[Piccolina]

In Jan of this year I brought a new maltese female (retiree) to the group.

I have now a total of :dothewave: 5 fluffs.

The last one just turned 3 years old.

Lately the other Malteses (5 years old female and the 7 years old male) started humpung her. All of my fluffs are fixed. What's going on?:blink:

Could that be a sign of dominance?

She is also the tiniest of all: she doesn't push them away, it doesn't look as if it bothers her, but I don't want it to continue. Any advice?

:ThankYou:


:wavetowel2:Sammy,

Mom to Dolcina, Bambolina, Poupetta, Ricky, Lucy and..... Piccolina in Heaven

 

[bellaratamaltese]

It's normal, dont' worry about it. if you don't want to see it, just move them away and tell them no. I think the girls hump more than the boys!

 

[Pure Paws]

You are correct in thinking that it is a dominance thing. It does not matter if they are male or female. It does not matter if they are fixed or not because it is not a sexual thing. It should most likey stop once they get the pack order down and understand their place in the pack. The reason she is not minding it is because she is submitting to the order, if she thought she should be higher up in the pack there would be some fighting going on.

 

[sophie]

I'm not sure about the dominance thing on this one - at least not in my home. Annie is the humper and Sophie is the top dog.

However, the only time Annie humps is if she wants to play and Sophie has ignored all of her antics - Sophie is usually chewing on her bully stick when this happens. Annie climbs aboard (she's half the size of Sophie) and humps away - stops - climbs off and kicks her back legs like a bull and then makes the play bow invite - if Sophie continues to ignore her Annie climbs back on for another round of humping with her feet barely touching the ground.

This can go on for a few times if I let it which I usually do - let them work it out. Sophie ignores her and then when she's good and ready the play time begins. If Sophie has no interest in playing she'll usually back her off with a growl and Annie will go find something else to do. I know every situation is different - just wanted to share the craziness that goes on here. lol

 

[Maltsnme]

In Jan of this year I brought a new maltese female (retiree) to the group.

I have now a total of :dothewave: 5 fluffs.

The last one just turned 3 years old.

Lately the other Malteses (5 years old female and the 7 years old male) started humpung her. All of my fluffs are fixed. What's going on?:blink:

Could that be a sign of dominance?

She is also the tiniest of all: she doesn't push them away, it doesn't look as if it bothers her, but I don't want it to continue. Any advice?

:ThankYou:


:wavetowel2:Sammy,

Mom to Dolcina, Bambolina, Poupetta, Ricky, Lucy and..... Piccolina in Heaven

No, it is not dominance (that is an old wivestale) It is excitement. Try and limit the situations when it occurs, try to observe what type of situations it occurs in...and distract BEFORE it happens (once it happens you are too late) and give them some separate time. Once you establish a pattern of alternative behavior, it will give them something to do, other than this way of aleviating adrenaline.

Karla
Animal Communicator/Canine Behaviorist

 

[Piccolina]

Thank you for all the inputs

:chili:Glad it is nothing to worry about:aktion033:

 

[3Maltmom]

I'm not sure about the dominance thing on this one - at least not in my home. Annie is the humper and Sophie is the top dog.

However, the only time Annie humps is if she wants to play and Sophie has ignored all of her antics - Sophie is usually chewing on her bully stick when this happens. Annie climbs aboard (she's half the size of Sophie) and humps away - stops - climbs off and kicks her back legs like a bull and then makes the play bow invite - if Sophie continues to ignore her Annie climbs back on for another round of humping with her feet barely touching the ground.

This can go on for a few times if I let it which I usually do - let them work it out. Sophie ignores her and then when she's good and ready the play time begins. If Sophie has no interest in playing she'll usually back her off with a growl and Annie will go find something else to do. I know every situation is different - just wanted to share the craziness that goes on here. lol

This story is EXACTLY the same story I could tell of my Joplin and Franny. My Jops definately rules the roost, but when Frankie wants to play, the humping begins. And yep, Jops ignores her. Jops and Franny are BFF's, so I will say NO other dog (and there have been many) would dare to even attempt to hump her. She's such a bitch, they won't go within feet of her ~ :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:

I let the BFF's be. They work it out. Oh, and when LBB wanted to play, or just get on nerves, he would hump his BFF, Henry.
I think Henry liked it ~ :HistericalSmiley: I sure miss my little Fruit Cake ~ :wub:

 

[wooflife]

There was a good article on this behavior in the Whole Dog Journal this month. I agree that it's excess energy. I see it a lot in my boys when they are playing rough. I usually just tell them to cool it and they do.

I also see it in Izzy when she doesn't get something she wants - she runs off and humps a toy. She will also hump the cat if she is trying to get him to play with her.

I just sit there and giggle it's hysterical to watch a 4 lb dog hump a stuffed animal that is 4 times her size:HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley: - her legs don't even touch the floor. I'm a bad mommy:blush: