Humping Mature

There's nothing quite like a dog humping that makes people go, "Eww, stop!" We may get embarrassed if our dog mounts another while visiting the dog park. And other dog owners may get rather perturbed if your dog keeps trying to hump theirs. But humping in dogs is usually not related to any ... ahem ... sexual endeavors.

humping mature

Humping isn't just dog-on-dog either. Some dogs will cling to a person's leg and start humping or decide to grab a pillow for the job. So why does this happen? Is humping something you should worry about with your dog? And how do you get your dog to stop humping? Read on for the answers!

Humping is a natural and normal dog behavior that happens for a variety of reasons. Dogs of any age may initiate humping behavior, whether with their littermates, other pets in their home, or unknown dogs they meet at the park or at daycare.

Humping can be a self-soothing behavior for dogs who are stressed, whether it's "good" stress or bad stress. This is usually the most common reason for humping that I see in my behavior consultations. Or a dog may become anxious in certain environments or when uncomfortable with what's going on around them, such as with other dogs or when new people visit your home.

When there's a lot going on in the environment, a dog may become overstimulated and not know how to deal. A dog can start humping when they get really excited, such as when you arrive home after they've been alone all day or when guests come over to visit. This could happen when they are at a dog park or dog daycare, and there are a lot of different dogs and play styles that your dog can't control.

Humping is a normal part of dog play behavior. It's not unusual to see a dog try to initiate play with another by humping or to see humping as part of wrestling. While it may be embarrassing to see your dog start to hump another, if it's just a short burst during otherwise appropriate play sessions, it's okay to let it go. However, watch for other signs of stress or overstimulation, as a dog may start humping during play when they feel overwhelmed or are policing other dogs' play.

I always hesitate to introduce the "dirty D word" when talking about dog behavior because it has been misused and misunderstood. And that misunderstanding of dominance has resulted in inhumane training methods being encouraged throughout the industry. With that being said, humping can be related to dominance or social status in dogs.

Watch this quick video to see a young puppy engage in humping with an adult dog playmate. He's likely starting to feel the urge as he gets closer to sexual maturity, but it's likely combined with the excitement and overstimulation after romping around and playing. Notice how the adult dog is rather permissive but does mouth at him to ask him to stop and then moves away. That's a great sign of a confident and well-socialized dog who knows how to interact with puppies well.

Note: You'll notice that the dog he is humping is rather permissive and doesn't seem bothered by being humped. The daycare attendants in this video allowed the humping to continue as long as it did so they could get video footage to show the dog's owner.

It's important to consider the environmental factors that may be causing your dog stress or simply being too much for them to handle all at once. If these situations trigger humping behavior, you'll want to address whether taking your dog to the dog park or daycare is appropriate. Instead, you could set up playdates with other dogs that your dog is more comfortable with or plan your visits to the park when there are fewer dogs. This can be especially helpful for dogs who hump as a way of policing other dogs' play.

To stop humping, try to be proactive in managing your dog. If I see a dog that is starting to mount or hump, I'll simply use their name recognition cue to interrupt and get their attention. Then I can redirect their attention to a different activity if necessary. I may allow them to go back to play, or I may have them take a break for a few minutes to calm down.

If your dog doesn't respond to their name or call away cue, then you need to go and get them. Give them a break for a few minutes before letting them go back to play. If they resume persistent humping, they are likely humping due to overstimulation, stress, or hormones. In this case, group play may not be a good choice for them while you work on addressing those issues.

If your dog has taken to stress humping on pillows or other household items, or even humping people, sometimes the easiest solution is to give them a designated humping pillow or stuffed animal. This could be something you do as a stopgap while you address their underlying stress or overstimulation, or can even be a long-term management solution for some dogs.

Humping is a natural dog behavior and can be a sign your dog needs support if they are overwhelmed or stressed. Yelling at or otherwise punishing a dog for humping not only won't fix the problem, but it can have some unintended consequences, such as increased anxiety, damage to your relationship, or escalation into aggressive behavior. Focus on calmly interrupting your dog's humping and then addressing the real reason they are engaging in this behavior.

Whether you call it humping, mounting or thrusting, the behavior is natural in male and female dogs. For some dogs, it is a response to arousal. For others, it can just be a way to exert dominance and show that they're the top dog in the house.

Pet parents often notice mounting behavior starting about the time a female dog enters her first heat. Many veterinarians recommend spaying or neutering your dog before he or she reaches that point to prevent unwanted behaviors. Neutering also prevents a surprise litter of puppies and reduces your pet's risk of testicular or mammary cancer. However, even dogs who are spayed or neutered might still exhibit some humping behavior from time to time.

The ASPCA recommends teaching the "leave it" command early for all dogs to leave unwanted objects alone. Once your dog knows this command, you can signal to her that she should step away from furniture, other dogs or guests. If you see your dog preparing to mount an object (by rubbing, licking or whining), you can say "leave it" and distract your four-legged friend with a toy or a more desirable activity. Although it may take some time to train your dog to do this, it may be the easiest way to stop unwanted humping.

Although dog humping is a normal behavior, there are times it can be sign of other underlying issues. Be careful to observe other behaviors that lead up to or accompany the humping to determine if you have reason to be concerned.

I look after dogs, some dogs hump humans, some hump cushions and some hump other dogs. Not once, not one single time have I witnessed a dog humping due to excitement, stress or attention seeking. My guess is they do it because it feels good.

Mounting behavior can also be one way of conveying social status in dogs. Some dogs may mount other dogs to assert their status, but this behavior is usually accompanied by additional social signaling. Most social communication between dogs can occur without it escalating to one dog mounting the other. It is less likely to occur in a social context with the pet parent. In most cases of humping, there is another underlying cause.

Some dogs may be excited or emotionally aroused but have been previously punished for humping. In this case, a dog may not be sure whether they should make physical contact or not. These dogs would be most likely to hump the air next to another dog or a person.

Humping can be a problem when your dog spends most of their time performing this behavior. If you have difficulty distracting and redirecting your dog from humping, it may be a sign of compulsive behavior.

Pet parents may also be inclined to place their dog on leash, tether them, or if at home, place their dog in a crate or another room to calm down. While these options do stop the humping behavior, better options include distracting your dog and redirecting them to perform alternate behaviors.

If your dog engages in humping try to distract the dog by diverting their attention by throwing toys, giving a command to perform a trick, or give a treat. Do not start yelling at your dog and putting on a show when he humps. Dogs like attention, even if it is negative attention.

But under-socialized pups may not understand normal play behavior and can misinterpret it as an invitation for a friskier encounter. They get over excited and anxious in social situations and relieve this tension by indiscriminate humping. (And you thought your social anxiety was bad?).

Occasionally, humping is a sign of a medical problem. For instance, humping can signal infection or irritation, or, in male dogs, prostate problems. It is also true that in certain cases, humping is a sexual, pleasure-seeking behavior. The likelihood of humping being sexual in nature is greater in younger dogs that have not been spayed/neutered.

If your dog is also licking or chewing their own body, or showing other signs of distress, their humping behavior may be indicative of medical issues. If this is the case, an appointment should be made with your veterinarian.

If your dog is well trained but still humping, you can put that training to good use. The best way to treat humping is to redirect. This lets the dog know that the behavior is not wanted, and allows for positive reinforcement if they successfully perform another command. When the humping starts, ask the dog to sit, lie down, or stay, and reward them when they do. Alternatively, redirect with a game of fetch or by taking the dog outside for some exercise.

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