Dogs hump when they’re bored or excited. Sometimes, they do it as a form of dominance. Or sometimes, it’s to get attention. But most of the time, it’s because they want sex.
Seeing dogs hump can be pretty funny, but it can also be a little embarrassing, especially if you have guests. Sometimes, your pooch may even want to hump your guest’s leg. Now, THAT’S embarrassing!
There are numerous reasons why dogs may hump certain objects such as stuffed toys. Dogs may hump because they feel threatened or anxious, but they should not do this as a regular behavior.
Read on to find out more about this peculiar behavior and whether you should leave your dog hump to its heart’s content.
Catch Your Dog In The Act
Put your dog on a leash when he or she does this. Say ‘No’ firmly. Don’t use words like ‘Down’. Use commands such as ‘Sit’, ‘Stay’ and ‘Heel.’ This should help your pooch realize that what they are doing is wrong.
Sexual Arousal
Humping is the posture assumed by male dogs when they are sexually aroused. Young males who haven’t been neutered often hump other dogs. But, if there is no other dog around, they may find an inanimate object to hump such as stuffed toys and soccer balls.
When this happens, calm down the dog and redirect its attention elsewhere. Don’t laugh at him if he does it, but do not scold him either.
Neutering your dog may see this behavior subside and reduce unwanted behavior. But, it’s not uncommon for dogs to continue humping after being neutered.
Over Stimulation
Humping is done by both male and female dogs when they are excited. Try to calm down the dog first before trying to touch him/her. Don’t let the dog play with the object he/she loves most as it might cause harm.
Keep Your Dog Out Of Trouble
Dogs are friendly pets who love people. They are usually obedient, but if you want them to stay out of trouble, then you should teach them how to behave around strangers.
You should also make sure they do not get too close to other animals. If your dog gets too close to another, they may become aggressive and a fight may begin. This can lead to injuries, even if they just want to hump.
Dogs hump each other because they want to be the alpha male. The humping pooch will not care what happens to the other dog. This behavior is often seen when dogs fight over territory.
A dominant dog will try to mate with any female dog in heat. If you see your dog doing this, make sure he doesn’t get too close to another dog. He might end up getting bitten.
Dogs may have be separated because they are aggressive towards each other. Separating them helps to stop the aggression.
Improper Socialization
Dogs hump things because they’re confused about their position in the pack. Therefore, they need more training and attention. Contact a local dog trainer for more help and guidance on this matter.
Boredom
Dogs require exercise. Humping may be an expression of frustration caused by a lack of exercise. Dogs should be walked regularly to get them out into the fresh air. Toys made specifically for dogs help them avoid boredom.
However, dogs can become too attached to certain toys if they are given to them by their owners. This can lead to the toy breaking early on meaning you will have to fork out for a new toy regularly.
If they start humping the toy frequently, this could lead to it getting damaged too as dogs can become aggressive at this time. Hard rubber balls are great because they are durable and won’t break easily.
Generalized Anxiety
Dogs become anxious when there are loud sounds or electrical storms. Humping is a natural instinctual behavior that relieves stress.
Don’t punish your dog for humping. Instead, redirect its attention to another place. Try to calm down your dog by petting it. And, don’t forget, dogs need hugs! Hug them to calm them down and make them feel better.
Medical
Humping stuffed animals is normal behavior for dogs. However, when it happens excessively, it could be a sign of an allergy or other health problem. Call your vet right away if so!
However, if you notice your dog humping a stuffed animal frequently, this could be an indication of a medical condition. Call your vet immediately and don’t make assumptions about what is normal behavior.
Can Dogs Be Trained To Stop Humping?
As we said, humping is normal in most dogs. Most of the time, you do not need to stop the pooch as it rarely causes any harm. But, if it becomes too frequent, then your dog may need to be neutered.
Veterinarians recommend neutering males because it decreases mounting problems. In older dogs, where it’s become an ingrained habit, training may help. While humping may decrease or even stop, there is a chance your dog will still want to jump on other dogs and toys now and again.
Humping is often associated with high excitement levels. Training can lower the excitement level. Dogs that are uncertain of their position in the pack may try to mount to see if others will accept this behavior. This can lead to fights with others.
To prevent this, owners should watch to see when the behavior occurs and then provide an acceptable alternative behavior.
Breaking The Humping Cycle
Dogs need to learn that humping is wrong, especially if they start humping people’s legs. Humping other dogs is also bad.
Dog owners should try to teach their dogs to stop humping things by separating them whenever possible. Exercise helps dogs to stay calm and tired out and limit their humping.
There are some medications that can be used to treat dogs with OCD too. Talk to your vet about this. Letting them have their favorite toys or pillows once or twice per day may also help stop the behavior.
How To Stop Dog On Dog Mounting
Dogs who climb on people and other dogs should be trained to stay off. Older dogs are less likely to react aggressively to unwanted contact while younger dogs may attack. Time-out training works better with older dogs.
To prevent dogs from getting too close, attach a tab or drag line to the dog’s collar. Dogs need to be trained to play nicely with other dogs.
Play dates should be set up with friends or people you trust. A safe, neutral play yard is ideal. Outside is always preferable to inside. Watch out for mounting behavior in your dog, and get help if necessary.
Dogs are very playful animals. When dogs play together, they usually do so by wrestling and playing fight games. This can lead to over excitement and humping. If you see this, try to stop the dogs but be careful as they may become aggressive if you get too close.
Body blocking works well when dogs are playing together. As soon as the dog starts doing any aggressive behaviors, he should be stopped. Body blocking does work, but sometimes dogs get excited and start barking.
Keep in mind that the earlier we intervene in the mounting behavior, the more effective our interventions will be. Dogs typically give up the mounting after a few time-outs.
Older dogs and pups may require several timeouts before the behavior is eliminated. Don’t yell at your dog when he mounts, though. Your anger will increase his anxiety, and make him mount more often.
How To Stop Dog On Human Mounting
Dog-dog mounting is an embarrassing behavior. You need to teach your guests how to react when your dog mounts them. Dogs may become aggressive if you try to take them off someone’s leg.
A light line can be used to help the person get away from the dog. Dogs who behave aggressively are dangerous. Tethering them in a separate room while socializing helps prevent them from harming others.
Dogs that become aggressive when removed from humans need to be trained. A qualified trainer should be consulted to help teach the dog how to behave. This involves taking away the fun by giving the dog a timeout. Muzzling the dog may be needed as well.
Finally, drugs may be used to calm the dog down.
Eliminate Your Dog’s Stress
Dogs need to be trained properly to control their behavior. Good manners classes are very helpful. Dogs who are trained to respond promptly to their owners’ cues can avoid inappropriate mounting. Separation anxiety in dogs behavior is great expectations: what to expect when adopting a new dog.
Final Thoughts
If your dog is humping stuffed animals, it can only be deemed acceptable in the right settings and the amount of occasions that this is happening.
If your dog begins to hump things, such as other dogs or even people regularly, then it is definitely something that you should aim to put a stop to.
Hi, my name is Megan Turner and I have worked in a dog’s shelter for four years now. It is truly my dream job, and I see hundreds of dogs every month being united with new owners to give them a loving forever home.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
