# Humping puppy gets aggressive and bites



## shreyasshastry

Hello Everyone,
I have a 4 month old golden retriever puppy. He spends most of his time with humans. I think I have created a problem by over socializing the puppy.. it is generally playful and has learnt commands like sit and fetch. But then it tries to hump me and my sister by clinging on to our legs. Like mentioned in dog forums if I gently push him away he attacks me and bites hard...it only gets worse if I use force..he then almost tears into my hand.. I noticed that he does this if I walk ahead of him while taking him for a walk..so it could be that he is trying to assert his dominance..
I don't want to get him neutered..are there any other solutions?

Many thanks in advance.


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## lostbear

Forget all ideas of dominance - they are rubbish!

He is a playful puppy who is doing with you what he would do with his brothers and sisters if he was still with them - testing boundaries, learning bite inhibition, and keeping fit by play-fighting.

Take him to some training classes and learn to work with hi. If he tries to nip you, squeal very loudly - it will shock him into stopping. Teach him to walk properly on a lead (all puppies do the jumpy-bitey thing, don't worry, you haven't purchased a monster.)

Look at the training thread on this forum for better help than I can give you.


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## Hopeattheendofthetunnel

Hi!

Quick question: is this YOUR dog?

Or inherently your parents dog? You mentioned your sister...so who is the primary owner, guardian and trainer of this pup? 

If it is a family dog and your parents are his owners....whatever you do, you must have a family conference where you all agree how to tackle these issues. This way the pup will learn fastest and you avoid confusing him by each implementing a different technique.

As to the humping - for some pups it is a default response to ANY kind of excitement. Playing, running, laughing...even just normal movement. Whilst it may be "natural", I would strongly discourage it. Trust me, the average parent of a toddler being humped won't be amused when your pup is clamped to the child.

Teach "off" or "leave" ...there are gazillions of books, videos, ebooks on how to go about it.

And if humping remains his default response despite training, I would SERIOUSLY consider neutering. Some pups are hypersexed and that is a burden to them AND the owners. AND everyone else meeting the dog.


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## ClaireandDaisy

Humping is excitement. Neutering will not stop it. 
So first stop the over excitement. By recognising when the pup is losing the plot and withdrawing / calming the situation. 
At the same time start teaching him impulse control games ( sit / wait / catch is good) and also train him in the house - make it rewarding for him.


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## shreyasshastry

Hi All, 
Thank you for your valuable feedback..will enroll him for puppy classes as suggested..thanks for the assurances..feeling better now..
And yes it is a family dog..I will communicate to my parents about maintaining consistency in training.

Thanks once again.


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## Sleeping_Lion

Just to add, bitches hump as well, they hump cushions, toys, legs, each other, you want to see a whole litter of them for a few hours, the things they get up to are funny in some ways, but crikey it would shock some! The noise, snarling, ragging each other can seem really *aggressive*, but it's not, they are simply sorting out what's acceptable, and where they are in the grand scheme of things. 

Also bear in mind, retrievers are bred to use their mouths, they can be extremely mouthy and bitey, two of mine hold my hand, which is fine, as it's just me in the house, but if you don't want that sort of behaviour at all, then simply be consistent in discouraging it. If you get your hand held by Tau in this house, then you are accepted as part of the family, she doesn't do it to everyone, just those she likes  

Welcome to the forum btw.


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## Sled dog hotel

shreyasshastry said:


> Hello Everyone,
> I have a 4 month old golden retriever puppy. He spends most of his time with humans. I think I have created a problem by over socializing the puppy.. it is generally playful and has learnt commands like sit and fetch. But then it tries to hump me and my sister by clinging on to our legs. Like mentioned in dog forums if I gently push him away he attacks me and bites hard...it only gets worse if I use force..he then almost tears into my hand.. I noticed that he does this if I walk ahead of him while taking him for a walk..so it could be that he is trying to assert his dominance..
> I don't want to get him neutered..are there any other solutions?
> 
> Many thanks in advance.


In the litter pups, chase, jump on and mount each other, nip and bite in play and to instigate play. Its got nothing to do with dominance its just what they do and they will unless taught that its not acceptable just do it to humans as part of play in the same way.

With humans they tend to do it more to get attention, they also tend to do it more if they become over excited and get hyped up, the more hyped the more they tend to do it and the less they will listen and refocus on something else instead.

Pushing him away, and trying to be forceful usually only makes them do it more, it just becomes even more of a game then and a round of rough housing that's fun. the more stimulated he gets the more hyper and he will then bite harder and hump more still.

You need to not let the excitement build and get to a point where he is so hyped he loses self control. When start to see him start to get exciteable,
re focus him before he has gone too far and loses control. You can try getting him to refocus and listen to you by getting him to do some of the commands you have taught him, and then rewarding him with a treat calmly for doing that instead.

Puppies often tend to get whizzy mad periods at certain times of day too. Giving him wind down and relax activities in stead like puppy safe chews and stuffed Kongs can help. This often helps with teething and sore gums too, as they can sometimes get even more mouthy when they are teething. Some pups cant wind down and relax on their own, so by giving them periods of wind down and self amusement times can teach them to be calm.

Sometimes when you see him start to get hyped and start unwanted behaviour especially if there is a pattern and he is worse at certain times in the day. Sometimes just giving them a time out in another room and a chew or kong is enough, for them to calm down again. Then let him out, but continue to ignore him for a minute or two when your sure he is calm, then call him, get him to sit and lots of praise and a treat for sitting.

Basically you do something when you see him start to get excited and before he goes too far. get him to offer good behaviour and a behaviour you do want as an alternative and reinforce that by rewarding him, and when he wont calm down, ensure he isn't rewarded for the behaviour you don't want, by ignoring him or removing him to calm down.

Make sure on walks too that he isn't just getting over stimulated with sights sounds and smells that are going on around him, and just doing his own thing. Regularly get him to refocus on you by getting him to sit or wait and rewarding him for that every so often. Talk calmly to him every so often too so that has to shift his attention and listen to you on walks and follow your lead instead of just doing his own thing throughout the walk.

Regular home training sessions should help too, often a training session, mixed with a bit of controlled play like teaching him to retrieve and drop a ball and wait for it to be re-thrown, often wears them out more then a walk, as they have to concentrate and become mentally and physically stimulated rather then just walking.

He would probably benefit too by going to puppy training classes once a week, you will learn things and commands there, have a trainer on hand for advice for any problems, and then you can practice what you learn at your daily training home sessions. He will also be getting socialisation with people and other dogs but in a more controlled environment too.

Welcome to APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK is just one organisation where you may be able to find trainers and classes in your area.


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## Wiz201

My Goldie humps in play, its all excitement. Biting and nipping is also normal, there is no true 'aggressive' puppy.


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## shreyasshastry

Hi,
Thank you again for the elaborate feedback. 
Regards,
Shreyas


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