Dog Sexual Behavior Alterations

It is difficult to define the concept of sexual alterations in the dog. We can basically resume this as the set of sexual behaviors that are abnormal, annoying to the owner or its environment. The mating rejection can be considered an upheaval in the context of breeding and on the other hand the sexual rubbing of the dog against people's legs, which will be annoying to any person. Some owners feel guilty for preventing their dog from a regular sexual life, when it lives alone. Logically, the dog that walks around the whole day through the fields can satisfy its sexual needs. The owner cannot accept several conducts that come from this situation. We must not make the mistake of establishing a relation between the human behavior and the dog's, in relation of how the dog is excused or yelled at. The point of balance must be found in consonance with the rules by which the owner and the dog live by. The sexual behavior is related to the notion of hierarchical structuring, stimuli and privation. There are behaviors which are normal in the dog and society represses in the human, but they must not be a motive of worry.

How are they Manifested: Let's see how these types of behaviors are manifested. They are not abnormal but they are socially unacceptable for the owner.

Dog Masturbation: Both the male and the female do this and it forms part of the dog's normal sexual behavior. When a puppy discovers its sexuality at the age of 6 months it will have the temptation of exploring it. If the behavior is permanent it is considered pathological.

The Simulation of Dog Mating: The puppies mount each other as they play and when they reach puberty they will do this with their owner. The attitude of mounting is a normal behavior in the young dog; when this happens we must act with indifference, otherwise the dog will keep on doing it. If we pet the dog we are encouraging it to do it again and if we yell at the dog for this it might stop doing it for good.

Dog Homosexuality: Homosexuality does not exist in dogs; it is simply the owner's interpretation. When the male mounts another male, it is not for mating, but a social ritual which leads to establishing the rules of domination.

Sexuality and the Alterations of Hierarchical Structuring: We have seen that mounting is a sign of domination. The dog claims a position of dominator inside the herd and it will mount all the members of the family that it believes are potential rivals. On the other hand, it will have an aggressive reaction each time someone comes close to a person it protects. A good hierarchical structuring is the base to prevent this problem.

Sexuality and Socialization Alterations: In the period of socialization a web of relationships is established between the puppy, the mother and the rest of the herd, which allows the dog to recognize the rest of the dogs as part of its specie, and therefore mate. If the puppy is separated from the mother too soon and the human substitutes her, this last one will be identified as a mate when it is time for the dog to relate itself sexually. Again, this shows the importance of the socialization period.

Prevention: The fundamental conditions are: a good intra-specific socialization and good hierarchical structuring.

Behavioral Alterations Related to Playing: Playing is a fundamental stage in physical and mental development of the puppy. The different games between puppies are useful to establish the social relationships. Later on, the owner will come in the picture to play with the dog. The learning of the basic commands should be done in a playful way. Nevertheless, it is convenient to respect certain rules to prevent problematic behaviors to arise. The human has to control playing around at all times, without tolerating any attitude of domination, and must never let the dog bite his hands.

Aggressiveness: Playing with the puppy is never an enraged fight. Instinctively it is conscious of the recreational aspect of fighting. It never bites with violence. The dog that reacts with aggressiveness when playing is an animal that is not behaving normally, maybe this is because it has not socialized correctly or because it has not assimilated the inhibition of biting.

Dog Hyperactivity: It is normal that a puppy that is in the age of playing, is constantly in movement, but when it becomes an adult it has to calm down. A state of hyperactivity in a dog that is more than 12 months old is not normal. The owner has to control the game sessions, interrupting them when he believes it is necessary and continuing them once the dog has calmed down and has been congratulated. When playing is carried on well, it represents a distraction for the dog, a reflexive exercise which is controlled by the owner and it is also a basic element for the animal's future balance. Dog Feeding Behavior Alterations