You are sitting and having a great time with your friends when your furball happily grabs his favorite stuffed animal toy, Ms. Panda. Everyone thinks it is cute and can’t get enough of the adorable sight until your dog proceeds to hump and violate Ms. Panda!
Quite embarrassing, right?
The next day, he is at it again!
Oh, boy!
You spot him trying to mate with your neighbor’s dog even though the female is not aroused.
Why so excited?
You begin to think, “Is my pooch being naughty?”
No, he is not, and we have a good explanation for that. Here we will discuss, “When do dogs start humping everything?” and “How this behavior is perfectly normal for dogs?” We will also talk about the serious health concerns related to this behavior.
So enjoy your read!
IS THE HUMPING OF A DOG A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?
Well, just like play fighting, play humping is an acceptable and normal behavior of a dog. Some dogs hump each other because they enjoy it, but it can get serious if upsets another dog. And is it not just male dogs who like humping female dogs like to get in the action too. Yes, they hump even though they are “gurls”.
Let’s find out why female pets hump everything.
FEMALE DOGS HUMPING: WHY THEY DO IT?
Have you ever wondered “Why do female dogs hump stuffed animals?”
Their behavior varies based on context!
Just like males, females hump everything out of frustration, for attention, out of boredom, and when they are excited. Furthermore, it can be considered a response to arousal as well.
Let’s get to know more about dog humping in detail.
WHEN DO DOGS START HUMPING?
When small pups reach maturity, they begin humping everything in sexual or non-sexual contexts. Below, we listed some of the common causes of mounting and humping in dogs:
1. Humping in Dogs Is Not Always About Reproduction
What we can say is that mounting behavior in dogs does not necessarily mean, the dog is dominant, is aroused, or wants to reproduce. The humping behavior seen in both sexes can be triggered by multiple reasons, situations, or stressors.
2. Humping In Dogs Is Often Triggered By Excitement
When a female or a male dog is overexcited, then it can bring out mounting behaviors. So if you see your buddy getting overstimulated and humping at the dog daycare or dog park, don’t worry because it is quite common.
When your pet gets excited, their energy needs to go somewhere, right?
So, some dogs hump while others get the zoomies. Some dogs even start humping other dogs while other pets mount their owner’s legs in play sessions or when they have visitors.
3. Frustration & Stress Can Cause Humping in Dogs
Just like us, dogs also get frustrated and stressed. So they display their behavior by humping, a toy, nearby object, or owner, sulking, and sometimes licking themselves too, to relieve stress. If you don’t redirect their behaviors, then it can turn into compulsive behavior.
If they continue mounting while being stressed, it will become a compulsive habit. And sometimes, it might interfere with their normal functioning as well.
Pretty scary, right?
4. Humping in Dogs Is Not a Sign of Dominance
Studies reveal that the mounting behavior appears in dogs, especially in females when they are playing. But that does not mean they are sending domineering signals or aggressive.
Moreover, if you found your dogs, who are friendly with each other, mounting each other, it is not a sign of dominance.
5. Humping Can Be a Sign Of Sexual Behavior
Sometimes, mounting can be said as sexual behavior, if your dog displays flirtatious body language like play bows, pawing, licking, ears rotating backward, and tail up.
If you noticed these above signs, then they are sexually aroused.
6. Social Behavior
Sometimes, your dog will start mounting on toys, people, or other animals to display control or social status.
So next time, when you see your dog humping a stuffed animal or a person, it can be a sign of them showing their social status.
7. Medical Problems to Rule Out
Wondering, “Why do dogs hump legs even if they are not sexually aroused or ejaculating?
If your pet does not have any of these above causes and still has mounting behavior, he or she might have priapism (persistent, often painful erections), priapism, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, and skin allergies.
Dogs with these medical issues are mostly seen chewing and licking their genitals, so if you notice these signs along with mounting, or rubbing his groin against things, then only one person can solve this problem.
And that is a veterinarian!
These problems are pretty serious so, take them to the vet before it’s too late.
Did any of these situations match?
If your dog is mounting on things more often, then correcting them is the only way to stop their strange behavior.
MEASURES TO TAKE FOR MOUNTING AND MASTURBATION
Are you desperately searching for ways “How to get your dog to stop humping?”
Then, here you will find various measures to correct your pet’s behavior:
1. Make a loud noise:
Generally, dogs get into a trance while humping, so to stop them, you need to say “No” or “Nope” in a loud, assertive, and strong voice.
You can also use an air horn or a whistle (far enough to prevent ear damage) as another source of noise to startle your four-legged buddy when he starts this behavior.
2. Ignore the behavior:
There is no denying the fact that dogs are attention seekers! So they will mount people to get some attention. If you want to stop this behavior, then sit or turn away from your pet or simply push him or her by gently putting their paws on the ground.
Also, try this method while remaining calm.
3. Put your dog in “time out”:
Stop them from humping and lead them to another closed, quiet room for a few minutes and let them stay there until they calm down.
Make sure there are no toys or things your dog will play with during their “time out”. After 2 two to three minutes, release your puppy and act as if nothing happened.
4. Keep your dog on a leash:
If their humping behavior becomes frequent when a dog or a person visits your house, then put a short leash on your furry mate.
Problem solved! Trust us, the leash will save your pet from aggressive and awkward situations.
5. Redirect your dog’s energy:
Redirect your dog’s mounting energy into something fun and playable such as playing fetch, finding treats, or other games.
You can also give them interactive toys that dispense treats.
6. Block your dog from temptation:
Push your dog away from another dog, object, or person it was humping on and if it tries to return, block the target physically or take the dogs or people away for a few minutes.
While blocking, try to act normal and calm. Remember, your motive is to snap it out of the fixation and not to hurt them. Let your pet know that you are the leader, and he must do as you say.
7. Exercise your dog:
Have you neutered your dog recently? But his humping behavior is still there?
8. Avoid encouraging the behavior in any context:
Some dog parents find their pet-humping stuffed animals cute, but if you are one of those who don’t like this and want to put a stop to their weird behavior, then this tip might help you.
Don’t allow or stop encouraging their behavior in all forms by training and doing other stuff.
Also, avoid laughing, or showing any signs of happiness when your dog humps you, other people, toys, or other animals. It might make them feel that you are praising their behavior.
9. Distract your dog before it starts:
Distraction is deadly, but it is not when you are trying to do good for someone! Observe how your pet acts before he begins humping. Next time, when you see the same signs, distract him with a game or an interactive toy.
Thinking what are the common signs of dogs before mounting? Well, they start with:
- Whining
- Licking
- Panting
- Rubbing
- Pawing
10. Train your dog to leave other dogs alone:
Your dog humping other dogs may bother them, so stop their behavior.
You have to train them to obey you. You can do that by commanding them to stop, come to you, or stay when told.
While teaching them, make sure to give them a treat, which will make them think that they have done a good job.
11. Keep your dog away from excessively stressful situations:
Your pet’s humping behavior can be triggered due to a response to anxiety and stress. If you think your dog is mounting in a stressful environment, then look for ways to make them stress-free.
For example, visitors, grooming, and petting can trigger such behaviors, so try to limit their time in such activities and keep your pet in a separate room until he calms down.
13. Work on standard obedience training:
Let your pet know that you are the boss by standard obedience training. It will not only put a halt to his behavior but be beneficial for his health.
You can use basic commands like stay, down, sit, and heal and transform their energy into something productive. The main motive of the obedience training program is that your four-legged buddy will listen to you no matter what order you give.
If things don’t work your way, then seek medical attention.
Check out our other ways to remove their mounting behavior through medical help.
ARE YOU WONDERING, “WHY DO NEUTERED DOGS HUMP?”
Well, the reasons are many! And they continue their behavior because it becomes a normal part of their day. Here, you can do one thing, which will drain their energy, that is making them perform various exercises daily.
You can take them out for a walk and make them exercise mentally and physically, or let them run in your backyard for a few minutes.
GET MEDICAL HELP
1. Neuter or spay your dog:
One of the helpful measures is to spay or neuter your dog. Once you get your pet fixed, the mounting problem will decrease drastically. Make sure to get them neutered as a puppy because it does not 100% work with older dogs. Many upset dog owners ask one common question “Why do neutered dogs hump?” or “Why does my pet mount even after spaying him?”
Spaying or neutering might not completely shut off humping or mounting in dogs, especially if he is an adult. There are various options to divert them from humping, and that is going on playdates, exercising, and much more.
2. Have your dog checked for medical conditions:
Sometimes, a dog’s mounting behavior is linked to a serious medical condition, and if not treated on time, it might become worse.
So do you think your puppy has underlying issues?
Then take them to the veterinarian now!
3. Take your dog to an animal behaviorist:
Does your dog get aggressive when you stop him from humping?
Do they sink his claws while mounting on people?
Well, that’s some serious problem you got right there!
Then, a certified animal behaviorist is the only one who can solve your problem. And if cannot find one, then find a certified professional dog trainer, who can deal with dogs with mounting and depression.
4. Ask your vet about appropriate medications:
If nothing works out, then this can be used as a last resort.
If your pet’s mounting is connected with anxiety and stress, then antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications will be enough to put a halt to such behavior. Giving appropriate medications will surely improve not only your pet’s physical but mental health as well.
CONCLUSION
That is all for today, friends! Above are the measures you should take to stop your pet dog from humping and mounting. Remember that changing their behavior will take time, so don’t try to rush it. Also, keep in mind to reward your pet whenever he or she shows any signs of improvement. If nothing works, then leave it up to the vet to find the cause behind their behavior.
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