnet a la 2007. 😊