One of my dogs used to have a penchant for humping me and no one else. Although I found his behavior funny and entertaining in the beginning, after a while, it turned out to be a major embarrassment, especially when he unashamedly kept humping me in front of other people.
Feeling more uncomfortable, I was wondering, “what on earth is going on?” Here’s the quick answer if you have the same question as me.
So why does your dog hump you and no one else? The first possibility could be that he feels excited when he sees you and believes you like it since you don’t punish him. While most dog owners might assume this behavior is a result of misdirected sexual urges, that’s not always the case.
Besides the reason above stated, there are a few more reasons that could explain the cause behind your dog’s humping behavior. And if you feel that his behavior has become excessive and are looking for a way to discourage it, I’ll share with you what can be done to keep your dog from humping.
1. Sexual/Hormonal Urges
Unneutered/Unspayed dogs may develop a habit of humping (or also known as mounting or hunching) when they reach sexual maturity. This does not mean your dog is perverted; it is just his spontaneous way to express his sexual desire. One thing you should note is that humping is not limited to male dogs. Female dogs hump, too, whether it is sexual or not.
Some owners choose to spay or neuter their dogs to stop this behavior, but be aware that dogs who have humped for some time before neutering may continue this behavior out of habit.
2. Excitement
Dogs can feel great excitement when they see their owners, and humping could be one of their ways to show it. In some ways, it is a good thing though, after all, your dog won’t come near you if he doesn’t like you.
3. Stress and Boredom
Dogs that don’t have enough physical exercise or mental stimulation will likely develop stress-related symptoms. Once their excess energy starts to bottle up, they may resort to humping you as an outlet to burn that energy.
If you feel that your dog’s humping behavior has become too frequent or too severe to ignore, it may help to increase the amount of his exercise or give him more mental stimulation. Ideally, you will want to walk your dog for at least 30 – 45 minutes a day.
4. Attention Seeking
All dogs love their owners’ attention more than any human they have ever met. For dogs, it is better to be scolded than ignored. If you don’t give your dog enough attention, don’t be surprised if he starts to think that maybe it is a good idea to hump you.
5. Play
If you observe a litter of puppies, you will notice that they love to play hump each other back and forth. Because they don’t have their siblings to play with anymore, they will likely turn to their human owners to play.
6.Social Ordering
Aside from playing with their brothers and sisters, dogs may hump each other to show dominance or to establish themselves as the alpha or leader in their pack. In dog-human relationships, however, their motivation is more likely to play than to dominate their owners.
7. Compulsive Behavior
Dogs can develop compulsive humping behavior due to their past experiences. They might have learned to hump when dealing with certain stressful moments in their life and have never been corrected. As a result, they carry this baggage well into their future. After your dog’s humping becomes a compulsive behavior, it can be challenging to fix and will require the help of a professional.
This is why you should not ignore any misbehavior that you notice in your dog should be treated immediately before causing more problems.
8.Medical Issues
Medical reasons can’t be ruled out as another possible reason for your dog to hump you. Certain medical conditions like skin allergies, urinary tract infections, and priapism can make your dog hump another object to ease his itching and the pain his condition causes.
Before you train your dog not to hump, it is a good idea to bring him to identify any possible health issue that could be causing your dog’s behavior.
How to Stop Your Dog From Humping Your or Anyone Else?
1. Identify the Root Cause
Your dog can hump you and no one else for different reasons. It can be either pathological or psychological. Since pathological causes are easier to identify, I recommend consulting with a veterinarian first. Once your vet has ruled out any medical conditions, and it seems as though the medical reason is not the culprit, only after then can you begin to look for psychological explanations.
Be patience since it may take a few trials and errors before you can pinpoint the exact cause of your dog’s behavior. Then, take a look once again at the list of the reasons above and see if you can find one or two that could explain your dog’s humping behavior.
2. Get Your Dog Neutered or Spayed
After a full examination, your vet may suggest neutering your dog’s sexual libido. Aside from being able to stop your dog from humping you, neutering has other benefits as well. It is beneficial to the health of male dogs as it can significantly reduce the risk of developing prostate and testicular cancer.
Bear in mind, if your dog has practiced his humping behavior long before he gets neutered, it may already have become a habit and require an extra effort to break it.
3. Train Your Dog To Stop It
As with any behavior correction training, first, you want to catch your dog in the act. Whenever your dog starts to hump you, call his name, and as soon as he turns to look at you, say “STOP!”
If your dog stops his act when you say “stop,” reward him with his favorite treats and praise him. Repeat this step as many times as it takes until your dog stops his humping behavior.
Related Questions
1. Why Does My Female Dogs Hump?
Just like male dogs, female dogs can hump too. They hump for very much the same reasons as male dogs. They can hump out of arousal, excitement, play, stress, boredom, and to prepare for intercourse.
2. Why Does My Dog Hump My Cat?
Dogs can hump their cat roommates for the same reasons that I have recited above. The weird thing about cats and dogs is that cats will also use humping for the same reasons that dogs do. Hence, don’t be surprised if one day it is your cat who tries to mount your dog.
3. Is It Okay to Let Your Dog Hump?
Play humping can be healthy and acceptable behavior as long as you’re not bothered by it.