Why Dogs Hump and How to Stop It?
When you visit a dog park, it’s not unusual to see a few dogs engaging in some frisky 18+ behavior. It’s funny when it happens at home, but when your dog expresses themselves in the public, it could be downright embarrassing and dangerous. You see, other dogs may not appreciate the gesture mounted and on occasions, this behavior can lead to a nasty dog fight. Before we move on to learn about ways to get this behavior under control, let’s first find out why dogs hump.
What Causes the Humping Behavior?
Humping is not a behavior unique to male intact dogs. In fact, female dogs and neutered male dogs hump as well. For intact young males, their humping behavior is mostly due to their biological urges. So, to stop it, it could be easily taken care of by neutering. On the other hand, it’s a different story for older dogs because older dogs hump for reasons not related to their biological needs.
Dominance or socializing?
Believe it or not, humping is not just an indication of dominance. Most often, it’s along the line of a simple invitation to play. Though weird to us humans, a dog typically humps another when their playmates are irresponsive to them. By repeating the annoying humping action, it forces their playmates to pay attention. Besides seeking attention, older dogs also hump to put their friendship to the test. Yes, you heard that right! It’s simply a test to see how much the other party is willing to put up with as a testament of their love.
Excitement
An emotionally charged dog aka an overly excited dog can resort to humping to express that excitement. It seems odd to us humans because we express our excitement with facial expressions and socially acceptable gestures. Unfortunately for dogs, their reaction catalogue for excitement is very limited. Somehow, humping is on the list, so why not?
How Do I Stop the Humping?
Catch it before it happens
It’s important to stop the behavior in its tracks before it becomes a full-blown mounting session. To stop the mounting behavior, call your dog away when they are about to get into position and distract them with the sit-and-lay-down command. This distraction will bring their arousal level down to its baseline value, and it’s also a great way to redirect unwanted behaviors. Remember, do not scold them or resort to negative punishment. Patience is the key!