Miss Behavior

Helps Solve Your Pet Behavior Dilemmas

Taming The Tango

Q

I have two labs, yellow and black, full brothers. Boomer (yellow) is almost five, and Sam is almost four. Sam is dominant, and has a very bad habit of mounting Boomer (putting both front paws and legs on his hips). Boomer has just had FHO on one hip and will have THR at a future date on other hip. I need help desperately in stopping Sam from jumping on Boomer’s hips. Both boys are neutered. I believe this behavior is dominance, but I don’t know how to stop it. Any advice?

A

Dear Lab Mom:

Our consensus is that the boys must be kept separated when no one is around to oversee their interactions. I suggest running a chain-link fence down the middle of your yard so they can see each other and interact without physical contact. It’s the least expensive method to afford them contact without danger to Boomer. If this isn’t an option, you can keep one inside and one outside or in separate rooms inside. Rotate daily who gets to be where so they have variety, and since they’ll be alone, get some long-lasting sterilized bones to stuff with cheese or peanut butter, or “Buster Cubes” to put their meals in – they have to roll them around to make the food drop out. It takes brain-work as well as active play, and it will keep them stimulated.

You can teach Sam that “mounting” is unacceptable when you’re there, but most likely he’ll still do it when there’s no one to correct him.

Keep him on leash when you’re present, and when he shows the first sign of jumping on Boomer (preferably we stop him BEFORE he actually acts on the intent), pop the leash and tell him “OFF” or “LEAVE IT.” Use whichever term is easiest for you.

You can also use shake cans (a cleaned and dry soda-pop or beer can with eight to ten pennies or small stones inside, duct-taped on top so nothing will fall out). Make up a bunch of these and have them in handy places about the house. Whenever Sam appears to be thinking about jumping on Boomer, throw a shake can at him (WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING!). It sounds mean, but it’s light enough not to hurt a dog his size (stay away from his face or head). And the noise will break his train of thought. Once you have his attention, distract him with something else, such as a ball or bone. His mounting behavior should subside over time if it’s not rewarded (getting on Boomer to show his superiority) as well as by getting that annoying noise and thunk every time he attempts it.

Be advised this will not extend to the times they’re alone with no negative actions to interfere with the mounting, so they will still have to be kept physically apart.

And keep in mind, behavior changes don’t happen overnight. It may take awhile before Sam’s lessons sink in.

I hope this works for you–please let me know.

Maureen, aka Miss Behavior.

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