Humping at 8 wks Old, It's normal!

My first few days with the puppy were overwhelming.  I had no idea what was okay and normal and what needed to be stopped ASAP.  To put it mildly, I am overly paranoid about whether or not my puppy is "doing the right thing" at all times. Maybe it's from watching too much Dog Whisperer? But I'm always trying to interpret everything....such as: "Is that a dominant behavior?" or "Is that going to make him bite people when he's older?" Thoughts like this are running through my head constantly.

Here's a list of things that I learned by talking with my breeder and a local trainer who has had Aussies for 30+ years that are okay or normal:

1.  Humping toys

2.  Sitting in my lap and chewing on a toy

3.  Wanting to explore while out on a walk instead of focusing on training or on me

4.  Getting crazy excited meeting a new person or being in a new house
5.  Flipping around and rolling when on a leash for a walk
6.  Playing games where he chases a stuffed toy and then bites and chews on it while shaking his head

My breeder and the local trainer reminded me that this puppy is essentially "ADD with legs and a mouth."  Ha ha!  Sometimes you just need someone to put things in perspective for you.  I was starting to think too much and not listen to instinct.