Humping is stress IMO. Just needs a bit more security, to learn to settle down.

I might try a sort of watered down nothing in life is free as well.

I have started to ask a bit more of Etta----like a sit before she gets a fuss (very occassionally (G)). Also doing more self control excercises as she wants everything yesterday!

rune

I might have put this out to be a major thing because I wanted to get it worded spot on to try and get some help. It happens about once a week, if that so I don't think it's the worst thing in the world, but it does need to be understood and stopped, which is why I posted about it ;o)

Thanks for all the help so far, certainly lots of things to try.

Just to be clear about his peeing - are you saying that he's peeing while he is asleep? Until your last questions I thought that you said he was doing it as he was settling down to sleep?

If the former, I would have him checked over by the vet - it could be a medical problem. If the latter, it may be that the doesn't feel 'safe/secure' where he is going to sleep and is trying to make himself more so by making the place his.

Do you/your OH move him off the sofa often and if is so in what circumstances?

Do you or have you moved him out of his own bed in the past?

Does he still have his crate? If not (I know you've said before your house is fairly small) is it worth thinking about putting it back up so that he has somewhere completely safe/secure to go off to if he wants?

I must admit I've never thought he was stressed, but there is 'something' not quite right about his behaviour sometimes.

Sorry Pidge I know I can get easily confused, but this post you posted on the 'how would you deal with this' thread suggests that you do still move him from the sofa from time to time?

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Evidently if it is just a full bladder, you just need to force him to go out, even if you put a lead on him and walk him down the street a short way.

PS you didn't clarify whether he is doing it in his sleep or just as he's about to settle?

No it's OK, ask away, you're the one trying to help after all ;o)

If he jumps up onto the sofa or on the bed and starts humping we tell him to get off. Neil has tried to pull him off before and Woody growls at him now if he gets too confrontational (i.e. towers over Woody giving a stern command). He now knows not to do this.

The weeing happens occasionally while he's asleep and sometimes while he is scrabbling. I think it's relaxing on a full bladder weeing and always after swimming. I always force him out for a wee on these occasions before settling but he still does it.

Hi

Woody has never seemed to be stressed on the occasions I have seen him in the home be it for a quick visit or a nice cuppa and catch up, I use the kong/treat method with my guys if i want to encourage them to settle for a while. Mine no longer have crates, but I use the kitchen area as 'their' space......failing that I go and have a long hot bath and leave them too it.

Swim bladder sounds quite likely, having seen how he is out on his walks and having a bitch that also suffers from that sometimes when she has been for a nice long run and swim. Sounds like he is being a lazy boy at the moment with all the foul weather we are having He needs to have a word with Cin she is being a madam too

'Stressed' doesn't necessarily mean 'stressed' as we see it...being anxious/worried. It is more a general term to describe a hyped up state with adrenalin running...as well as possibly being an anxious state. It is such a broad term.

I think that Woody gets 'stressed' on walks and believe it or not, I think his upset tums have something to do with it. Consistently high adrenalin levels can effect poop. I think it is part and parcel of the same problem. I would look at your walks and what you do on them....you need to perhaps use some calming techniques with him....and alter the way you walk him sometimes Throw in some pavement pounding to settle him. Let him sniff when doing it. Give him other opportunities to use his nose on walks, that you control. There's a lot you can do. I suspect if you look at his walks things will start to settle.


I also think he is 'anxious' in the house...he is only young and you have been through lots of different training methods and problems with him. He just needs some time to be a pet and settle.He's your first dog and we have all been in that situation. I tried to do everything too soon and did too much and ended up with Biff. Enough said. Bless him. Thing is, you need to just be consistent now (which I know you arer trying to be) but the pee thing...well walk him round the block, don't let him say no to peeing so he does it on the furniture...simples.

I do think he shows signs of 'stress' from what you have said...but I am not there so it is hard to say.

Pidge....I think you should read Turid Rugaas' Calming Signals book. I think it will help you understand what Woody is saying sometimes

Sorted.

I have one exhausted dog who is settled nicely on his bed with a full belly and not just tired legs, but a tired mind.

It's likely that it's a frustration thing with him as he's not sure what to do so acts up and humps and grumbles etc.

The peeing thing is purely him being a jerk and I will now be taking him out on lead until he goes. During sleep though it's defo swim bladder.

I have been into town and bought him an empty, boiled marrow bone and a black kong that I will stuff with his soaked kibble and freeze.

Before each walk I will do a small bit of easy training, walk off lead, walk back on lead, wash and dry off. After that I will do some clicker training and settle him in his bed with a bone/kong.

At bed time I'm still not sure how to handle the humping of pillows thing on our bed but with any luck all of the above might stop him feeling like he needs to do it. I will just ignore it for now and see what happens.

Thanks for all the advice, wish me luck!