is adolescence that bad?

[Louise Perry]

Hello, Reuben is just over 5 months and I think starting to display adolescent behaviour i.e., esp humping! I hear and read all the time that it can be a really difficult time and the dogs behaviour goes to pot etc. Is it really this awful?

[Ilona & Gina]

First of all, don't worry! Our boy Anton humped his sister when he was 4 months old, and we - up in arms, called the breeder "Help, he's horny already!" She had a good laugh and told us that it's quite normal. It's nothing to do with sex or with teenage phase, she said. It's their ranking games. Gina, the girl, did it, too, by-the-way.

However, there comes a time when they challenge you and try to push their boundaries - just like children. It means to really keep on top of them. With our two, it started four weeks ago, and they are 16 months old! I call Gina our "Canine P-Plater", but we are getting there...Patience, consistency and a good sense of humour help heaps :)) You'll get through this.

Good luck!

[ursula wilby]

I do think there are certain types of behaviour that should be stopped from the beginning.

Humping people and furniture definatly being one of them as far as I am concerned.
Quite right, humping at this stage is not a sexual sign, but I would never accept it as a sign of dominance either. I have come across quite a few humping dogs over the years, mainly smaller breeds that have never been told that this is not acceptable.
There are lots of things that dogs will grow out of, but humping is not always one of them.
I would certainly stop this before it becomes a habit.

[Dee Rance]

My four month old Akita dog 'mated' my mongrel bitch, they tied for 25 minuets, took them both to the vet and he was astonished, and she had an injection. I wondered if he was fertile, apparently if they are capable they are fertile.. so don't take it for granted that they cant mate a bitch at that age, in my defence I didn't even know that she was in season, no real signs. The two became insuperable during the rest of their lives. However he was castrated at 6 months, 4 bitches and him in the house, didn't bare thinking about. He would have made a wonderful stud dog though, never bothered about bitches until they were spot on...
I am still having a problem with Fin jumping up...cant think how I am going to cope with jumping up and humping everything in sight.
I have a secret weapon Aunty Jas, she doesn't like that kind of thing and he will, I hope, be put firmly in his place, by her...

[Louise Perry]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I am a little confused though as wondered when humping is actually a sexual sign? I have also noticed that Reuben's testicles have suddenly become obvious - does that mean he is in puberty etc? Sorry if i sound dumb but I am definitely learning on a daily basis and reuben seems to be growing in to a giant too!!!

Obviously he is also absolutely gorgeous too and makes me laugh so much as he has such comical expressions. And i just love the way that when he runs back to me, his mouth is open and his head goes from side to side - do all setters do this?