Personally, my dog Arthur had an embarrassing habit of humping when he became overstimulated. It wasn’t sexual, and he wasn’t trying to dominate anybody. When excitement got the better of him, mounting was simply one of the behaviors that spilled out.
That’s the awkward thing about dog humping: although mounting can be sexual, dogs also hump when they’re playing, anxious, excited, or simply overwhelmed. So what do zwe do when we deal with this embarrassing problem?
Content:
- Why Do Dogs Hump? The Real Reasons Behind Mounting
- Female Dogs Humping: Why It Happens & What It Means
- Male Dogs & Humping: People, Legs, Toys, and Other Dogs
- How to Manage & Redirect Humping Behavior
- Conclusion
Why Do Dogs Hump? The Real Reasons Behind Mounting
Dogs hump (also called inappropriate mounting) for many reasons, including sexual arousal, play, excitement, stress, anxiety, and attention-seeking. In some dogs, mounting becomes a learned behavior because it reliably gets a reaction.
It can also occur as a displacement behavior. When dogs experience competing or intense emotions and aren’t quite sure what to do with themselves, seemingly unrelated behaviors may emerge. A dog who is simultaneously excited and nervous about meeting another dog, for example, may start mounting. This was the case with my dog, Arthur.
One owner on Reddit describes something similar:
“I have a 10 month old lab/shepherd/husky mix. He’s a nervous dog with people but I’ve been taking him to the off-leash park to socialize him. He’s great there, friendly with people and good with other dogs in most respects. However, he will often focus in on one dog and chat them to try and mount them incessantly. This appears to be his prime motivation for going to the park. “
Female Dogs Humping: Why It Happens & What It Means
Mounting isn’t just something male dogs do. Female dogs can hump people, objects, and other dogs for many of the same reasons males do, including excitement, stress, play, and sexual arousal.
It also begins surprisingly early. Veterinary behavior expert Dr. Bonnie Beaver notes that:
“mounting, pelvic clasping, and thrusting can appear in puppies as young as three to six weeks. At this age, these behaviors are not sexual but occur as abbreviated components of juvenile play.”
So, a female dog mounting another dog doesn’t automatically mean she is being sexual—or trying to establish “dominance.” Look at what was happening immediately before and during the behavior instead.
Male Dogs & Humping: People, Legs, Toys, and Other Dogs
Hormones can certainly influence mounting, particularly in sexually mature intact males. However, male dogs may also mount after being neutered because sexual motivation is only one possible cause.
What the dog chooses to mount can provide useful context. A dog repeatedly mounting a particular person when they arrive home may be overwhelmed with excitement. Another may mount a toy during energetic play, while mounting other dogs may occur during play or highly stimulating social interactions.
Rather than assuming what humping “means,” look for patterns. When does it happen? Who or what does your dog mount? What happened immediately beforehand? Those details are far more informative than the behavior alone.
How to Manage & Redirect Humping Behavior
You don’t need to punish a dog for mounting. It may be an unwanted behavior, but it’s still a natural one. Instead, identify situations that trigger it and intervene before your dog becomes completely overaroused.
Calmly interrupt mounting and redirect your dog toward an incompatible, familiar behavior such as sitting, going to their bed, or engaging with a toy. Reward the alternative behavior and provide breaks from situations that repeatedly overwhelm them. For dogs who mount during exciting greetings or play, teaching them to settle can also give all that enthusiasm somewhere more socially acceptable to go.
A great tool to help keep track of the behavior is the Petcube App. It let’s owners observe their pet’s behavior remotely and also provides access to 24/7 online veterinary support if they’re concerned about a behavioral or possible medical change.
Remember, if mounting suddenly increases, becomes compulsive, causes fights, or occurs alongside licking, urinary changes, pain, or genital irritation, speak with your veterinarian.
Conclusion
Humping may be embarrassing for humans, but dogs aren’t embarrassed in the slightest. It’s a normal behavior that can arise from sex, play, excitement, anxiety, stress, or simple overarousal.
Instead of assuming your dog is trying to dominate the neighborhood, pay attention to when and why the mounting happens. Once you understand the trigger, management and redirection become considerably easier.
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