Sorry for the title but there just wasn't a nicer way of saying it.

My husband and I took our dogs out to the park last night like we usually do to let them run and get some good strenuous exercise. Anyway, we were all resting at the picnic table when I saw Heidi come behind Hairy and actually HUMP him <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> . I knew we had a dominant female but never actually seen a puppy do this to an adult male (Another pair of shepherds we had I had seen my adult female do to our male when he grew old and feeble). Hairy, on the other hand didn't like it at all and went on the defensive by baring his teeth and pushing her down onto her back and standing over her. She was submissive for the moment but I do see her continually trying for the dominant position. On a couple occasions, I had seen Hairy try to mount Heidi. She has no visible signs of heat and there is NO WAY I would ever leave them together if I thought she was let alone taking her to the park where everyone else takes their dog. I'm thinking he is trying to assert his dominance over her in that way since holding her down by the neck or standing over her isn't enough. I've never seen him hurt her, he just gives her enough to let her know her actions aren't accepted.

Our female does the same to our male, who is bigger than her. When she was a puppy she would "hump" towels, teddy bears and anything she felt the need to show dominance over. I suppose this just means we have females that just have very dominant personalities. I dont think it is a very bad thing, but perhaps other more knowledgable people on this board can educate me better on the drives that are behind this behavior.

I've always been told it was dominance when it was a female humping a male. 7 years as a vet tech and working with dozens of doctors that has always been the story. My 19 month old gsd bitch does it to my 3 year old gsd bitch, which is funny because both dogs are very dog aggressive and the older one always dominated the younger one and then it just recently (like in the last 2 weeks) flip-flopped. The 3 year old will stand there but only for maybe 10-15 seconds and then she'll go after the younger one, no blood or anything. Now if the younger one tries it on my 3 year year old gsd male he promptly grabs her by the neck and pins her to the ground. He'll stand over her and growl until she yelps. She always beat him up when she was a pup. He has a lot of tolerance for puppies but not for older dogs being in his face.

What's really funny is when you have a really dominant bitch who, when breeding, will flag but when it comes down to love time will turn and either mount the male. . .or force him to the ground and growl in his face. Can you say Artificial Insemination?


LOL

Originally posted by Robert VanCamp:
What's really funny is when you have a really dominant bitch who, when breeding, will flag but when it comes down to love time will turn and either mount the male. . .or force him to the ground and growl in his face. Can you say Artificial Insemination?


LOL Yes that's quite funny but in reality I see that happening with both of my bitches but pray that it doesn't. Funny side note.... one of them can't flag because she doesn't have a tail.