Why do dogs hump?

You’ve probably seen it happen if you are a dog owner. Your puppy starts to hump the neighbor, a child or another animal. This is how Fido gets attached to your leg.

Although your dog might be healthy and happy, she may still have an annoying habit of humping.

Humping is a form of masturbation where dogs stand up and push against other animals or objects. It is normal behavior for dogs (both males and females are known to hump). Sometimes, however, a dog that humps may have a behavioral or health problem.

Experts in pet health believe there are many reasons why dogs hump. Several possible reasons could be:

Practice. Humping is an intuitive form of sexual practice in puppies.

Flirting. If mature dogs haven’t had their hump spayed or neutered, they are often to start a sexual encounter.

Status. Some dogs hump to show their dominance to other animals or people.

Pleasure. Many dogs love to hump because it’s relaxing. Humping can be pleasurable to all dogs: spayed or neutered dogs, intact dogs and both females and men.

Playing. Humping dogs can be an enjoyable form of play, especially if they have not had much socialization or become too excited during play.

Excited. When a dog is experiencing a stressful or exciting situation, like meeting a new person, humping can be a common response.

Does Dog Humping Signify a Problem?

Dog humping can sometimes be a sign that there is a problem with dog behavior or a health issue for the dog.

Compulsive disorder. Repetitive habits in dogs can cause discomfort and disrupt their ability to function. Compulsive behaviors such as humping may lead to compulsive behavior.

Urinary problems. Humping in dogs can indicate a problem with their urinary system. 

Consistent erections

Call your vet if your dog is excessively humming. This could indicate a serious problem that needs treatment.

4 Tips to Help a Humping Dog

Humping occasionally is not a problem and doesn’t mean you have to do anything. Many dogs hump or mount only a few times per day.

You could do some things to reduce your dog’s excessive hooting.

Distract your pet dog. If your dog is humming, you can distract him by giving him an obedience command, such as sit, shake or sit, or offering a treat or toy to encourage polite behavior without humping. It is particularly effective if you notice your dog humping, and you can distract him before he starts.

Think about spaying or neutering your dog. Although they may not stop humping, they can sometimes reduce your dog’s sexual drive. This is especially helpful for male dogs who tend to mount in heat around female dogs and female dogs who tend to mount in heat.

Use obedience cues. You can teach your dog to stop humping or mounting just like you can teach them to sit, stay or lie down. Watch your dog carefully and command “leave him/her alone” just before the animal starts mounting or humping. Reward your dog for following your commands with a treat if she does.

Play games. Your dog may hump other dogs and people when playing. This will allow your dog to play tug of war with other dogs or people rather than using his hump to initiate play.

If you are concerned about the dog becoming aggressive, don’t try to stop him humping.

Talk to your vet if you are unsure if dog humping is a sign that your dog requires medical attention