# Running and Humping Problem



## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Guys, I need some advice on this one. I live in a twinhome with a fenced in backyard in Fargo. My 8 month old male Lab is fine back there all day. When I go back home to hunt he is a totally different dog. He destroys everything in the house, because I don't dare leave him outside. When I do let him out he takes off on me. He will run clear across town before I can chase him down in a vehicle. If he happens to find a dog along the way, male or female, all he wants to do is hump it. He is a little **** right now. I brought him scouting for deer with me a couple weekends ago, the two times I let him out to go to the bathroom, he took off. I seriously had to chase him down in my pickup across a field to get him. He listens great in Fargo, back home he ignores me. I just want to be able to trust my dog not to take off on me everytime I let him out without having to chain him up. Do I neuter him, which I have heard both pros and cons about, or does something else work? I just bought a shock collar, but am very hesitant about using it. I am a first time dog owner so this is new to me. Maybe this is normal behavior which will pass with age. Any help is appreciated.


----------



## FLOYD (Oct 3, 2003)

Cut him and he'll lose a lot of his desire to run and hump. Sure there are some negatives, but having a dog who runs around the neighborhood every time he's loose will get old fast, for you as well as others in the neighborhood...

good luck.


----------



## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

Cut the jewels. Checkcord when you are "back home" until he realizes you are the boss.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Neutering won't have any affect, its a good idea for other reasons but it won't help this activity much

First crate him when you leave him alone in the house, do it everytime until hes spent alot of time in the house and has matured, probably two years of age.

Get a good tape, a training book and a checkcord. Train him to come on the check cord never let him out without it on until he comes reliably with it on.
Go back to the store and get a dummy collar they are only a few bucks and file down the points and put in on him with his regular collar for a few weeks.

Then after watching the tape and reading a good training book during the two weeks the dog is getting used to the second collar teach the dog to turn off the juice by obeying your come command with both the check cord and the ecollar.

This is easy to do and easy to screw up, two things are very important 
1)don't put the ecollar on the dog if you get angry easy 
2) dont ever push the button if you can't see the dog, not ever this is very important.

Get a good book and tape first and read them and watch them several times then you can ask informed questions before you start


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

:withstupid:

Did I just see bobm reccomend an ecollar?


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

He already bought it. He will probably use it and he also obviously doesn't know what to do with it so I suggested he try to study up on the topic first.

I use e collars every day, my problem is not ecollars its their frequent misuse.

Adam e collars are best used for enforcing commands a dog already understands and if the dog doesn't understand how to turn off the pressure ( shock) by complying he will be confused and probably ruined.

So do your homework and then ask questions (*before you put it on the dog *) you may have when you have a handle on the topic ( no sarcasm intended).

You can PM me on the topic there is no such thing as a stupid question.

The ecollar is the best and the worst tool a dog trainer can have, which depends on knowledge.


----------



## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I am also in fargo, If you plan on using an Ecollar start now by putting it on and not activating it every time to train even if you just take him outside for a little 5min obedience.

I have mike lardys Ecollar conditioning DVD if you wish to borrow it. It does a great job of explaining the process of conditioning your dog to the collar so he understands where the juice is coming from, why it is coming, and how to turn it off/ avoid it.


----------



## mundie99 (Nov 14, 2006)

Haha it took me a while to understand what you ment by ecollars, I am just so used to calling shock collars!

They work in almost all the time, our dog kept jumping over the fence, one zap when he leaped our fence and he stays in the yard now (German Munster Lander)


----------



## scissorbill (Sep 14, 2003)

Great advice from bobm and others.These shock collars must be used correctly and sparingly, and hopefully the owner is at least as smart as the dog. Good Luck.


----------



## griffman (Jan 17, 2004)

USAlx50 said:


> :withstupid:
> 
> Did I just see bobm reccomend an ecollar?


Now that's funny....I don't care who you are....that's funny!

Good advice given. Sounds like a pretty normal 8 month old pup to me. Just needs some obedience work. The humping thing is likely a dominance issue. Most dogs do this to establish dominance...even females will do it. Alpha type dogs will do it more often and be more aggressive. They need a little more training is all.

The more dogs you can introduce your pup to the better. Just keep it a controlled situation. Use checkcord, don't allow disobedient behavior, allow the dog to sniff etc,. just keep him from getting too "friendly". Basically what you are doing is teaching "manners" around other dogs. The pup will learn how to behave when other dogs are present.

As far as running off on you....start firming up on the "come" command. Start in a confined area where the pup has no choice but to come to you. Use a checkcord to reinforce your command. Never give the come command unless you are in a position to enforce it. The dog must learn that when you say "come" it means come. The dog needs to learn that you mean business and will not accept his balking of the command.

You must physically "break" the dog on the checkcord. Call the pup, if he doesnt' come, start reeling him in like a fish. When he gets to you, praise him. Part of the trick is to make it fun to come to you. This really helps with the "battle". Never, never scold your dog for coming to you. Even if he runs off and comes back a half hour later....always praise the dog for coming to you. Dogs quickly learn that if you punish them when they get near you not to come to you. Reel him in on the checkcord several times a day until he starts coming to you without you pulling on the cord. Once he has it mastered in the yard, move to a park or field and repeat the process. It can be a tedious deal, but there isn't really a more important command than they "come" command. The more time you spend working with the dog, and the more fun you can make it, the better.

Once the pup has mastered coming on the checkcord, go back to your yard and give command without checkcord. If he balks, you must chase him down, get him on the cord, and reel him in to where you gave the command from. A few times of this and he will likely start to put it together. You may have to jockey back and forth many times using the cord, but eventually if you MAKE him come every time you give the command, he will learn he has no option but to come to you when called.

Never use an ecollar until a dog has learned a command "manually". Ecollars only enforce "known" commands. You'll be alot better off training him on the cord first, then switching to the collar.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

:lol: good post Mike I gave the short version. I'm nursing a bad dog bite and only typing with one hand.

You have no idea how hard a bulldog 75 lbs of solid muscle , no fat, can bite.

I stupidly tried to break up a fight. He bit me on my forearm and my left hand swelled to the size of a catchers mitt.


----------



## griffman (Jan 17, 2004)

Bobm said:


> :lol: good post Mike I gave the short version. I'm nursing a bad dog bite and only typing with one hand.
> 
> You have no idea how hard a bulldog 75 lbs of solid muscle , no fat, can bite.
> 
> I stupidly tried to break up a fight. He bit me on my forearm and my left hand swelled to the size of a catchers mitt.


Oh man...hope you heal up quickly and well. I've made that mistake too. Stupid is right! I didn't get it too bad though, just a nic from an alaskan malamute vs. a cross lab/shepherd. Man I can't imagine a bulldog bite.....they're bred to hang onto to whatever they bite.....ouch.


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

surprisingly I had the presence of mind to not try and pull away as soon as he figured out I wasn't the dog he was fighting he spit me out  .

four fangs to the bone and a lot of crushing, I thought he broke the arm at first.

Forty years of training dogs and this was a first and hopefully last.

I always lectured the kids not to stick their hand in a dog fight, then I do it, go figure.


----------



## apeterson (Aug 3, 2005)

Hope you killed that bull dog before he bits someone else?


----------



## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Thanks for the advice guys. The ecollar is going to stay in the box for a while, until I read up on it. USA, thanks for the offer. When the time comes I may take you up on that if I can't find a copy of that DVD. For now it will be the check cord and strict obedience training.

Bob, thanks in advance for your help. I am sure I will be emailing you with a few questions as I get further into the training. I appreciate all of the help you have already given me.

As far as the neuturing goes, I don't know what to do on that. I have heard that it is better for their health to cut them. But then I hear that the testosterone helps build muscle and good bone structure, as well as keep them lean. Is it best to wait until the dog is done growing before the jewels come off? Thanks

Adam


----------



## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I wait until they are two years old to neuter , again everyone has an opinion. Probably wouldn't hurt to do it now and might make your life easier. The physical difference is probably slight, important to me but not to some.

The bull dog isn't mean, in fact hes extremely friendly with people, cats ect.

Any time you reach into a dogfight you risk getting bitten,my brother got it from a toy poodle in the same situation. I and my other brothers found that very entertaining, a 6'4" 280 lb guy trying to pull his wifes poodle off his hand without hurting it. :lol:

Its just a lot worse when its a big bulldog that gets you, I guess my bro gets a turn to call me a dumb ***


----------

