Dog Community

Is this normal?

Liv

Posted : 1/3/2007 2:29:32 PM

Hi everyone,

On december 27th I adopted a 8 week (born oct 23) old pomeranian male. He is very good normal puppy, but there are a few things he does and I'm wondering if there normal. I have a 2 year old female pomeranian named Mitsubishi (aka Missi) (shes spayed) and at first she did not like Kenshin at all. He wanted to play with her all the time (which drove her crazy) and it took her until now to accept him. One thing he does do (and has been doing since day one) when they play he tries to mount her?! Which in turn really makes Missi very angry and she bites him. I know some dogs do that for dominence, but is he just doing it to do it (like cant help himself) or what? Also another weird thing I noticed is that when he gets really playful?rough? and he hurts her she just tries to hide. I guess I think thats weird because when my mom had young dogs and they took it to far the older dog would let them know they went to far. But Missi just cowers from him? I have to be honest and say I have never owned a male dog before and I'm not to sure what to expect. I have been told by various people male dogs tend to be more rambuncious (sp?). Missi was really playful to when she was his age all the way up until she turned 1 then she mellowed out. And I do also plan on getting him neutered in April when he is about 6 months old. I do seperate Kenshin from Missi when he takes it to far, but only for about 15min then I let him back out to play. Will this help in anyway? Kenshin is only 2 pounds and obviously shorter than her. While Missi is 7.2lbs and very tall Pom. Is this normal puppy behaviour for Kenshin, and normal behaviour for Missi? Sorry for the long post just trying to figure out whats going on [sm=happy.gif]

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 2:58:04 PM

They are both showing normal behaviors.

The males hormones are raging at this young age, and this pretty young thing comes into his life and he's excited.

I also think it is a dominance thing with the male. He tries to dominate her by mounting her, and tries to dominate her by playing rough, and letting him know who's boss, is what it sounds like to me.

Keep them seperated when he gets too rough like you've been doing.

Teach a command like "Easy" or "Gentle" for when he gets too rough. Give him a time out if he gets too rough.

I think once they get to know eachother a little better, this behavior will subside and they will become a "pack" and things will be a little different.

Liv

Posted : 1/3/2007 4:00:33 PM

Will his behaviour mellow out once he is neutered?

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 4:09:03 PM

In SOME cases, yes altering will help.

It helps SOME dogs, SOME breeds.

But I would definately recommend it! Yes, neuter

Liv

Posted : 1/3/2007 4:18:18 PM

Definatly neutering was the first thing I thought of when I got him. If male dogs are anything like male cats I wouldn't want him to be marking his territory around my house (plus all the other wonderful things that happen when you neuter your dog) [sm=lol.gif] I just hope I'm lucky and he gets a postive behaviour change out of it as well [sm=rofl.gif]

Still seems a little weird though that he would be trying to dominate my older dog. He seems so young to be doing that lol.

Liv

Posted : 1/3/2007 5:03:27 PM

Ok I just called my Vet and they said if I wanted I could get him neutered as early as 10 weeks with Laser Surgery Neutering. Its not that much more in cost and I'm seriously thinking of doing it. Any thoughts or has anyone had this done before?

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 5:06:59 PM

I heard the lazer surgery is a lot less complicated, the dog recovers faster, and surgery doesn't take as long, and leave almost no scaring.

Your pup is still very young, and this kind of behavior is something you should expect. It may not even stop, but it's definately something YOU should work on with him in reguards to training.

Keep us posted!!!

Liv

Posted : 1/8/2007 5:01:35 PM

Well its been almost a week with training Kenshin, and he is starting to mellow out a bit. I think you were right when you said they just needed to get to know eachother. He doesn't try to be as dominating anymore, now it seems like hes just having good care-free fun when they play vs before with growling, mounting, and non stop hurting her. He's taken his mounting to his toys now [sm=lol.gif] I am taking Kenshin to the Vet on the 25th for his vaccinations and while they do that I'm going to talk to them about the possibility of them neutering him in February and about his dew claws (he has double dew claws on both of his back feet that are curling into his foot) and a possible UTI.

Xerxes

Posted : 1/8/2007 7:00:46 PM

The behavior is perfectly normal puppy behavior. Your older Pom will have NO problem putting him in his place. You do need to teach a good "Leave it" and a "easy" or "that's enough" command as well.

As for neutering, neutering won't calm your puppy from where he is now. His hormones have barely started kicking in. In most breeds at 8 weeks the testicles haven't completely descended yet. He's just a rambunctious perfectly normal puppy.

Liv

Posted : 1/8/2007 10:44:48 PM

Thats the thing though. She does have a problem putting him in his place. She cries and hides or jumps into our laps shaking. We are teaching him the command "gentle" which he is slowly starting to understand. He also gets time outs when he is too rough, and those seem to be the most effective. I just give him a 15min time out and when he comes out he isn't as rough with her. Kenshin is 11 weeks old now and when I get him neutered he will be about 16 weeks old maybe a few weeks older than that -theres no set day quite yet. I'm getting him neutered for more reasons than the small chance of it calming him, I worry more about the possible health problems he could have by not being neutered. [sm=happy.gif]