Do you know you can get your dog fixed at four months? Mine is going in at four months. The vet prefers between 4-6 months.
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I can't answer for the humping and spaying thing...but about the alpha dog thing, I have some comments.
With my 2 dogs, Eddie and Uallis, there doesn't seem to be one or the other higher in the "pecking order". They both have things that they don't tolerate from the other. For example, Uallis will guard toys. If Eddie gets too close to a toy Uallis has, Uallis will growl and Eddie will back off. On the other hand, Eddie is food aggressive and if Uallis has something that he wants to eat and if Eddie barks or growls at him, Uallis will back off. Before Eddie was neutered, they would both mount each other. Since Eddie was neutered, he doesn't do that to Uallis anymore. However, Uallis will still occasionally attempt to mount Eddie, which considering Uallis's much greater size now, I don't allow him to do that so that has decreased dramatically. So with Eddie and Uallis, who are both 2 years old BTW, it isn't clear me who took the position of "top dog" if there is even one established.
However, with the 2 dogs that I had in the past, Dan and Montana (RIP), it was VERY clear that Dan was the alpha. Montana always deferred to Dan in everything. If Dan wanted the bed Montana was on, Montana moved. If Dan wanted some of Montana's food, Montana gave it up. It was really interesting to watch their dynamic. Then came one day that they got into a fight about something (can't remember what) but it must have been enough for Montana. The two fought, Montana lit into Dan something fierce and gave him a sound thrashing before we were able to break it up. Montana acted like a different dog after that. It was like they changed positions and Dan started deferring to Montana! That only lasted for a few days but it was very interesting how that happened.
With my 2 dogs, Eddie and Uallis, there doesn't seem to be one or the other higher in the "pecking order". They both have things that they don't tolerate from the other. For example, Uallis will guard toys. If Eddie gets too close to a toy Uallis has, Uallis will growl and Eddie will back off. On the other hand, Eddie is food aggressive and if Uallis has something that he wants to eat and if Eddie barks or growls at him, Uallis will back off. Before Eddie was neutered, they would both mount each other. Since Eddie was neutered, he doesn't do that to Uallis anymore. However, Uallis will still occasionally attempt to mount Eddie, which considering Uallis's much greater size now, I don't allow him to do that so that has decreased dramatically. So with Eddie and Uallis, who are both 2 years old BTW, it isn't clear me who took the position of "top dog" if there is even one established.
However, with the 2 dogs that I had in the past, Dan and Montana (RIP), it was VERY clear that Dan was the alpha. Montana always deferred to Dan in everything. If Dan wanted the bed Montana was on, Montana moved. If Dan wanted some of Montana's food, Montana gave it up. It was really interesting to watch their dynamic. Then came one day that they got into a fight about something (can't remember what) but it must have been enough for Montana. The two fought, Montana lit into Dan something fierce and gave him a sound thrashing before we were able to break it up. Montana acted like a different dog after that. It was like they changed positions and Dan started deferring to Montana! That only lasted for a few days but it was very interesting how that happened.
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