Owners with Male Cavies

[Karlin]

Their urine does smell quite strongly when they are unneutered; this goes way after. Also a certain food or even drugs etc may make the urine smell strongly (we all know the 'asparagus effect' on us! ).

The humping may just be some general silliness or is relieving some stress for him (having a cone on IS stressful for a dog). Humping is not just a sexual activity and frequently ISN'T a sexual activity -- it is actually a fairly normal behaviour (for males and females!) that most people wish to train away from. But it is also a way for a dog to boss another dog around, or to redirect anxiety and fear for example. I'd say he has been pretty stressed with the surgery and the cone etc -- don't worry too much, I'm sure it will not be a regular activity! If you were really focusing on redirecting him it may have stressed him a bit further, especially with visitors there -- that's a lot of outside stimulation and change.

[Angel]

Scooby was desexed and had an umbilical hernia repair a few days ago. He spent most of the day at the vet so have recovered from most of the earlier effect of the anaesthetic. He was a little less perkier and more tired and groggy lookin than usual though. however, because he was obsessively licking his newly sutured stitches, i put a cone head on him for the first couple of days (releasing it when i'm around). He got really depressed with it though. He just wasn't playing with us or eating very much at all. So on the 3rd day, we took it off. he was much better with the licking aftewards anyway and is back to his old self now. He's due to have his stitches removed in another 5 days or so.

[Justine]

when we had alfs done we bought him home and he cried all nite and yelping out,had to phone the vet to get pain killers for which i wasnt offered.but once he was on them he was better,we had to keep him in the utility room as he was sliding on the wooden floors which really hurt him,but after a couple of days he was much happier,but i guess it took about a week before he felt real comfortable with himself,it was sad to see him so down.

[paulio99]

When Marlon was done (at 6 months) we had his cone on.
Was quite funny as couldn't sniff the ground to find a nice area to 'poo' in !
So we took it off and he certainly appreciated it.
The next day he was fine - like nothing had happened.
He just didnt like the fact he couldn't have long walks.

He is now nearly 1 year old but he still likes to try and hump his stuffed toy dogs, but with a little distraction he stops straight away.

At one stage we did though see his full 'lipstick' which really wasn't a pleasant experience.

[msunter]

Hi All

Thank you so much for your responses they've been really helpful.

We took the advice over last weekend and took the cone off on Sunday last week, the poor soul just looked so tired and fed up. Granted he tried to lick the area a few times we just clapped our hands and said "Nuh Uh" which he knows as "Big NO NO" Just checked the stitches there and they look great. Good thing Mum's a nurse and knows these things....LOL.

We have caught him in the act a few times trying to get the cushion out of the crate since it moved back into the kitchen so we just take it off him and store it on top of it until he calms down which he seems to be doing well with then have a good old tussle with him to release the excess "energy" LOL

He just turned 8 months old yesterday and is doing so well. There's no longer any marking, which he did in the house next to a chair in the living room area, during the week leading up to his surgery and the week before that up at my Grandparents staircase. No strong smell off his urine, he hardly pulls at all anymore, only if we see another dog he does but quickly manage to check him back into place. His classes have been really paying off too.

He is so much more relaxed, calm and doesn't have much interest in the other dogs and pups around him. He is totally 100% on us ! when in training which is a bonus. The trainers were glad to see him as he missed the first week of his intermediate tr

Did anyone ever find this with their pups? after they were done?

He hasn't changed all that much, still the same old Rio and it's still a long way to go with him such as eating full meals , being around the little two year old girl Brooke we look after now and again etc, but with much time and effort he really is a great little well behaved dog, still has his moments and the occasional puppy naughtiness but with this being our first dog for our family and not being a relatives dog it's been great.

Everyone comments on how well behaved he is in other people's homes and my Grandparents may be considering taking in a rescue Cavalier some time soon, as they now think they're a lovely breed they've always had big dogs and would now like a dog they could give a retirement home to. Has anyone from Scotland here heard of Scottish Cavalier Rescue in Irvine ????

Thank you all for your very helpful responses.

Cavvies are addicitive!

[Kingofthehouse86]

I was so lucky that when King came out of surgery he was his bouncy self in a matter of hrs...I was only told "NO JUMPING, AND NO ROUGH-HOUSING" until he got the staples removed... He was hard to keep from doing this, I mean how do you keep a hyper-active puppy from doing everything he loves to do....but I figured out that if we go for long walks he got tired and wanted to sleep...