Expert: Delores Beck - 9/7/2010

Question
QUESTION: I have a 3 year old cocker spaniel that is acting very strange, i have had him since he was born and have never seen him behave this way, i recently got a boxer pup and for the first month or so my spaniel was huming and all that, i figured he was trying to establish dominance and eventually he stopped, now nearly two months later my spaniel is drinking my boxers urine (sometimes while he's in the process of urinating), is humping him again, and cannot stand to be out of sight of my boxer. my spaniel constantly shakes as if he's excited/nervous and whines/wimpers constantly. They share a bed with me and my spaniel now seems to be up most of the night walking back and forth on the bed, he'll go lay by the boxer and either lick him or stare and shake, then go off on his own and lay down, he repeats this and keeps me up all night in the process. My concern is that i don't know if this behavior is normal and will subside in time, or if i need to take him to a vet. Also, in an attempt to reduce this sudden urin obsession i've tried letting them out separately, and this doesn't seem to work either, my spaniel will go insane hunting for my boxers urin outside until he eventually finds it. He's never acted like this and it has me scared. Thank You.

ANSWER: Is your cocker neutered?
How old is the Boxer pup?
How does he react to the cocker's attention?

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

QUESTION: The cocker spaniel is not neutered. the boxer is 4 months old, and the boxer seems indifferent, he doesn't like the new wave of humping but he doesn't mind anything else, when inside my cocker spaniel also licks the boxers penis.

Answer
I'd definitely get him neutered - mostly for health reasons - and you should discuss this with your vet.

It sounds like your cocker has taken on the Boxer as his pup and so you have the constant 'attention'.  In the wild, a Mother will hide the urine scent from predators and this may be what's happening here.

Practical advice - let them sleep together somewhere else so you can get some sleep.  Take the pup out separately and after he urinates, douse the area with half water/half vinegar and then allow the cocker to satisfy himself there's no scent.

And relax..this undoubtedly will pass.