A question that arises in every dog owner’s mind at some point is that how to stop my dog from humping when it gets excessive. A little occasional mounting of your dog on its favorite toy or cushion is considered normal but when it gets a little out of hand, that’s when the owners become embarrassed or in some cases when the dog is trying to hump onto another dog, some serious fights between them might originate.
One misconception that must be corrected amongst dog owners is that humping does not always indicate a sexual act, it may be due to overexcitement of your dog, portrayal of dominance or maybe some medical issues.
The behavior of jumping is observed in dogs of all ages whether they are male or female. The only time when you should get worried about this situation is when this behavior is observed in your dog more than usual which not only becomes a reason of public embarrassment but could also be indicating a health issue of your dog.
What is Dog Humping?
Humping, which is also known as mounting, is a particular action observed in animals that has a sexual nature to it however that is not always correct. Mounting may also indicate other things such as over-excitement of your dog etc.
Humping or in other words, mounting, has been related to several other behavioral aspects of a dog related to their age. For example, in young dogs who’ve just hit puberty, humping is more often a sexual response of sexual activity or general sexual arousal. Whereas in older dogs, it is most often a sign of excitement of seeing some guests, social activity, or dominance.
More psychologists have concluded this behavior as one of the playing gestures. In puppies or even in older dogs, you will see them mount each other then switch places. It is how they play because they enjoy it and there are no restrictions for them to follow. However, it can go beyond limits and cause embarrassment for which most of the owners are concerned.
Some owners might get their dogs spayed or neutered, but the owners can still see their dogs humping or mounting while they are playing, the only difference is that it remains occasional and is not as aggressive as it used to be.
Why Do My Dog Humps Things?
As discussed before briefly, along with sexual arousal there are several other reasons too of humping or mounting which we are going to discuss here.
Sexual or Hormonal Response
Humping and mounting is generally seen as a sexual response to hormones of a dog and hence considered an embarrassment if your dog starts humping on your guests or on you too. Dogs who are not spayed or neutered might do it for mating reason or as a source of sexual pleasure with the opposite sex dog. However, if you are too late in getting your dog spayed or neutered, they might continue to exhibit this behavior even after the procedure.
Over Excitement
Just like other responses as barking, running etc, humping is also often a reaction to excitement and there is nothing sexual about it. Dogs feel the need to burn their energy when they feel overwhelmed and excited and hence as a response you might observe them humping onto their owner or their favorite toy which is mostly considered a normal behavior.
Playful Behavior
Just like play fighting, play humping is also often observed as a source of enjoyment between two dogs. They might switch their turns and play along while humping on each other. It should be called off if you notice that one of the dogs is getting annoyed or irritated by this act.
Medical Issues
Humping or mounting is not generally a reason for any medical issue but if you have noticed a sudden increase in frequency of these episodes or it started all of a sudden out of nowhere then you must visit your vet to consult for any medical illness and other possibilities.
There are conditions such as skin allergies, Urinary tract infections and priapism (uninterrupted erection) which may manifest in your dogs through signs such as rubbing against objects, licking their genitals, and humping. In case of any of these diseases, treating the cause may help your dog get rid of this habit as well.
Attention Seeking
You can also see your dog hump or mount people or you when they are bored or want your attention. This is also a normal social phenomenon for them which can be reduced through proper training, sessions and by keeping them mentally and physically active.
How Can I Stop My Dog from Humping?
There are several methods to help your dog stop this habit of humping and mounting people, other dogs and even objects. Go through the methods listed below and you will be able to figure out the best one for your dog if you are facing the same issue.
Getting your Dog Neutered or Spayed
When your dog hits puberty or is about to hit puberty, you will notice several changes in his or her behavior which indicate their sexual activity. Before all of this start, vets recommend getting your dog neutered if it’s a male or spayed if it’s a female.
This helps your dog in staying neutral and far from any sexual or hormonal changes. They stay calm and do not develop the habit of humping or mounting on anyone. They might still do it but only for playing with other dogs which is completely normal.
Stop Your Dog When you Find Out
Dogs might often get a corner for humping or mounting but make sure whenever you see them doing it, stop it right away and call them off for it. They should realize it through your reaction that this is not something they should continue on doing and will serve as a part of their behavioral training.
Reward your Dog
Whenever you catch him in the act and stop it, make sure to reward him if he stops. They will realize it as an achievement and will get trained for it over time.
Even when they are not listening to you and continue humping, try to distract him by making him follow the treat so that you can lure him away.
Some Important Tips
Humping must not be ignored as it can result into dog fights too usually where your dog can get hurt. For that and many other reasons, there are several important facts that you need to take care of.
- Make sure to start their training as soon as possible so that their habit does not get mature.
- Make sure to get your dog spayed or neutered by the right time to avoid this issue in the long run.
- You can also tackle the habit of humping or mounting by proper training and activities to make your dog involved in something else.
- Rewarding your dog with treats have also shown to be effective in this case.
- Make sure to keep an eye on your dog when they are play humping so that none gets into a fight or gets injured by that.
- Also make sure to involve your dog in physical activities and training so that he remains active and uses his energy here which will result in lesser episodes of humping.
Conclusion
By now you must have gained enough knowledge on how humping can be a lot more than just a sexual response. By making sure of your dog’s safety, this can be a natural playing response too in their case.
If it still bothers you then training or getting a medical procedure of neutering your dog can also be performed by a trained veterinarian. With all these facts you can better control and stop your dog from humping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is humping good or bad for dogs?
Humping is neither good nor bad for dogs as it totally depends on the reason for which they are doing it. It can be harmful for them if the other dog starts fighting them over it or the object they are humping on can cause them trauma. Otherwise, usually, it’s just an embarrassment for the owners when a dog humps their guest or them in front of others.
Why does my dog try to hump me?
Apart from the sexual response, your dog might want your attention or is bored which is why he is humping you. You can get him distracted in some other physical activity so that he can utilize his energy there.
Why do male and female dogs hump?
It is usually a type of sexual response when a dog becomes hormonally mature for mating. It is usually happens around the time when both the male and female dogs hit puberty.
Is humping a sign of dominance?
It can be a sign of dominance too in older dogs, So among several other reasons, you can consider dominance too as an act of humping.
