Dogs do some strange things, and it can be a mystery what is going on inside their little heads sometimes! Humping is a common behaviour seen by owners – what could humping mean? Is your dog always being randy? Or can it mean other things?
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Sexual Behaviour
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Humping an owner, other dogs (or indeed inanimate objects) can very well be a sexually driven behaviour; though generally only occurs if your dog is intact (their reproductive organs are all present and correct). Sexually-driven humping is more common in male dogs, but can occur in intact females too. Male dogs that have smelt entire females that are in season may be more prone to humping. Remember that this sort of behaviour can lead to inappropriate tying between dogs, which can cause harm to either dog, unwanted pregnancies or the spread of venereal diseases. Most vets recommend castrating or spaying entire dogs unless they are planned to be bred from, or a vet recommends against it for behavioural or medical reasons. Neutering tends to stop sexually-driven mounting behaviour but may not stop all forms of mounting.
Social cues
Sometimes dogs will mount each other to show “dominance”; not in the mythical “alpha” sense, but as a form of social communication. Typically, the more senior dog tends to mount the more junior one; though less dominant dogs may also hump more assertive ones. This can also occur with owners. This is a normal behaviour seen in wild dogs, and will often be accompanied by other subtle signs – remember that dog communication is often non-verbal. This form of behaviour can become problematic if your dog tries to mount other dogs you don’t know; it could cause consternation with the other dog’s owner, harm to the other dog, or even result in aggression and fighting. If your dog is particularly prone to humping over social standing, try and minimise their access to other dogs you don’t know.
(Over)excitement and Playing
Excitement and play are not uncommon causes of humping, particularly in young puppies. They may not even be humping specifically, but just jumping up at you in a similar fashion. Often the humping is a sign of overstimulation, and shows that it is time to quieten down the fun. Dogs can also hump each other as a form of playfulness (see above!). Again, bear in mind that other dogs may not see your dog’s playful humping as such; so be wary of letting them do this with strange dogs. If you are finding the behaviour is getting excessive, try and find other forms of entertainment your dog enjoys instead.
Stress
Many dogs become stressed, and need to relieve that anxiety somehow; some dogs will hump to calm themselves down. This is a common reason why dogs hump strangers. They are anxious about the new arrival, so are trying to calm themselves down the best way they know how. Other changes around the house, like a new person or pet, changes in routine, or loud noises, may also lead to stress-humping. Humping of owners is also seen when dogs need attention or are bored – these are forms of stress, so if you suspect your dog is humping you over boredom, it might be time for walkies!
Disease
Some forms of humping may actually be a sign of disease – it is these a vet will want to rule out before tackling the more complicated behavioural reasons for humping.
Skin disease, such as irritation,
Priapism is a condition in male dogs that causes persistent erections without any sexual drive. Priapism can be caused by several conditions, including damage to muscles, problems with the blood vessels, certain drugs, cancer of the penis, or even idiopathic (no underlying cause). If your dog is humping with an erection that doesn’t go away, particularly if they are already castrated, please speak to your vet immediately. In a similar vein, prostate pain can cause humping in entire males too.
Finally, humping can rarely be a sign of urinary disease, such as urinary tract infections. As above, you may often spot other signs, such as more or less frequent urination, pain when urinating, blood in the urine, or urinating around the house. If you notice any of these, speak to your vet.
Preventing Humping
If your dog is one of those who humps you or others, you probably want to prevent this embarrassing behaviour. In fact, as we detailed above, humping can easily lead to more risky behaviour, such as aggression between dogs, destruction, anxiety or even aggression towards people. Of course, prevention will depend on the underlying cause.
Your first port of call should be your vet for a full clinical exam to rule out disease causing humping
If your dog is entire, they may also recommend neutering that might reduce the humping behaviour.
Once these are ruled out, sit down with your vet and chat about what triggers your dog’s humping. Stress should be corrected straight away, whether this is removing the cause of stress or isolating it as much as possible, increasing exercise, using calming pheromone sprays, or even anxiety-relieving drugs. Distraction is key for stressors that are harder to remove, such as the noise of the postman or seeing people walk by the window.
At home you will need to start training your dog not to hump
This is easier in puppies, so we recommend starting young. Do not punish bad humping behaviour – punishment is considered inhumane, is not effective training, and may worsen anxiety that results in more humping. When your dog starts to hump, get their attention by calling their name and find something to distract them. It is better to reward good behaviour with a fuss, treats and praise – if this starts the humping again, the humping may be caused by overstimulation, and your dog may actually need a time-out. If you are struggling to prevent your dog humping you, or anything else, please speak to your vet or a qualified veterinary behaviourist. Humping can easily cause problems, so the time to address it is now.
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