Housetraining For Dummies
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Some puppies mount kids (and even adults) when they’re overstimulated by unpredictable events, feel a hormonal surge, or need attention. You can discourage this action. Don’t be too embarrassed — it has less to do with sexual preference than a puppy’s ability to organize her thoughts. Knowing this fact makes it no more acceptable, however.

To rehabilitate your puppy, do the following:

  1. Leave a 4-foot lead on your puppy inside and a long line outside.

  2. When the mounting starts, say “No” and bring your puppy off her target abruptly by calmly grasping the lead and giving it a quick flick.

  3. Redirect your puppy to an active game if she’s excited or to her bed and a bone if she’s not.

  4. If she’s persistent (goes back three times), calmly place her in her quiet area (crate or otherwise) for 15 minutes with no attention.

    She may be overtired.

If your puppy reacts aggressively at any point during these steps, terminate the corrections and seek professional help. Your puppy may react intensely because she perceives the situation as a power struggle.

In addition to these steps, devote more time to socializing your puppy away from your home (unfamiliar environments subdue even the most cocky puppies) and increase your dedication to training lessons. Try to take note of the events that trigger the mounting and begin a training regimen so that you’re able to direct your puppy at these times.

People who say mounting is a male thing don’t know the half of it. Though a specific developmental window (4 to 9 months) may cause hormonal shifts to influence a boy dog’s sexual drive, mounting is primarily used to displace tension or test rank. Don’t go off the deep end if your female dog is scaling your pillows, your leg, or your neighbor’s Chihuahua.

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