Dalmatian Behavior Problems: Sexual Mounting Prevention Tips

Sexual mounting has been successfully treated in many cases by neutering the offender. However, when the behavior is psychologically ingrained, this may be ineffective. If the dog (male or female) is neutered in an attempt at correction, environmental/behavioral alterations are also advisable. It should go without saying that the owners must not allow or encourage further sexual mounting.

Doting or fondling of the Dalmatian must be stopped. If the dog pesters for attention, it should be given a command before any reward of spoken praise or petting. Rewards should be friendly and brief, no longer than a few seconds. I say “a few seconds” because in some cases the owner may use the dog’s response as an excuse to pet and fondle it for as long as 10 minutes. This, of course, encourages the practice that contributed to the problem in the first place.

When correcting sexual mounting, it is best to distract the Dalmatian to some other activity before it becomes firmly attached to a leg or other part of the owner’s anatomy. The early signs of mounting are usually easy to spot. A rather vacant stare as the animal approaches, pawing at the owner’s legs, a “humping” motion, or penile erection signal the onset of some sexual action, and mark the ideal time for distraction.

Distracting agents dog trainers have used include throwing a ball or some other plaything, followed by several minutes of intensive play-exercise; issuance of a command to Sit and Stay, to be maintained until the dog appears settled; and application of a sharp sound as an intervening stimulus, followed by quiet praise when the dog stops the mounting attempts.

Traditional corrections that usually fail include stepping on the hind toes to discourage mounting; sharply raising the knee into the dog’s chest area to knock it away from the leg; and picking up the offender and shaking it while saying “No.” Less traditional, and equally ineffective, approaches include hitting the dog on the muzzle, holding a lighted cigarette in the target area of the romantic pet, and shouting, screaming and other hysterical behavior.

Severe physical punishment may lead to other behavior problems. Also, with aggressive dogs, the act of sexual mounting is sometimes closely related to general aggressive tendencies, and a strong physical rebuff can produce biting, even in puppies under 6 months old.

If mounting is accompanied by penile erection in male Dalmatian dogs, castration combined with correction of the causative factors has been successful. The effects of neutering may not become evident for up to 90 days, though in most cases some lessening of sexual aggression is noted within a day or so. In spayed females with masculine tendencies, progestin hormone therapy has been helpful when carefully supervised by a veterinarian.

Dalmatian Behavior Problems: Killing Other Animals & Attacking Children

Dalmatians have not traveled far along the evolutionary road since the time they hunted and killed for food. In fact, some breeds are still selectively bred for their tendency to chase or stalk prey and at least capture, if not kill and/or eat them. Notable among these are the Terriers, Dachshunds, sighthounds and various hunting breeds. It is no wonder then, that pet dogs occasionally succumb to their ancestral tendency, even without special training.

Dalmatians are often inadvertently trained to kill. For example, many dog owners have urged their pets (sometimes playfully) to chase cats, squirrels and stray dogs, and are often horrified when their dogs bring home the neighbor’s Teacup Poodle as a trophy of the chase. Sometimes other animals, usually cats, have “trained” dogs to become killers. These animals do this unknowingly by sitting on fences, rooftops, in trees or beyond fences, tantalizing the dog from a safe vantage point. After enough of this teasing, the dog becomes sufficiently frustrated to attack an animal when the opportunity presents itself.

Dalmatians that kill other animals are usually, but not necessarily, of the excitable type and react aggressively or dominantly to other species or smaller dogs. The killing of smaller dogs or cats by larger dogs is usually the case in urban areas. However, when dog packs operate as hunting groups, much larger animals become the prey, sometimes even people.

Most Dalmatian dogs that have killed people, either by themselves or in packs, select children as their prey. Child killings (especially those committed by lone dogs) have usually occurred at or within the dog’s “territory,” or have involved a child who screamed shrilly when first approached or knocked down. A small percentage of dogs appears to be stimulated in the most primitive way by the screaming of any animal: their reaction is to kill that animal. Wild canines have killed members of their own pack that cry out after they have become trapped or are injured.

Dalmatians that kill other animals should be differentiated from those with a fighting problem. Most dog fights end before either of the combatants is seriously injured. These episodes rarely result in the death of either dog. Predatory attacks aimed at killing the prey animal are deliberate, with the fangs aimed at the base of the prey’s neck just above the shoulders. If the prey is on its back, the soft flesh of the throat or belly is attacked. A predatory attack also usually includes violent shaking of the victim. Rarely does a domestic dog actually eat its kill, though some that prey on chickens and other fowl tend to do so more often that cat or dog killers.

Behavior Problems: Dalmatians That Lick Too Much

The first licking experienced by a Dalmatian puppy comes from its dam even before the pup’s eyes are open. Licking is used to groom the pup and, after feeding, to cause urination and defecation. It is doubtful that a young pup consciously considers licking a dominant behavior. However, the act of licking can acquire various other meanings to puppies as they mature and gain feedback from other animals (including people) they lick. Licking by neonatal Dalmatian pups is usually aimed at the dam’s mouth and, at least in wild canines, elicits a gratifying regurgitation of food by the dam for its offspring.

Licking another animal can broadly be classified as care-seeking behavior. However, in some females and apparently “feminized” males, licking may occur as a genuine mutual grooming gesture, which could be considered dominant behavior in such situations. When one dog tries to lick the genitals of another, the behavior is considered submissive. This is usually practiced by submissive pack members toward their dominant counterparts.

Licking seems to acquire different meanings when the puppy is brought into the human group. The significance of licking then depends on the type of feedback provided by the pup or its owners. The old idea that dogs lick our hands to benefit from the salt on our skin rarely applies to licking problems. Rather, the problem generally involves a submissive dog and a permissive owner. In these cases, early episodes of licking are permitted (some people feel genuinely flattered when their Dalmatian dog licks them) and the dog appears to enjoy the owner’s response.

In many cases, licking is a factor in another type of problem behavior. These usually involve the dog’s use of licking to dominate the owner’s attentions or to demonstrate its dominant feelings relative to the owner.

How Can Licking Be Prevented?

Licking is a problem only when the owner is present. Therefore licking is usually easily stopped merely by telling the dog not to do it or by moving away and avoiding it. After a few days or weeks of this rejection, the problem disappears. However, this procedure does not correct the basis of the problem, that is, attempts to dominate the owner.

In addition to discouraging licking, the dog must be taught to respond to commands, and owner adjustments made if the dog is “coddled” or otherwise doted on. When it seeks petting or tries to dominate the owner, it should be given a simple command, such as Sit, and then petted briefly as a reward for obedience.

It is recommended that you use some intervening stimulus when the Dalmatian begins to pester you. Whether this involves introduction of a chewable toy that the pet is urged to fetch, or a sharp sound, the goal is to divert the animal’s mind off licking and onto something else. During the initial stages of correction, there may be seen many types of substitutional behavior, such as whining, pacing or self-licking. If ignored, this behavior usually disappears in a few days.

Calling All Dalmatian Owners…

If you own a Dalmatian then we’ll have some great info for you…