How do I get him to stop humping?

I know this sounds like a strange question, but for the last 5 nights I've been doing overnight petsits for a 5 year old neutered Airdale (sp?). My first two nights at the house he was great and super sweet, so much fun to play and cuddle with. But the last three nights all he wants to do is hump everything! I want to cuddle with him but not if he's going to try to hump me. And it's not just me, he tries to hump the cat and sometimes he'll just stand in the living room and just start humping the air! I've never seen a dog try to hump nothing before, but this dog does. I've noticed that this behavior does not start until after dinner. In the morning he doesn't do this and I leave after he finishes breakfast, and when I get back in the evening he's fine until after I feed him. I'm not allowed to play with him until after an hour after dinner because he has reflux and will get sick. But when he finishes dinner he runs around like crazy and just humps things all night! I have a few nights left with him and I'd really like to make them as hump free as possible.

I think he might be trying to say he's alpha. You can try feeding him after you eat. Pack leader always eats first...leaving the remains for the other dogs. You can also try coming in the house first when you guys are returning home. Another one is rolling him on his back every now and then. I did that with kai...I made him give up. I'm sure there's more but of those few, I think the one that works best is the one where the leader eats first.

I'm going to try rolling him on his back and see if that helps, since I'm only with him a few more days I don't really have time to train him. I was also thinking about maybe taking him for a walk before dinner so that way he's a little more tired. Is it ok to exercise a dog before he eats?

I think it'd be alright...Maybe give a slight break in between to avoid any inhaling food or water...but other than that, it sounds good.

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Originally posted by Uabassoon
I know this sounds like a strange question, but for the last 5 nights I've been doing overnight petsits for a 5 year old neutered Airdale (sp?). My first two nights at the house he was great and super sweet, so much fun to play and cuddle with. But the last three nights all he wants to do is hump everything! I want to cuddle with him but not if he's going to try to hump me. And it's not just me, he tries to hump the cat and sometimes he'll just stand in the living room and just start humping the air! I've never seen a dog try to hump nothing before, but this dog does. I've noticed that this behavior does not start until after dinner. In the morning he doesn't do this and I leave after he finishes breakfast, and when I get back in the evening he's fine until after I feed him. I'm not allowed to play with him until after an hour after dinner because he has reflux and will get sick. But when he finishes dinner he runs around like crazy and just humps things all night! I have a few nights left with him and I'd really like to make them as hump free as possible.

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If it started suddenly, and he's even *humping* the air, are you sure it's not something medically wrong? The air isn't something a dog needs dominance over ...

Do NOT just roll him on his back - with an unfamiliar dog, this can be a bad idea, because dogs can see it as agression, and react accordingly. You don't need to establish any long-term program, as it's a temporary situation, but a good long play session or run to tucker him out may help (if it's not something physically bothering him.)

I've gotten some helpful PMs about the situation. I think a part of the behavior is brought on because I'm new. He is used to his mom being there all day, and now a stranger is in his territory 12 hours a day sleeping in his moms bed. I think I'm going to take him for a walk when I get there, nothing hard just a slow paced 20 minute walk then when I get home he has to be medicated. So I'll wait, medicate him and i have to wait 30 minutes before feeding him after the medication. This is usually what I do in the mornings, but now I guess I'll be doing it in the evenings as well. I wish I could walk him after dinner, but I have to wait an hour and by then it's just way too dark outside for me and since it's the desert there are a lot of harmful animals out there.

I don't think taking him for a quite walk after dinner will
hurt him. It's the vigorous games of fetch & hard running till
he pants games to have to avoid. Reflux & bloating are serious
health issues to avoid in big dogs. Most behavior sites will tell
you this is a dog dominence issue, but I think it can also be just
nervous energy & lack of any other way of relating to you, the
new person in the house. One other cause I did find is that it
can be a behavior caused by some illness or medication used
to treat the illness. I feel sorry for the dog if he acts this way
all the time.

p.s. I would never Alpha roll any dog, even my own. It's never
a good idea.

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Originally posted by lizbud
I would never Alpha roll any dog, even my own. It's never a good idea.

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Really? I haven't had anything bad happen because of it. I only do this when Kai's "acting up" and sort of pushing my limits...after a roll and some other techniques, he's fine.

Really !!!

It's never a good technique with any dog. IMHO.

Alpha rolling a dominant dog can lead the dog to bite - and when you alpha roll, your face is awfully close to their mouth. Kai's a sheltie, and they're generally gentle - not always as dominant as other breeds. That may be why you've never sensed the danger of such a move.

An alternative to alpha rolling a dominant dog is to have him/her go into a lot of downs for you every day. You have to be careful not to get your face close to theirs while enforcing a down, though.

Of course - Uabassoon won't benefit from that, since she won't have enough time with the dog for training.

yeah..well like I said, I only do this when he's acting up. If he was ever extremely dominant, I'd never alpha roll him.

I agree, Binka. I don't think Jake (my Sheltie) would object to an alpha roll, though I haven't tried it. Even Max (my Rottweiler/Shepherd mix) probably wouldn't bite me. But my mom's little chihuahua would sink her tiny teeth right in! Dominant little booger.

Even beyond safety and people's opinion's of Alpha rolling, I personally think it would extremely disrespectful to do it to someone else's dog.

I had dominance issues with my pup (since resolved) and I had a couple of friends who felt they were perfectly within their right to discipline my dog when they visited. It angered me greatly when they would walk into my house and correct my dog with their own methods without letting me handle the situation or asking how they should resolve it. I would never, ever use any type of physical reprimands or physical dominance displays with someone else's dog!!!

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Originally posted by G-Diddy
Even beyond safety and people's opinion's of Alpha rolling, I personally think it would extremely disrespectful to do it to someone else's dog.

I had dominance issues with my pup (since resolved) and I had a couple of friends who felt they were perfectly within their right to discipline my dog when they visited. It angered me greatly when they would walk into my house and correct my dog with their own methods without letting me handle the situation or asking how they should resolve it. I would never, ever use any type of physical reprimands or physical dominance displays with someone else's dog!!!

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I agree wholeheatedly. Alpha rolling your own dog when you are very sure of it's personality is one thing. Alpha rolling someone else's dog is a whole different issue.

There is a great deal of controversy about alpha rolling dogs. Different trainers will tell you different things. Some say yes - some say no. I try to err on the side of caution - having the dog do sits/downs/stays/off etc. is a much safer way of showing alpha IMHO :)

OMG, I have come to this thread late!! I am so glad everyone has said NOT to alpha roll the dog!!!!! This is very very very dangerous. Whew, I'm glad you didn't do it.

In actual dogdom, it is a submissive act (to roll on the back). When the dominant dog pushes an issue, it is the submissive dog who will roll on his back himself, not the dominant dog physically forcing the dog on his back. So a person forcing a dog on his back is actual physical aggression towards this dog, like...I am going to MAKE you submit......not the dog himself thinking, I will submit to your dominance. This act may anger the dog into an attack. Do not do this. It is very dangerous! Especially to a large dog.

I do not remember who gave me this advice, or which thread it was, but it was a good alternative to the alpha roll. They said if you are having submission problems with a dog, make them work for everything. Make them sit for their meals, make them sit before they go outside, etc... Let them know that you have control over every part of their life. Of course, with this dog, it isn't yours, so I would just stick the humping problem out. He's probably just nervous. I would just say No and redirect his attention.

Tonya, are you referring to the NILIF training...Nothing In Life Is Free? That is a good way to show your dominance as the leader, but let the dog know that he is an accepted member of the pack and welcome to enjoy living that life. You control the pack without threat or aggression by asking for him to do something and getting rewarded for complying.

Yes, sud. In fact, I think you were the person that told me about it.

lol oscar humps as well. only when he is really hyper though. he will try to crasp onto your arm and hump lol it is so funny.