How to Stop a Dog Riding (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

A dog who mounts obsessively can be both a source of embarrassment and worry. The behavior is quite problematic when a dog does it with you or other people, but if your dog decides to do it with another dog, a fight could break out. If you want to stop a dog from breeding insistently, you need to look at the problem from both a medical and a behavioral perspective.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Medical Solutions

Step 1. Have your dog spayed

The dog likely mounts for reasons other than mating, but at the root, mating is a feature of mating. Consequently, spaying your dog is the first thing to do before taking any other corrective measures. Also, you should also get it done as soon as possible, at a young age, to have the greatest effect.

Having your dog spayed almost always decreases breeding problems, especially in males, but doing this alone does not completely eliminate the problem. In older dogs, this habit is often ingrained, making it both psychological and hormonal. This is why it is so important to have your dog spayed as a puppy.
Some studies indicate that one third of male dogs have a rapid decline in breeding and another third a gradual decline.

Step 2. Check for other health problems

If your dog continues to mount after being spayed, the behavior is likely related to dominance, stress, or habit, you should try to train your dog to stop this behavior. If the training proves useless, however, or if the dog is mounting obsessively, there may be another underlying health problem that causes the dog to act that way.

Possible health problems that contribute to your dog's behavior include urinary tract infections, incontinence, priapism, and skin allergies.
A pre-existing problem could have serious implications for unwanted behavior. If you suspect there is a health problem behind the behavior, it is important to have it checked and treated.

Step 3. Ask your veterinarian for appropriate care

If the breeding is clearly related to stress, it may be enough to give the dog some anti-anxiety medications to stop the breeding and improve his mental and physical health.

Medicines should only be used as a last resort and, even then, only in extreme cases. For example, if a dog shows other signs of anxiety, such as obsessive licking or destructive behavior, they may have serious anxiety issues that need to be examined.
There are also "natural" aids that you could give to the dog for anxiety, but it is always advisable to consult your veterinarian before introducing one into the dog's diet, to verify that it is safe.

Part 2 of 3: Corrective Training

Step 1. Make a loud noise

As soon as the dog begins to mount, say "NO" in a loud (but not angry) tone of voice or make a similar loud sound. Dogs often go into a trance state when they mount, but a loud noise may be enough to make the dog jump during the trance.

The tone should be confident, but you need to keep the anger out, as it may reinforce the dog's energy instead of decreasing it.
If you are not confident in your ability to keep anger out of your voice or if the dog does not seem to respond to your voice, try using another source of noise, such as a whistle or horn. Make sure these devices are well away from the dog to avoid damage to the ears.
You need to make noise when the dog is starting or in the middle of the behavior, not after.

Step 2. Get away from the dog

Since the dog often mounts people to get attention, showing the dog that his behavior will only cause you to ignore him is a good way to make him lose interest in it. You can do this by pushing the dog away or walking away.

To push the dog away, gently grab it by the front paws and put them back on the floor. If your dog has a predisposition to submission, this action alone may be enough to correct the behavior.
If you are unable to move the dog, move yourself. Going away from the dog or walking a few steps in another direction can also work, if you stay calm. If you panic and move too fast, you may inadvertently increase the dog's arousal and make the behavior more insistent.

Step 3. Put the dog in "time out"

In more difficult cases, it may be necessary to move the dog away from where it is. Lead him out of the room, into another quiet, closed room, and let the dog be alone for a few minutes until he calms down.

When putting your dog in a "time out" zone, make sure there are no toys to play with. It is not a punishment in itself, but it is necessary to force the dog to calm down by limiting the possible sources of agitation.
Leave the dog in "time out" anywhere, from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Make sure the dog is calm before letting him out; when you let him out, stay calm and act like nothing has happened.

Step 4. Consider using a leash for your dog

When riding continues or is obsessive behavior, you will likely have to work on it every time a person or other dog visits your home. Putting the dog on a short leash during these visits can make it easier to control the dog according to your needs.

You could use a short or a long leash. A short leash measures between 10 and 15 cm. A long leash measures between 120 and 180 cm.
In addition to making it easier to recall the dog in non-aggressive situations, it also makes it easier and safer to move the dog from an aggressive situation with other dogs. Many dogs respond aggressively to riding; if you notice aggression starting to build up, pull your dog off the leash before the situation blows up and take him away.

Step 5. Redirect your dog's energy

After successfully stopping the dog from mounting, redirect its energy into acceptable behavior, such as retrieving or other forms of play.

In addition to toys, you could distract your dog and redirect him by giving him an interactive toy that dispenses tidbits or by asking him to show you some tricks he has learned

Step 6. Block and separate the dog from temptation

When you separate the dog from another or a person who is mounting, you have to move him away. If the dog tries to return to its target by showing dominant behavior, stand between the dog and the target to physically block it and prevent it from turning back.

Stay calm when standing in front of the dog. If possible, lean forward slightly and hit the dog with your hip or knee to send a message. Remember that the goal is not to hurt your dog, but to break his fixation and let him know that you are taking command of the situation

Part 3 of 3: Preventive Measures

Step 1. Exercise

When a dog has too much energy, he may focus it on unwanted behavior, such as riding her. If you can consume the dog's energy well each day with structured exercise, you may be able to prevent the dog from using his own strength in that behavior.

Getting the dog to walk is essential. You can use up a lot of energy by letting the dog run around the yard, alone, but walking forces the dog to exercise and mental.
Structured exercise is always better than unstructured exercise. For the same purpose, obstacle training or other forms of intensive exercise work well to deplete the dog's energy.

Step 2. Do not encourage dog behavior in any context

Some dog owners think it's nice when their puppy mounts something like a puppet, but if you want to get your dog to stop riding other dogs or people, you need to stop that behavior in all its forms. Encouraging it or allowing it in one form will make your training inconsistent, making it less effective.

You can end up encouraging his behavior without realizing it. For example, if you laugh or show signs of happiness when the dog mounts his favorite toy, you are indirectly praising his behavior

Step 3. Distract the dog before it starts

Observe your dog closely, to understand how he acts just before starting the unwanted behavior. When you start noticing these signs, immediately distract the dog with a toy or toy, before it can trigger the usual behavior.

Common warning signs include panting, licking, whimpering, clapping, or rubbing against the lens

Step 4. Teach the dog acceptable behavior

Some dogs begin to mount to get the attention of visiting guests. If you suspect this may be the problem, teach the dog an acceptable exercise for companionship, such as sitting or asking, and make sure this exercise gives him the same kind of attention.

Ideally, the behavior you teach the dog should be one that he cannot do while riding. The dog will have to choose whether to do one or the other, and if the exercise receives positive attention while riding it receives negative attention, the dog will probably want to perform the exercise.
Consider rewarding your dog with treats after he has performed the exercise to reinforce positive behavior.

Step 5. Keep your dog away from stressful situations

Riding could also be a stress response. If you notice your dog exhibiting this behavior when dealing with a source of anxiety, avoid putting him in stressful situations. If the situation is unavoidable, look for ways to make the experience less stressful.

For example, petting and grooming can be trigger mechanisms for some dogs, in which case you should limit the time spent on these activities to an amount that your dog will tolerate.
If guests are a trigger, keep the dog in another room until the initial energy and excitement of the visit subsides. Only let the dog out when both he and the guests are calm.

Step 6. Work on standard obedience training

If the dog mounts you frequently, he is trying to exercise dominance; similarly, a dog that often mounts humans shows little respect for them. To stop this behavior, you need to let your dog know that you are the boss. Standard obedience training is a healthy and effective way to establish this.

Obedience training can also help dogs focus and release their energy into something more productive and well-regarded than breeding.
Obedience training includes basic commands such as "foot", "sit", "down" and "stay". The overall goal of obedience training is to train your dog to listen to you, regardless of the command.