behavior

Question
QUESTION: I have a four month old female chihuahua. She is acting as if she wants to mate already. She is always gathering blankets together and then "humping" it. She also does this with stuffed toys. I thought it was a dominance thing at first but with blankets?

ANSWER: Hi Karen.  This is completely normal puppy behavior.  All puppies "hump" toys, blankets, peoples legs and arms - just about anything.  

Most puppies, that go through this phase, really do not associate it with mating, instead it is a playful act.

Good luck with your Chihuahua and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny Diloreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: at what age will she want to be with another dog? Just when in heat right?
Also up to what size dog can she be with? If I decide to spade her when
should I do that? Vet says at 5 months but I've heard to wait.?

Answer
Hi Karen.  Most female dogs will not mate with a mate unless they are in what is called the Estrus stage of their heat cycle.  Most female dogs go in to heat every 6 months (some a little earlier some a little later.)

My rule of thumb is to never mate a female dog to a male dog that weighs more than 5 pounds heaver than the female.  

Most vets are spaying dogs earlier now a days, and 16 weeks (4 months) is the best time.  It is thought that early spaying and or neutering (in the case of male dogs) helps to eliminate the hormones that cause aggression, territorial marking, and other undesirable traits in dogs.  If spaying/neutering is done at a early age, the better the chances are that the hormone levels are still low.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com