Info Need Please....

[harrysmum]

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Hope someone can help me with this one. Bit long winded - Sorry!!!

You may remember I adopted Billie the whippet a while ago but things sadly didn't work out as she became dangerously dominant over my female yorkie so she had to go back to her original home and we were all heartbroken.

We recently adopted Pepper, another male whippet - background not known as he was a stray, approx 4 years old, with the Blue Cross who asked me if I would like to adopt him as he was such a sweety. He is. Housetraining coming on (he sprayed for Britain when he first came in) we have had him nearly a month and he has been a real angel......

This morning a border terrier bitch visited our home as I am due to look after her at Christmas. Pepper was lovely with her - as were my other whippet Harry and Tiny the yorkie. No problems at all. While we were all chatting Pepper decided to mount Harry (not done this previously) Harry told him off but Pepper has been relentless ever since. He just won't leave Harry alone even in the garden when Harry is going to the wee, trouble is Harry tries to retaliate but Pepper won't take no for an answer so we have to intervene. Also Pepper jumped up onto the sofa today and bit my husband on the lip! Paul was OK about it thank god but it isn't acceptable behaviour.

I am wondering if Pepper is now confused about his place in the pack, if so, will his mounting stop. He didn't try to mount the bitches at all!

Also, would this re-occur if the border terrier comes at Christmas and confuse him all over again.

Thanks for listening/reading.

Annette

 

[Rae]

It could be that Pepper is now feeling more settled after 4 weeks and the introduction of another dog got him all excited. I remember thinking how wonderful Leia was and couldnt beleive anyone would have dumped her until we'd had her 4 weeks and we saw her true colours :- " (w00t)

Mine all mount each other from time to time - other than Holly who would just not stand for it at all. Sometimes it is play initiation (its the one thing that will not be ignored so there is always a reaction) - as in our case, as there is already a definate top dog. It is inappropriate behaviour as far as I'm concerned so I always tell them to stop it, and they do o . (Some people with stud dogs may not want to discourage this behaviour but we dont have that to worry about.) I'd just be firm and tell Pepper that he cant do it and remove him from Harry if needs be. It may be that Pepper ends up as the top dog, and if that is the case then you will have to go with it - just because Harry was there first doesnt mean he will remain the boss.

Vader went through a phase of this when he was younger when we came back from a walk - we think he was just excited and didnt know how to control himself! He sometimes does it now when he jumps out of the car (poor Tie) but he stops as soon as he is asked.

Re the biting of the lip - was he just really excited rather than being aggressive? If so I wouldnt worry about it as long as he realises that he cant do it again.

Sorry to hear it didnt work out with Billie

 

[FeeFee]

You may find it's just an exciteable/playful reaction to a new dog being around and will settle down once they get used to each other, I don't think it's necessarily a dominant behaviour.

With some dogs it can get to be a bit of a habit, though, so I agree with Rae I'd try to nip it in the bud, with a firm 'no' maybe a bit of time out if he's too persistent.

 

[~Helen~]

I read recently that mounting isn't a sexual action but a show of allegiance among dogs who are tyring to show who their loyalties were to. Could it be that Pepper is just sayin "hey, guys, this is my main person"?

I'll try and find the link to the dog behaviour website that I was using at the time, it might help you :thumbsup:

 

[harrysmum]

Thanks everyone for their helpful replies.

It is all fitting together now. Needed to stand back and watch their behaviour yesterday evening, Pepper tried it a few times last night but then things settled considerably.

I do wonder if I would be doing the right thing by bringing the other bitch back in during the Christmas period. Would I be unsettling it all again??

 

[Rae]

I bet it would all settle down after a couple of hours so I'd give it another try before you are left with her, but if it were me I'd do it. You are in control not Pepper - if you dont want him to do it then dont let him. We have other dogs coming to stay here all the time and my lot are all used to it - they do settle eventually when the novelty wears off.