• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Hmmmm Humping is Contagious????

MomObvious

Well-known member
I'm not sure this is really a question just a little vent or Oh Boy to share. Well Fletcher is growing up:rolleyes: and humping things.....I so far have tried to distract him for doing it HOWEVER, apparently it is contagious because my older dog has joined in. Eddie is a poodle who is 12, but he was not neutered until he was 5 and my husband didn't stop him from this behavior either (before we were together) so he will occasionally pick up one of the kid's stuffed animals. But I take it from him, and doesn't happen often. But now I have 2 dogs humping each other!!!! Nice.....ummmmm In the yard they think the coast is clear or something because_______________ I'm finding it harder to distract them both. I realize this could be a dominance issue. Well, ok it is a dominance issue. Eddie is very laid back, and very easily going to be the #2 dog in the house. Fletcher is a puppy so...to be expected but why can't they choose another behavior to express their dominance issue? They have no obvious issues together, seem to get along fine. PUPPIES ARE FUN!!!!! I'm going to continue to distract them and give them both something better to do. I made mini-doggie popsicles this morning I'm sure those will come in handy later today.:mexwav:


Oh the crazy life I have, I wouldn't have in any other way.


Any suggestions?

Melissa
 
You're right....
# 1.... testosterone. But then we also had a female that did it as well....so that leads to # 2..which is a dominance issue. Distracting them is the only way.
....but honestly...unless they are doing this in obsess...it is just part of being a dog.
 
Hi

All my four girls are spayed but Poppy humps lily while Rosie humps Poppy while Lily humps Rosie but nobody dares hump Dangerous Daisy so DD humps any stuffed
toys that are handy and need a good humping .All humpingly good fun .:rolleyes:
 
Wow I just have to laugh:) thanks Brian I'm not alone.........whatever I think it might be better off the ignore it. My husband and older kids are having a field day with all the humping jokes!

Melissa
 
It's normal behaviour. It's part of their communication to each other. Guinness and Thistle usually are in the middle of wrestling though, so there's a lot of falling over and ear tugging at the same time, they never get into prolonged sessions.

At the dog park I usually let don't intervene, Thistle is very cute when she turns around to tell off an overly amorous dog (we stay on the small dog side). And Guinness walks away. My two are both neutered, so I never have to worry about anything other than their happiness in the situation.
 
It isn;t a dominance issue in a puppy -- reread Ian Dunbar for reassurance (and note: dominance is such a majorly misused term and so badly interpreted by many trainers and owners as to be meaningless, causing needless worry (as with you, here) and also often leading to really inappropriate and even dangerous training approaches. Wipe the word from your mind and you and Fletcher will be a lot happier!).

It's simply normal dog behaviour especially for pups. Females can do this too (one of my females humps pillows with abandon :lol:).

Neutered and intact dogs will hump. Neutering tends to hugely reduce or eliminate this behaviour. Young males start humping with gusto as soon as they hit around 6 months but even very small puppies do this. Not a big deal. :)

PS even the notion of one dog being the 'dominant' or 'alpha' dog is really not a simple case in most multi-dog homes. Most dog owners also totally misjudge which dog is the 'alpha' (which also can worsen problems in the home when they 'correct' such behaviour and make the dogs involved MORE anxious, reinforcing the unwanted behaviour, and creating really unhappy battles where there weren't any before. Most dog situations need basic management, not 'corrections' (hate that stupid term). Owners almost always assume their 'dominant' dog is the dog doing things like... er.. humping, growling, barking, play fighting, taking toys away from other dogs. NOPE! No, no no. That is a dog jostling for position and anxious, NEVER a so-called 'alpha' dog. Dog leaders do so quietly, avoiding fights and tussles mainly as they almost never need to engage in such a struggle for recognition. Also different dogs can seem 'alpha' in different roles. It's a poorly understood area but what is increasingly understood is how outdated notions about 'dominance' really damage dogs and homes trying to manage issues in ways that accelerate the problem.
 
Back
Top