Your dog is your pride and joy; he’s your fur-baby and you love him more than life itself! There’s nothing that you love more than showing him off and letting him enjoy interaction with other dogs and people and hearing all of the praise that he receives; that is, until he does something that’s completely and totally embarrassing – like humping!
It’s your worst nightmare! Your pooch is at the dog park, has a play date with other pups, or he’s accompanying you on a visit to a friend’s house… when all of the sudden you see him mounting another pup, a plush dog toy, a dog bed, a child’s stuffed animal, or even someone’s leg, and he starts going to town!
Your dog has been fixed and there’s no chance that he’s going to do any damage, like impregnate an unsuspecting female (except make you feel totally and completely mortified!), so why the heck is humping? And more importantly, how can you get him to stop? Below, we’ll take a closer look at this very common canine behavior and share some methods that may be able to help control it.
Dogs and Humping: What Gives?
Humping or mounting is associated with sex, and dogs emulate this behavior when they feel the urge to, well, you know. For example, dogs that haven’t been fixed (spayed or neutered) may mount another dog, a toy, a leg, or something else when the instinct to procreate hits them. Even fixed dogs can hump, though; call it masturbation, if you will. Spayed and neutered dogs may mount something and go to town when they feel like they need to relieve some built up energy or stress. However, do note that not all humping is sexual in nature; they may simply be emulating mating, an innate behavior, even though they aren’t sexually aroused. Remember that canines are very in tune with their instincts, and sex is an instinctual behavior. It might also simply be a way of playing! Some dogs hump when they’re playing, and there’s absolutely no link to sex at all; they’re just having fun!
In some cases, humping may be a sign of a medical issue; a urinary tract infection, an allergy that’s affecting the skin near the genitals, or priapism (the medical term for a frequent erection) are conditions that could cause humping.
Putting a Stop to Humping
Whatever the reason, there’s no doubt about it: a humping canine can be quite embarrassing. It can also put other animals and people in a compromising position and make them feel less than comfortable. So, how do you stop the humping? Firstly, speak with your vet. An exam will rule out any medical cause for unwanted humping. If it is determined that there is an issue, like a UTI, the vet can prescribe or recommend medications for dogs. If it’s not medically related, try these tips:
- Use a dog training book and offer dog treats as rewards to condition your pet into breaking the habit.
- Calm his nerves. Humping may be anxiety-related. Try offering your pet CBD oil for dogs to ease his anxiety, offer him dog calming aids, or try some dog calming apparel; these tools might minimize the behavior.
- Spay or neuter. If your pup isn’t fixed, doing so can help to correct the humping issue.
If these methods don’t work, you can try to seek the help of a professional to put an end to the embarrassing mounting.
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