Arousal behaviours in an adolescent lab...

[Beanwood]

Thought I would post this here as interested in your feedback. This pupster (18 months old, neutered..) has been with us four days. I managed to capture the most aroused behaviour so far, so probably seeing the real hooligan emerging now!

So, the scenario, late walk, and pupsters first group walk of the day. I have taken him out on a lead walk, and very short fun sessions through the day. Took all for for a gentle bimble round the paddock, no toys or retrieving. Just a quiet sniff around.....

He had one episode of trying to hump Casper, so popped him on the lead and walked a bit. Casper then bolted....but came back on his magic word cue (lost, lost lost!)

I dropped Romeo's lead to avoid him lunging. He is very excited by Casper and tries to hump him again.

My approach: Pick up lead, calmly remove him from Casper, redirect, using his name (because we worked on this earlier, name, get attention, throw a treat...) I use the "sit" cue, it's one of the few he knows, to assess his arousal level. He responds fairly well, so I decide to keep him moving, but work on keeping a loose lead. Tricky one! I do have a perfect fit harness for him, but for now, used a limited slip I had tucked in my pocket.

Pupster in my mind seems to calm quickly. I thought it good he could continue to walk alongside me without lunging or mithering the other dogs.

So my question, would you have done anything differently? Appreciate comments as in all likelihood this scenario will repeat itself over the next few days!

 

[Oberon]

Think you did exactly the right thing. Remove humper from humpee. Give humper something else to do. Keep on lead to minimise humping opportunities.

Romeo might not be a dog who routinely humps other dogs. It may be something about Casper only that prompts the humping. Desexed males can take a particular shine to specific other desexed males in my experience, but don’t necessarily hump many other dogs.

 

[Oberon]

Also, Romeo didn’t seem to be too worked up. Looked like pretty low level humping to me in that vid at least.

 

[bird]

Yup what Oberon said. I might be tempted to scatter some rewards regularly for him while he gets used to being in a group to give him something else to do. It almost looked like he was looking for something to do and casper smelled interesting. He certainly didn't look very wound up to me. I've seen Obi be worse (to my shame!)

 

[Oberon]

And my Obi has done worse too

 

[Selina27]

I'm interested to see that @Beanwood, as you know Cassie gets excited around other dogs, but while most of it is play I have noticed that if another dog in the group gets called back like Casper did she will start to sort of gruffly bark and mouth the dog near the neck/shoulders. She's not a humper but perhaps does that instead. When we met @Jelinga recently she walked along happily without bothering Rourke at all, until near the end when he got called back and she did that. I'm curious as to what prompts, I have a sort of theory but not based on any science!
For what it's worth I think you did the right thing.

 

[Beanwood]

Yup what Oberon said. I might be tempted to scatter some rewards regularly for him while he gets used to being in a group to give him something else to do. It almost looked like he was looking for something to do and Casper smelled interesting. He certainly didn't look very wound up to me. I've seen Obi be worse (to my shame!)

Yes, I do like this approach, and linking in with @Selina27, pairing something good/fun with a dog coming quickly towards us/him is in my mind the way to go. Romeo knows Casper, so this would be good training for when it may be an unfamiliar dog. Going back to yesterday, Casper was being a clown on the walk, partly because the cows were grazing close to the hedge line!

Also, Romeo didn’t seem to be too worked up. Looked like pretty low level humping to me in that vid at least.

Yes, it was a bit like, "Oh whatcha doing Casper?! You are EXCITING today...oh brain fart time!"

Scattering a few treats would've just taken the edge of, enough to distract him in a positive way...he is SUCH a foodie!

 

[snowbunny]

As the others have said, it doesn't look like a problematic humping behaviour, just a bit of over-arousal combined with a dog that just ran straight towards him after an exciting and high-pitched noise from you, which might have confused him a bit if he's not used to that sort of thing. I think you did the right thing splitting them up and I'd have done the same.

As for the "sit", it looks very much as if he was already starting to sit before you said your cue, so I wouldn't take that as any indication of his ability to listen at that point. That said, he's turned to you and is attentive (at least on the treat bag! ) so that's a good step.

I don't know what he normally looks like when walking on lead, but he was clearly struggling a bit here, so I would have done one of two things: either try to lower his arousal (so things like scatter feeding), or used that arousal to work on some focus games; orienting to you, changes of direction, magic hand, just catching thrown treats etc. I know how difficult this can be in a group situation, so you're probably going to have to use a mixture of management scenarios. Scatter feeding and snuffling in the grass with the others around will help him keep a lower level of arousal in company.

He is a bit tubby, isn't he? Poor boy, I'm sure he'll start looking a bit more sprightly with some of that weight shifted.

 

[Charlie]

Just my amateur opinion, but he only seems to become aroused when Casper wanders off, you call Casper in a high pitched voice then as Casper returns he becomes very aroused and wants to hump! Maybe he thinks something really fun is about to happen due to your voice so he doesn't quite know what to do with himself so he might aswell get a hump in! xx

 

[Beanwood]

Took a slightly different approach, and trying to replicate the previous scenario, but with one dog, Bramble.

Took both dogs up to the top fields, lots of interesting scents and a huge open space. Popped Bramble in a sit, then walked some distance with Romeo fairly close to heel (his choice) Then recalled Bramble, and as she ran excitedly towards me, I scatter some treats to distract him from Bramble's approach. I play a little game with Bramble still keeping Romeo's focus on the ground, scattering a few treats. It works, Romeo focuses completely on me or the ground, he is aware of Bramble and gives her a few quick surreptitious glances.

A slightly different scenario, Romeo gets excited with a retrieve, but I leave the dogs in calm mode...giving Romeo lots of praise when he comes back with the ball.

Working on calm behaviours in a coffee shop garden...what a good boy!

Getting lots of attention.., what a star!

Finally...(if you are still up.. and reading....)

A little lead walking practice....with a couple who had agreed to be stooges...

 

[Jacqui-S]

Your stooges didn't smell good enough like?

He is lovely x

 

[Charlie]

Well didn't the boy do good, he is pretty laid back and has obviously had some training, his focus is good too!! Do you acost people in the street Kate? x

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Oh, he sure lives up to his name... a real ladykiller your Romeo!

 

[edzbird]

He does look really calm an laid back. Well done Romeo.

 

[Beanwood]

Well didn't the boy do good, he is pretty laid back and has obviously had some training, his focus is good too!! Do you acost people in the street Kate? x

Not quite. Actually, the couple's story in the street is a bit sad. They have very recently lost their old dog. The house feels so empty, they can't bear to stay in it. They were delighted to help out with Romeo, and thanked me afterwards as they felt a little better. They spent a good 10mins chatting whilst Romeo sat on Richard's feet and leant against him.

 

[Joy]

I'm very impressed with your own three dogs!
Romeo is gorgeous and looked so relaxed in the cafe. He doesn't seem to have any problem behaviours does he? I wondered if the couple you met would like to home him - though perhaps too soon after their loss.

 

[Stacia]

Perhaps that couple would like to adopt Romeo . Well done with all your training, good steady dogs as well.

 

[Beanwood]

Romeo is gorgeous and looked so relaxed in the cafe. He doesn't seem to have any problem behaviours does he?

He really is good all round dog. He tries very hard to please, despite his young age. Being a young labrador, of course, means that his excitement levels can escalate quickly, it doesn't help with Benson "egging" him on! Witching hour around supper time last night honestly was ridiculous, I just get one dog sorted then I find Benson chewing a pair of reading glasses...Romeo chomping down on a bag of apples and tomatoes that our neighbour had brought around...Bramble prancing around and being silly...Casper outside barking at Godonlyknowswhat...

I wondered if the couple you met would like to home him - though perhaps too soon after their loss.

Their loss was still in that very raw stage, it was painful to see...

 

[Joy]

Witching hour around supper time last night honestly was ridiculous, I just get one dog sorted then I find Benson chewing a pair of reading glasses...Romeo chomping down on a bag of apples and tomatoes that our neighbour had brought around...Bramble prancing around and being silly...Casper outside barking at Godonlyknowswhat...

I'm sort of glad / relieved that you don't always have perfect behaviour from your crew.

 

[snowbunny]

I find Benson chewing a pair of reading glasses

Uh-oh. Squidge is partial to a pair of glasses or two. Considering how similar she and Benson are, this does not bode well for future specs! Of course, she has a preference for the expensive pairs...