# puppy started mounting other dog



## goldencharm (Dec 26, 2005)

Malachi is 12 weeks old now. He and my spaniel (neutered male) are getting along better. Lots of nip and chase - both ways. I have noticed that the puppy has started the whole mounting routine already. What is the correct response from me? Is this acceptable? How long will this go on? I will have him neutered in June, but what about in the meantime??


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I think this is just an establishing dominance thing, isn't it? At 12 weeks, they ain't actually thinking sex yet....


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

Rick's right. It is a dominance thing.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

greg bell said:


> Rick's right. It is a dominance thing.


Greg.....do you let them do that? Or do you yell at them to stop? I've usually made Samson stop....I mean, who wants to watch that.....


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## goldencharm (Dec 26, 2005)

My thoughts exactly Rick. So what to do???


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Dusty and Boo do that a lot when they're wrestling, it's completely normal. Usually I will take Dusty's collar (since he is almost always the instigator) and hold him next to me until Boo lays down, at which point he won't bother Boo anymore.


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

yeah, I stop it. Tell em theres only room for one boss here, but I'm not gonna show you I am in that manner.. 
I am just waiting for some trainer to tell folks they must exert their dominance in that manner... I wanna watch the tv show of that..


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

greg bell said:


> yeah, I stop it. Tell em theres only room for one boss here, but I'm not gonna show you I am in that manner..
> I am just waiting for some trainer to tell folks they must exert their dominance in that manner... I wanna watch the tv show of that..


Yeah.....I'm not gonna mount my dog..... :yuck:


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

> I am just waiting for some trainer to tell folks they must exert their dominance in that manner... I wanna watch the tv show of that..


I can almost see the Dog Whisperer doing that ...


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

What I did when mine started this is I let the older dog take care of it. Bianka knocked him off everytime, and even turned around and gave him a growl to show him she wasn't gonna tolerate it.


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## goldencharm (Dec 26, 2005)

So I shouldn't worry, even though the older dog will soon be 40 pounds lighter than my golden?


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I think I would tell him to stop it.....let him know you don't like it. As far as the dominance.....that should just work itself out.....


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

The way for a human to establish dominance over a dog, is to roll it over on its back and hold him/her there. There is no need to mount him


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## goldencharm (Dec 26, 2005)

thanks for that clarification!! Now I can scratch "mount the dog" off todays agenda page :bowl: :wave:


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

goldencharm said:


> thanks for that clarification!! Now I can scratch "mount the dog" off todays agenda page :bowl: :wave:


ROFLOL. I laughed so hard, I just had wine come out my nose (ouch).


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

vrocco1 said:


> The way for a human to establish dominance over a dog, is to roll it over on its back and hold him/her there. There is no need to mount him


http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/dogspov.html


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

katieanddusty said:


> http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/dogspov.html


My mom used to say that parents today read too many books about psychology. She would add, that it is better to hit the kids with the book rather then read it.
Hopefully, that web site was posted to add to my laughter. While I do not advocate hitting the dogs with the book, I have ten very well adjusted Golden Retrievers, that have no problem with me grinding their nails. They are also not shy, as they compete in both the ring and the field. Further they are not afraid of me, and they will lick the both of us to death. All ten of them can run together in the yard, with out ever showing their teeth. That roll over did just fine thank you! "
Equivalent to beating a child", I could take that as an insult. But, I am a bigger person then that. You have a lot of growing up to do my friend.
Just because it is posted on a web page does not make it true!


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

That page itself doesn't have much but the links on it are very good. Did you read this one? http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/macho.htm At the bottom you will notice that the author is a veterinarian and has a PhD, here is another article based on his research http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/dominance.htm


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

katieanddusty said:


> http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/dogspov.html


Good link, Katie.......I know the alpha roll is another one of those "hot topics," as I've seen the argument each way....

Not sure exactly where I stand, but I haven't had to use it either.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

vrocco1 said:


> My mom used to say that parents today read too many books about psychology.


I don't want to move this into more of a hot topic, or off topic to kids.....but it is my opinion that it isn't that kids aren't being spanked enough....it's that they are just left on their own too much. It doesn't do any good to spank a kid if that's all you're doing. Too much TV (or video games) babysitting kids. Both parents being forced to work to make ends meet.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I agree Rick... My husband travels 90% of the year and we made the choice that since he was gone .. that the kids wouldnt come home to a empty house..even tho 1 is 18 and the other is 16...I wont go back to work till my son is done with high school.... To much time on there hands means trouble... Both my kids go to school fulltime and both have jobs and both play multi sports..so they dont have alot of time on there hands.


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## krbshappy71 (Dec 30, 2005)

Our female golden, Josie, is 6 months old now, she's mounting our female lab mix who is about 65 lbs. I squirted Josie with a water bottle a few times when she first started doing it, then decided to let the lab take care of it, and so far all the lab does is twist around to knock the golden off her. What's really funny to me is the confused expression my golden has when she's doing it. The golden is spayed, its pretty much just a dominance thing and since it isn't coupled with ferocious behavior I assume its just playing, and the lab isn't getting angry about it.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

katieanddusty said:


> That page itself doesn't have much but the links on it are very good. Did you read this one? http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/macho.htm At the bottom you will notice that the author is a veterinarian and has a PhD, here is another article based on his research http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/dominance.htm


Well, it only took you a week to drive me away. I've owned Goldens longer then you've been alive kid. Goodluck, and goodbye.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

vrocco1--I hope you aren't seriously leaving. 

When my dogs try to mount one of the other ones I just say, "Hey, cut that out" and they get off. I don't make a big deal of it because it usually only happens while they are playing and they are extra excited.
Cathy


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Vrocco1.. Dont leave!!!!!!! We have enjoyed your information you have shared and your photos....


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

vrocco1 said:


> Well, it only took you a week to drive me away. I've owned Goldens longer then you've been alive kid. Goodluck, and goodbye.


Don't leave, vrocco1.....we all need opinions and advice from each side of every argument. And the alpha roll is just another of the many hot topics we seem to be finding lately....

Seems a lot of people are VERY for it or VERY against it. I don't really have an opinion on it, but we haven't had the issues with Samson to warrant it....

There's a lot of things people have done with dogs for centuries to train them, that are just considered politically incorrect now.... Same with disoplining kids.....suddenly, what parents have used FOREVER doesn't work anymore. How many of us in the 40+ crowd were spanked? And we're not criminals. But now it's spanking that makes kids do the things that kids do now.....

Katie's entitled to her opinion as much as any of the rest of us.....and she knows what she's talking about. But when it comes to opinions, we have to remember that it's just that......an opinion.

Please don't leave because of differing opinions. That's what makes this forum great is that we can have these discussions....

Rick


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

> Well, it only took you a week to drive me away. I've owned Goldens longer then you've been alive kid. Goodluck, and goodbye.


What? I post three links and you leave?


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I don't always agree with the links put on this site...some I do...some I don't.... but I always appreciate them.

The Alpha Roll never worked on Lucky. It was always a disaster. My "Alpha Roll" equivilent was the leash. That is where I had control and thats how he learned respect during his "dominence" phase.


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

vrocco1, Please don't leave because of Katie. She is a newbie here and still is learning how to get her opinons across without coming off as nasty.
Just because she believes some crap that she read on the internet doesn't mean it's true.
I have used the Alpha roll many many times. It's a method I learned from my Father and I never knew someone had given it a name until I joined this forum.It doesn't work for everyone and that's fine,the dog whisperer's methods don't work for everybody either.
Rick,as for Katie knowing what she's talking about,well I believe she thinks that,but remember she is still young and hasn't had all that much life experience. She is very knowledgeable in a book sense and in the scope of her sport,but her people skill's are weak. She sometimes offends people without meaning too,but to follow her advice that she quote's from the internet would be silly.
Now Katie,don't get mad, I think you know an lot. You should remember that no matter how much you know,there will always be someone who knows more because that is their life experience.
I wouldn't expect that many people here would be a heart specialist,He would know more about the human heart that all of us combined(maybe),but know nothing on showing Goldens.
You should not be so quick to dismiss a persons knowledge until you have experienced the subject for your self.
I would bow to Katies experience about her sport because she loves it and has the life experience of doing it. At the same time,I have been using the "alpha roll" with fantastic success for about 38 years,so I believe my life experience is a better source of infomation that some PHD that did a 1 year study for a paper.
vrocco1, you must know what phd stands for? Piled Higher and Deeper
Don't let one young person with poor manners drive you away. I know it's tiring to have to listen to an young person who is still learning,but how else will she learn?
Stay for the rest of us who are willing to embrace the knowledge of us "old" folks and will let everyone have their own methods of training their dogs.
Shane


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

shaneamber said:


> ...there will always be someone who knows more because that is their life experience...


We also have to remember that a lot of these touchy subjects are all based on preference and opinions. 

One person will swear by the alpha roll, someone else says it scares the dog...

One person feels strongly about raw meats while someone else feeds their dog Purina.

One person shows their dog while another does agility.

I understand that people feel others are pushy or rude here.....but in my opinion, the past few days have been pretty clean and civilized..... 

And this thread, it was only a couple links that had been posted......but remember, the links were posted because of one person's opinion. No one else needs to agree with this opinion. There were NO rude comments with the links, just links. Take it as her opinion, then we all move on.

I miss the days when (it hasn't been that long....I've only been here a few months) we could have a civilized debate, and no one's feelings got hurt. No one hurt others feelings, or felt hurt...


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## Miss Daisy's Mom (Jun 29, 2005)

*Shane*, very well-said, indeed!

*vrocco1*, even though I have not as yet had the pleasure of getting to know you, I hope you don't leave! A grain of salt, ya' know?

*Rick*, I'm sure it was not Katie posting her opinion that was annoying and upsetting to vrocco1, but the way in which she chose to do it. Had she taken the time to know a little more about vrocco1, she would have known that he has more experience with his Goldens than she can shake a finger at! But sadly, she didn't, and I wager she doesn't give two hoots that he's leaving the forum because of it. 

It's not always what we say, but _how_ we say it. That's what you, *Katie*, still have to learn. Remember, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (there's a link for you!). Even my 13 year old daughter knows that one!


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

*Misunderstanding......*

Hello everyone...this is vrocco1's better half....or should I say the BOSS :wave: 
I am the one that does the alpha roll at an early age. Starting at 5 weeks old I pick them up, roll them onto their backs and hold them there in the crevice of my arm (as you would a baby). This is done on a daily basis. Some love it right away...others get nervous and wrap their paws around my arm. By the time they are 8 weeks, they enjoy it because they know I would never hurt them and they know that they will receive the best tummy rub. This is also part of temperament testing. Most of my puppies go to pet homes with small children. I need to know that a puppy I place will not be dominant over the child. This is the best method I have found to assure me that will not happen. Some agree...others do not. If we all had the same opinions, life would be pretty boring  
Katie, thank you for the links. One "comment" I would like to make: 50% of all Vets graduate in the bottom half of their class.
My husband is out of town for the next few days. I'll let him know of the many people on this forum that would like for him to stay.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Thanks for the post, Mrs. vrocco1. And thanks for differing opinion on the alpha roll. As I stated before, I really don't know where I stand on it....and there's much more links regarding why not to do it, so it's hard to get both sides of the story on it.

Rick


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I do not alpha roll my dogs. I don't have to. But if I had a dog that fought me if I randomly rolled it over to check it's belly, or during grooming, we'd have a problem 

My dogs accept anything, and roll over realxed and content and sleep belly up while I trim their nails.

Trust, obedience, and harmony with a dog is about your relationship with the dog- not one action.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Do you leave every situation where somebody does not 100% agree with you, or look up to you as the only one with knowledge? Surely not! Why not share your opinions, let others share theirs, and enjoy? No is being rude


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