Humping in Dogs: Everything you need to know

Humping - a dog behaviour that excites dogs & embarrasses pet parents. There have been countless embarrassing encounters where dogs hump other dogs. Other times, they hump a stuffed animal, pillow, or worse, a person’s leg. So, what does all this mean? Is humping always sexual?

Well dog humping and dog mounting is actually a harmless behavior. It may be cringe-worthy or embarrassing for you when your dog is the one doing the humping. But the good thing is, there are ways to stop your dog from humping and mounting everything in sight.

When do puppies start humping?

At around 6 months once your puppy reaches their sexual maturity, their humping will grow more sexually charged.

Why do puppies / dogs hump?

Puppies reach puberty when they’re six to eight months old, so, for them, at this point, humping is a non-sexual play behaviour. It’s one of the first ways a puppy discovers its own strength and social standing. Some pups respond to stressful or exciting situations by mounting things. So, if your puppy or dog is greeting you at the door with a friendly leg-hump, they’re probably just glad to see you. Sexually motivated mounting is usually accompanied by certain body language: tail up, panting, whining or pawing.

Photo courtesy: Wikihow

Pet health experts believe that there are many reasons dogs engage in humping: -

Practice: In their early years, for puppies & young dogs, humping is thought to be an innate form of practice for future sexual experiences.

Flirting: When mature dogs that haven't been spayed or neutered hump, it is often to initiate a sexual encounter.

Status: For some dogs, humping is a way to demonstrate their dominance or territory to people or other animals.

Pleasure: Many dogs hump simply because it feels good. Humping can be pleasurable for all dogs — spayed and neutered dogs, females and males alike.

Playing / Burning off steam: Dog humping can sometimes be a form of play, especially for dogs that have had little socialization or that become overexcited during play.

Excitement: During a particularly stressful or exciting time for a dog, such as meeting someone new, dog humping is a normal response.

Picture courtesy: the goody pet 

Is it normal for a puppy / dog to hump?

Humping is most often a normal part of all puppies’ lives, male or female. Although we may interpret it as taboo or entertainment through our eyes, it’s important to remember it is often nonsexual and habitual for puppies to hump. Overall, male and female humping is usually a way to alleviate excitement during play, stress relief or an expression of dominance. Without proper training and discipline, it’s likely the humping in males or females will become excessive and provoke other dogs.

If your adult dog has begun humping recently, it could be a symptom of a medical related issue. If humping suddenly appears or grows more frequent, it could be a sign of a urinary incontinence, a UTI, skin allergies or priapism. We’d recommend visiting the vet in these cases.

“Mounting is common play behaviour in puppies, and is even normal in the play of older dogs if it’s not taken to extremes. You’ll often see one dog mount another, then a few minutes later they’ll switch off and the other dog will mount the first dog. It’s a common play gesture.” - Gary Landsberg, Veterinary Behaviourist.

Why do female puppies / dogs hump?

It is not uncommon for female dogs to hump often if they have not been spayed or desexed. Female puppies tend to have their first season anywhere between 6-12 months old. However, humping in female dogs can still just be the result of them attempting to assert social dominance and honing their social interaction skills.

When Does Dog Humping Become a Problem?

Mostly, humping in dogs is a natural phenomenon. However, in some scenarios, it’s a cause of concern.  

Compulsive disorders: In dogs, compulsive disorders are repetitive habits that can be both uncomfortable and interfere with the way they function. Humping can become a compulsive habit if left unchecked and may require behavioural treatment.

Urinary problems: In some dogs, humping can be a sign of a urinary problem, such as a urinary tract infection or urinary incontinence.

Persistent erections: When humping is almost always associated with an erection, it could mean that your dog has priapism, recurrent painful erections.

If you notice that your dog has been excessively humping, call your vet. It could be a serious concern that requires treatment. For your safety, do not try to stop a dog from humping if you are worried the dog may become aggressive.

How to deal with a humping dog?

Occasional humping isn’t usually a problem, and you don't need to do anything about it. In fact, many dogs mount or hump a couple of times a day. But if your dog's excessive humping has become an issue, there are some things you can do to help:

Spaying or Neutering: While spaying and neutering do not always bring humping to a stop, they sometimes help to reduce your dog's sex drive. This is particularly helpful for male dogs that tend to mount around female dogs in heat and for female dogs that tend to mount when they are in heat.

Destress / Distract: When humping is inappropriate or bothersome, try to distract your dog by issuing an obedience command or trick, such as sit or shake, or offering him his favorite treat or toy for behaving politely without humping. Distraction is especially effective if you use it before your dog begins humping, when you first notice signs that humping may soon start.

Use obedience cues: This is where good training comes in handy. You can teach your dog to stop mounting or humping just as you can teach him or her to sit, stay, or lie down. To do this, watch your dog closely and use a command, such as "leave it," just before he or she begins mounting or humping. If your dog follows your command, reward him with a treat.

Play games: If your dog often humps other dogs or people, try showing him or her other games or activities. This is an effective method to burn off excess energy in your dog. That way, instead of using humping to initiate play, your dog will be able to enjoy playing tug or fetch with other dogs and other people.

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