mounting, mild aggression

[lisa.m]

I have just adopted a dog from a shelter. He is believed to be a schnauzer/poodle mix, about 7 years old. He was found as a stray, and seems to have been fending for himself for quite some time. He does know basic commands (sit, lay), so he must have been with a family at some point in his life. He has not been neutered, and will not be for about another week. My problem is that I cannot take two steps without him mounting my leg. I have tried making direct eye contact, saying a firm NO, and pushing him off. I have tried spraying him with water. I have tried telling him to SIT for a treat. All methods work for a moment, then he does it again. The only thing that gets him to calm down is if I sit in a chair and lift my legs off the ground. The moment I stand, he's at it again. After too many NO's, he can become a little aggressive. He's bitten me a couple of times when I've pushed him off. Not hard bites. He's barely made contact. Nonetheless, it's not acceptable behavior. Fortunately, I seem to be the only family member that he does this to. My concern is that due to his age, this behavior won't change after neutering. He has also growled a couple of times when someone has approached him while he is chewing on a Nylabone, although no aggression with actual food. In every other way he is a real little love. He cuddles and kisses with everyone, just a little too much with me! Some advice on how to best handle this would be much appreciated!

[Sabrina]

Hi! If you post this over in the "Dog Training Advice" subforum, more people will see it and be able to offer advice. And if you can post as much detail about your dog's daily life - what/when he eats, exercise, etc. Also, how long have you had him? (sounds like just a few days?) Do you know if he exhibited this mounting behavior with anyone at the shelter? With those details folks on here can help you work out some sort of replacement behavior so that you don't have to do anything confrontational (direct eye contact, water spray, "no", pushing him, etc) so that he doesn't feel any need to bite/defend himself (does he growl before he bites?).

Edit: here's an older thread about mounting that's worth a read through - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13949&start=0&hilit=mounting . But posting about your specific situation over in the Advice subforum can get you more personalized help.