Doggy Park HUMPING Etiquette!!

[ourlilfamily]

Okay, So I have a pup who the vet said is good to go to puppy parks etc for socialization, and we've been taking her to lots of dog parks! Nothing but good things to say! So much fun. She sits when she is unsure and gets the energy of the other dogs and knows when to move on or start playing. Anyways. That said.. Is there not any etiquette about dog owners controlling their dog when they are 'humping' relentlessly my pup!? She was trying to kick him off but also biting and playing- sure that she didn't like the humping, but also sure she loved the playing! The owner was just standing there like it was cute! She was completely useless! I'm a huge believer in keeping care of your own dog and not interfering with the other owners techniques- as per lots of offense/conflict can happen that way. I also am a huge fan of letting the dogs figure out their conflicts and play styles with little interference from humans unless necessary.. but I found this so unacceptable! The dog was a small fluffy white breed of some kind and he was a 2 yr old UN neutered male. Am I right to be so annoyed? How should I approach that situation? I just got home from the dog park and feel SO frustrated! Once we got away from the pup and down to the water I didn't want to go back up until it was gone! He wasn't doing that with any other dogs- My beautiful little Gracie seemed to just do it for him! SO brutal! We unfortunately ran into them out of the dog park and on leash and he was just lunging for her. The owner did nothing! Laughed! Thought it was cute! Didn't help me when I decided it was ridiculous. AAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Am I in the wrong here? Should I not be so angry/frustrated/aggravated by that kind of behaviour? I mean, phantom humping is one thing, but over and over, it gets to a point where it is completely unacceptable?!

 

[Cami]

This would be unacceptable to me.
You have EVERY right to stop ANY behavior or action that is being shown to your dog. This includes humping.
I would first start out by trying to remove my dog from the situation. If that didn't work I would then make every attempt to remove the "offender". At minimum the owner will come and take over but if not then you can still accomplish want you set out to do.
You might also check into the dog park rules. More often than not intact males OVER 6 months of age are not permitted. I would at least ask the owner how old the dog is and inform him of the rules.
You also have every right to tell them that you do not want their dog humping yours. If they can't control their dog YOU WILL.
End of story.
Been there done that. My girl does NOT like to be humped and with age (about 9 months or so) stopped the other dogs herself. This was done in a nice way by her but until she was able to learn the ropes (so to speak) I stepped in and took care of it for her.
We all hate confrontation however in certain situations we have to take the chance that one might occur. Don't feel bad AT ALL. Just do what you need to do (within reason) to stop this action if it makes you uncomfortable.
Your dog YOUR RULES!

 

[Sir Bentley]

Dog Parks and Conflict

I too have experienced this sort of behavior at dog parks. It is not always directed at female dogs either. Both of my dogs have been victims of humping and I do not tolerate such behavior. First of all my male is not a humper and I do not want him to learn this behavior from other dogs. The other thing that bothers me though about dog parks is the lack of education of other dog owners. I have had people tell me that their dogs don't like boxers because they are "mean and aggressive." These are the very same people that coddle their dog when they exhibit aggression toward other dogs. Obviously this only reinforces the bad behavior. To many times I have found that owners go there to socialize and forget about their dogs. Usually these are the ones that run wild and hump the other dogs. The last thing that frustrates me is the stereotypes that people have of certain breeds. Many people freak out about pit bulls, rottweilers, bull dogs, boxers and other "bully" breed dogs. Certainly these breeds have a higher propensity to do damage than say a chihuahua, but it all comes down to the owner and how they have been raised. I find that some of the meanest dogs at the park are the tiny little toy breeds. I usually get a laugh from the owners of these dogs that say "Oh he is harmless." That is the irresponsible attitude that frustrates me to no end. If I made the same excuses for my dogs well they would be considered a "menace" because of their size. I find myself getting more frustrated with the owners and their attitudes about dog behavior than with the dogs that are misbehaving.

Sorry about the long rant, but this has struck a nerve that I am sure many of us can relate to.

 

[ourlilfamily]

Thanks so much guys!!! I will be much more assertive (calm, assertive) next time!!!

 

[Widges]

I agree that you have every right to move this dog away. I would keep close and step in every time he tried to mount your girl - he (and his owner) will soon get the idea that this is unacceptable.