Plato acts *extremely* excited(uncharacteristically so) around my ex gf, normal?

[plato23]

Plato is almost 9 months now(male), and my ex gf has been around him since the day we brougth him home. The first few months they were around each other ALOT. Well, we are on the rocks and he sees her very sporadically now. I know this question may sound dumb, but when he sees her, he gets so excited its almost like he doesnt know what to do with himself, and I am trying to decide if the way he is acting towards her is dominance or just cause he misses her...or both.

From the moment he sees her he will come to her, ears down and she will pet him and say hi, etc. etc...from that moment on his excitement just builds. Tonight she saw him for the first time in a few weeks and I wanted to show her how good his heel is... and all he was worried about on the walk was where she was. When I told her to walk behind me some and I came to a stop so I could show her how he sits when I stop, he did sit, but he turned himself around so he could see her. He also will try to jump on her(he never jumps on anyone) and hump her sometimes. He never ever seems aggressive though. I intended to show her how his stay was and he would whine, which I also NEVER hear him do, cause he couldn't interact with her I guess? Also, if she comes close to me like in an embrace, he looks like he is jealous and will come over and lean against us.

I was giving him constant corrections on the walk and popping the leash non stop almost. I finally gave up and "release"'d him and just let him meander around with his leash loose since I was obviously beating a dead horse. When he does see her, should I just let him completely calm down before I really attempt anything. Is this normal that he gets soooo excited?

[dmoniz]

I know that people my dogs know well, but only see every now and again makes them go crazy when they do see them. I think it is like reuniting with an old pack member. I would take it as a training opportunity. Tell him to do something rather simple, like a sit or look, then release him to her as a a reward. You can start stringing more things together and do more difficult things as he learns that his reward is to greet her. After allowing the greeting, I wouldn't require anything else until he has calmed down and the excitment has dwindled.

[fbkeays]

Humping can also be a stress reliever, not just sexual or dominance. It could be that he views your ex as a friend, but now you are putting off mixed messages about her. Even if you and your ex are on friendly terms, you are not acting like you used to around her. He doesn't know what he is supposed to do. He sounds like he is very unsure of himself (the down ears and the excitement) and resorts to the jumping and humping as a way to relieve his stress.
Give him positive things to do until he stops being so exited around her. Don't overly correct as that puts stress on him and he is more likely to jump/hump as he has found that is self rewarding. The trick is to do things so that you won't be in a position to correct.
Your ex is the one that will have to reinforce any corrections for jumping on her. If she can't do it, then make sure he can't get in the position of jumping on her.

[StephanieandToby]

I am meeting new dogs all the time with my work...and sometimes only walk peoples' dogs once a year when they go on holiday, etc.....The dogs that go CRAZY to see me are ones that I first met when they were puppies. I think they really "imprint" that I am a friend...and even if many, many months go by...they still go cuckoo when they see me.

[janinetj]

Originally Posted by plato23

Plato is almost 9 months now(male), and my ex gf has been around him since the day we brougth him home. The first few months they were around each other ALOT. Well, we are on the rocks and he sees her very sporadically now. I know this question may sound dumb, but when he sees her, he gets so excited its almost like he doesnt know what to do with himself, and I am trying to decide if the way he is acting towards her is dominance or just cause he misses her...or both.

From the moment he sees her he will come to her, ears down and she will pet him and say hi, etc. etc...from that moment on his excitement just builds. Tonight she saw him for the first time in a few weeks and I wanted to show her how good his heel is... and all he was worried about on the walk was where she was. When I told her to walk behind me some and I came to a stop so I could show her how he sits when I stop, he did sit, but he turned himself around so he could see her. He also will try to jump on her(he never jumps on anyone) and hump her sometimes. He never ever seems aggressive though. I intended to show her how his stay was and he would whine, which I also NEVER hear him do, cause he couldn't interact with her I guess? Also, if she comes close to me like in an embrace, he looks like he is jealous and will come over and lean against us.

I was giving him constant corrections on the walk and popping the leash non stop almost. I finally gave up and "release"'d him and just let him meander around with his leash loose since I was obviously beating a dead horse. When he does see her, should I just let him completely calm down before I really attempt anything. Is this normal that he gets soooo excited?

by the sounds of it she was a major part of his early life and built a bond so its only natural he is going to get exited when he see's her now but you should just be persistant in training him to calm once the initial exitement of seeing her has elapsed.

[VANCOUVERISLANDROT]

Sounds like my welcome home every day after work when I walk in the house! LOL!!! I get mauled by Oscar, you'd think I"d been gone a week. hehe

We have a couple of female friends that he absoltely LOVES and he goes seriously beserk when they come over. It's a great obedience working moment but yeah, he goes nutso! Luckily for us and our friends, they adore him just as much back otherwise they'd think they were getting mauled. lol!

Sounds to me like your dog bonded with your ex-gf and gets excited when he sees her...normal behavior. Just tell him to knock off the humping, that's just an excitement thing, it's not sexual.

[plato23]

New development: Today me and my ex took Plato and her dog(mini schnauzer, 5y/o female) to a big field near us who he gets along good with, she chases him alot. Long story short...she was kneeling down petting Plato, and it looked like he tried to lift his leg on her, so I popped the leash(he was on lead at the time since someone came around with another dog) and he moved away. Then he went back and tried to do it again so I corrected again. Then he went away about 5 steps and did it.

It wasn't a full on leg lift, it was barely lifted, it didn't look like he was trying to "mark". It kinda looked like he was just trying to pee and she happened to be where he wanted to go. I know it isn't polite regardless but it didn't look like marking behavior...if it in fact was, how does this change everything?

PS- Thanks for all the replies btw she felt alot better lol.

[grainne]

Originally Posted by plato23

Also, if she comes close to me like in an embrace, he looks like he is jealous and will come over and lean against us.

Only a small behaviour you mentioned but Rotties I know do this as a sort of 'join in' hug. They will also lean into my legs if I am giving them a back rub on their own. I could be wrong but I've always taken it as a 'hug'