Beauregard and Mason: The Challenge

She knows the minute they enter the parking lot.. She recognizes their silver SUV and when Beatrice and Beauregard, the stately blue Great Danes, arrive at the gate, Maggie, our ten-month-old blue is there to greet them. They nuzzle, like horses. In fact they are very equine, these three: sleek, full-chested, long of leg. Beatrice and Beauregard are 7 months older than Maggie and they are cousins. They come from different kennels but share a grandmother.

And they are the queen and king of the dogpark, noble and restrained, (except with each other). Beatrice is lean, almost petit, (for a Dane). She is like a fine fashion model. Beauregard is quite a bit taller and well-muscled and like all Great Danes, warrior-like. (Historically they pursued large game.)

Beatrice and Beauregard are the largest dogs in the park, except for Zyedeco, the brindle Great Dane, who is a rival king. His ears are cropped, (the others' ears aren't) and he has an arrogant strut, (though he is friendly and gentle). But Beauregard has an easy grace, so self-assured is he of his beauty, his power. He isn't overtly affectionate, like Maggie, except with his owners, but he will bestow on you a "lean". He and Beatrice are litter mates, practically co-joined.
Though they sometimes race around with other dogs, they only tussle with each other. That's something to watch as they rear up, over 6 ft. in the air, and growl. And seeing them streak through the field, with Maggie close behind, is magnficent. As I said, they are equine, like race horses.

Enter Mason. Mason is a 9-month-old brown and white American Bulldog, (Earlier, I mistakenly called him an American Bull Terrier, but that's Claire.) He's massive, pure muscle, broader in girth than an English Bulldog, without the pushed-up snout, the snorting and snuffling. And he's surprizingly nimble, a good runner on longer legs. Mason is one of the sweetest dogs in the park. He has a laughing face on his anvil of a head.

His owner, a quiet-ish, amiable young man, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, has trained him firmly. He responds readily to commands. Though he plays roughly, Mason plays fairly and there's not a hint of aggression in him, as there is in a couple of the other "Bully Breeds", Tuxedo and Missy, the Pit Bulls.

Mason has not been neutered. His owner is waiting until the dog is a year old and his size and strength have been established. But Mason has begun "humping". In particular, he's begun humping Beauregard. Not a good idea, Mason.

Even standing on his hind legs, Mason barely reaches Beauregard's butt. At first, Beauregard sort-of tolerated Mason, tried to ignore him. But Mason is consistent and persistent. Dogged. He's either in love with Beauregard, (in which case he's "gay", which I doubt) or he's asserting dominance.

Then Beauregard got angry and snarled. Several times. It didn't phase Mason. Mason's owner, after commanding him to stop, finally pulled him away and put him on the leash. That was last week.

Yesterday Mason started in again , only this time Beauregard became fierce. He turned around and warned Mason in a way that would make most dogs quiver. It made me quiver. But Mason is tenacious. He's a Bulldog. The more he kept at it, the more ferocious the Great Dane became.
But Mason didn't give up. Even when we all walked around the perimeter, hoping to distract the Bulldog, he still humped Beauregard.

Mason's owner was of course, exasperated. He's not used to having his dog disobey. Again, he had to put Mason on a leash. And Mason was frantic, to play, "to hump". Whatever.

"I'm afraid he won't quit unless we get him neutered," said the owner. And so far he hasn't. Punishment wouldn't work. And distraction has been useless. I see the owner's dilemma. Sacrificing Mason's full size and strength, (if he got him neutered) versus getting rid of his testosterone and preventing the humping. (If it would. Lots of neutered dogs hump.)

I wouldn't want to see Mason get hurt. Though he's huge, he's only a puppy and he seems to have a puppy's sense...ie reckless and stubborn. But Beauregard is also huge, an adult who has been objecting to a younger dog's annoying behavior. He's demonstrated his authority in the most canine way he can. Which means snarling and biting with big, sharp teeth and powerful jaws.

Actually, I'd be terrified to see a grown-up Great Dane and a grown-up American Bulldog get into a fight. I'm not sure the Great Dane wouldn't lose. They are enormous, (for a dog) pursuers but they are not fighters. Mostly, they are casual and unconcerned. They're not called "the gentle giants" for no reason. American Bulldogs are born fighters. They instinctively go for the jugular.

I have the sense Mason wouldn't retaliate if Beauregard really hurt him. But he might. He's clearly defiant. And he's demonstrated his resilience.

I know what I'd do if I were Mason's owner. I'd get Mason neutered. An inch and a few pounds, (if that were even the case) are not worth the escalating battle. And the dog park is too important a place to those of us who use it to see it disrupted in such a scary way. It's not fair either to Beauregard or Mason, who are both acting on instinct.

Besides, neutering a dog prevents prostate cancer.