Most dogs engage in mounting, thrusting, and masturbating as natural actions. The ways in which dogs masturbate vary. They mount and push against other animals, people, and items like toys, dog beds, and wadded-up blankets. Dogs occasionally lick themselves or simply rub up against people or objects without mounting them.
Puppies frequently mount and hump one another, other children, adults, and objects. According to some specialists, this conduct serves as a warm-up for upcoming sexual interactions. Puppies begin mounting other dogs in sexual situations as soon as they attain sexual maturity. Many male and female dogs still mount and even masturbate after having been neutered or spayed because they have discovered that the behavior is pleasurable.
If they are prevented from contacting a female in heat, intact (unneutered) males frequently engage in masturbation. Females in heat frequently mount and hump their male “suitors” during courtship. When one or both of the females are in heat, female dogs frequently mount and hump the other female.
Why Does Your Dog Do It?
Sexual Conduct Both altered (spayed or neutered) and intact dogs engage in regular sexual behavior, which includes masturbation. Male and female dogs can mount each other, humans, and objects. Most people are unaware that intact male canines are not the only ones who exhibit this behavior, and they are also unaware that neutered males can exhibit erections and ejaculate just like intact males. Flirtatious body language and courtship activities frequently accompany sexually motivated mounting and masturbation (tail up, ears rotated backward, licking, pawing, play bows, etc.).
Play Conduct Sexual actions like mounting and thrusting are common in children’s play. In the course of play, dogs rarely show erections or ejaculate. In response to play invitations, some poorly socialized or undersocialized dogs excessively mount other dogs. They don’t appear to know how to play well, and when they do, they become overexcited.
Reaction to tension or excitement Some dogs mount or masturbate in response to challenging or exciting circumstances. For instance, a roused and excited dog may mount another dog, his owner, or a nearby object, like a dog bed or a toy, after meeting a new dog or person.
Obsessive Conditions When a dog masturbates in response to stress, it can develop into a compulsive habit. A dog’s natural functioning might be hampered by compulsive behaviors like mounting and masturbating.
Social Conduct Sometimes dogs will mount people or other animals to show dominance or social rank. An erection may or may not be seen in a dog mounting for this reason, but he is not likely to ejaculate.
Medical Problems to Rule Out
A dog’s tendency to mount can be influenced by a number of medical conditions, such as skin allergies, urinary tract infections, urine incontinence, and priapism (repeated, frequently painful erections). If left untreated, these problems can become serious and call for medical care rather than behavioral therapy. Dogs with one of these conditions or others frequently spend a lot of time licking and chewing their genitalia. Take your dog to the vet to rule out any medical issues if you find him excessively mounting, licking or gnawing himself, or rubbing his body against objects.
What to Do About Excessive Mounting and Masturbation
Avoid attempting to stop your dog from mounting other dogs, people, or things if you believe he might become hostile. Consult a qualified specialist instead, such as a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or Associate CAAB) (Dip ACVB). Whether you are unable to locate a behaviorist in your region, you may be able to work with a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT), but make sure to check to see if they have formal training and a lot of success in treating aggressiveness. The CPDT certification does not require this kind of knowledge. To learn how to locate one of these specialists in your region, please read our article Finding Professional Behavior Help.
- It’s not necessary to stop your dog’s behavior if he mounts just occasionally (once or twice a day at most) and it doesn’t upset you, other people, or pets.
- Try to divert your dog if its mounting or masturbation is upsetting you, other people, or other dogs. Get his attention if you can before he mounts or starts masturbating. Before mounting, some dogs exhibit amorous-appearing behaviors, so if your dog approaches a person or item and begins to pant, lick, whine, paw, or rub against them, he may soon begin to mount or hump. Give your dog a chew toy, play a game, or encourage him to perform some previously taught simple obedience skills or tricks that he likes if you notice your dog engaging in any of the aforementioned behaviors or if you notice him beginning to mount someone or something (sit, down, shake, etc.).
- Consider neutering your male dog if he is still an intact male. Although neutering doesn’t always prevent a dog from mounting or masturbating, it does lessen his desire to engage in sexual activity, particularly if the behavior is prompted by the presence of a female dog that is in heat. Similarly, if you have a female dog that is unaltered, think about spaying her. If she only mounts when she is in heat or when she is among other female dogs in heat, it might lessen her desire to hump other dogs. Other advantages of spaying or neutering your dog exist as well. It stops undesired puppies from being born and aids in the prevention of grave illnesses including testicular and mammary cancer.
- Beware: If your dog mounts another dog, danger could result. Numerous dogs dislike being humped. If they feel offended, they might attack your “amorous dog.” You might want to train your hump-happy dog to leave other dogs alone when you ask him to if they bother him. When your dog has learned what the command “leave it” means, you can begin using it when he interacts with other dogs. When your dog plays with his friends, keep a close eye on him. Tell him to “Leave it” as soon as you notice him getting ready to mount another dog. Don’t forget to praise him if he succeeds. If he doesn’t, stop the game and work on leaving the area empty for a little while. You can also try teaching your dog to play games with you if he frequently bumps other dogs in order to make him less interested in them. Pulling and fetching are fun!
- If your dog has a tendency to mount you or other people, teach him not to hump by pushing him away, turning your back on him, sitting down, or in some other way adopting a stance that precludes mounting. Say “Nope!” and take your dog right away to a secure, quiet room for a brief timeout if he won’t stop. (Confirm that the time-out space is devoid of any entertaining things for him to play with.) For a minute or three, let your dog be by himself. Let your dog outside after the time-out is over and act normally. It’s not necessary to act enraged. Repeat the steps above and give your dog another time-out if it tries to mount again. If you have to put your dog in time out more than a few times, you could find it difficult to capture him when you yell, “Nope! If such is the case, it will be beneficial to attach a lightweight two to four-foot leash to your dog’s collar and let him to walk on it while you watch him at home. When you need to take your dog to his time-out area, you can then pick up the leash. If you can’t see your dog, make sure the leash is off so it won’t unintentionally catch on something or get tangled around your dog’s legs.
- Discouragement won’t stop climbing from happening again on its own. Additionally, you need to practice prevention. You’ll need to educate your dog a different behavior so that when he’s with humans he may behave that way instead of humping. For instance, teach him to sit when called. You can start using your dog’s willingness to sit when asked to receive a treat as a deterrent to humping. Say “Sit” as soon as you notice your dog beginning to climb. If he sits, congratulate him joyfully and give him a sweet food. Then you can ask him to sit again or have him do one of his other tricks. You can give your dog a few minutes of playtime with a favorite toy once he has shown some good manners and has cooled down a bit. Your dog may no longer be motivated to hump as a result, depending on how this affects him. Asking your dog to sit and stay whenever you engage in the acts that set off his mounting behavior will help if the humming only happens in particular situations, such as in response to exciting or tumultuous human interactions (hugging, embracing, arguing, etc.). Don’t forget to often praise your dog if he acts nicely rather than mounting.
- If your dog only mounts in high-stress circumstances, such as when interacting with strangers, try to stay away from those situations as much as you can. Try to lessen your dog’s tension as much as you can if you can’t avoid a circumstance or thing that makes him uncomfortable. Take your dog there frequently for social visits if, for instance, he finds going to the vet stressful. Give your dog lots of delectable goodies during these visits to the vet, and keep an eye out for any unpleasant events. Your dog will begin to look forward to going to the vet’s office after a few weeks or months of sporadic “cookie outings there. This shift in how he feels will make going to the veterinarian clinic less unpleasant for him in the future. Distract your dog when he meets strangers if he is frightened while greeting new people to make the situation less intimidating for him. When guests arrive at your house, try teaching your dog to sit for tasty treats or fetch his favorite toy.
- It’s not necessary to stop your dog’s habit if he only licks to pleasure himself occasionally (once or twice a day at most) and it doesn’t disturb you.
- Try to divert your dog, particularly as soon as he starts to lick himself, if his behavior to lick himself bothers you or irritates his skin. Play a game, throw a ball, give your dog a chew toy, or ask him to perform some tricks or basic obedience exercises that he has already mastered (sit, down, shake, etc.). Additionally, you might consider relocating your dog to a different area.
- Try to divert your dog as soon as he begins to mount or masturbate. Play a game, throw a ball, give your dog a chew toy, or ask him to perform some tricks or basic obedience exercises that he has already mastered (for example, sit, down and paw).
- You might require assistance from a skilled specialist if your dog’s behavior has turned compulsive and is interfering with his regular daily activities. For information on where to find a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or Associate CAAB), please read our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help (Dip ACVB). If you are unable to locate a behaviorist in your area, you may be able to find assistance from a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT). However, you should make sure to ascertain whether the CPDT has formal or informal training as well as significant experience treating compulsive behavior, as these qualifications are not necessary for CPDT certification.
Should female dogs hump things?
“Why do canine females hump? It’s a question that people have pondered for all time, or at least ever before outmoded notions of gender hierarchy captured the fervent minds of humans. Given the variety of causes of female dog humping, the question is not always a nasty one. Why do female dogs hump, then? First off, you can relax knowing that humping occurs frequently and naturally in both male and female dogs.
Similar to male dogs, female dogs also hump a variety of objects, such as human legs, pillows, dog beds, and other female dogs. Humping, also known as mounting, is a taught behavior that frequently develops long before a dog reaches sexual maturity. Playfulness, desire, and stress can all be indicated by humming, pelvic thrusting, or licking the genital region. Additionally, they could allude to behavioral or physical difficulties that require joint attention.
Why Do Female Dogs Hump? First, Let’s Talk About Sex
As bizarre as it may seem, female dogs do really hump. Male and female puppies as early as six weeks old have been seen to engage in humping or mounting behaviors. From one to two years of age, mounting actions appear to be mostly related to playful sexual education until they reach the age of sexual maturity. By combining regular, encouraging training with having your puppies spayed or neutered, mounting as a sexual behavior can be lessened.
The majority of adult dogs that have been spayed or neutered may nevertheless engage in humping behaviors for what we would classify as a sexual purpose—autoerotic pleasure. Indeed, both male and female dogs can and do masturbate. Humping is a taught activity that they like engaging in, along with licking or gnawing at their genitalia. Being fixed may prohibit a dog from breeding successfully, but it does not take away the pleasure or relieve they feel during genital stimulation.
Female Dog Humping May Stem From Boredom and Stress Relief
Do you frequently leave your female dog home alone? Does she have enough toys and other amusements to last the entire day? A different response to the question, “Why do female dogs hump? could be a means of relaxation or boredom. As some dogs may bite, howl, whimper, tear up shoes or couch cushions when they feel abandoned, so too may some dogs hump out of boredom or extreme stress.
You might want to think about creating a stricter and more regular routine of walking, jogging, or interactive play if your dog—female or male—has a tendency to hump. Your dog won’t hump things, people, or other dogs out of boredom or worry if you interact with her and give her a routine.
Female Dog Humping May Stem From Medical or Behavioral Issues
If your female dog is humping everything in sight, especially if it starts out suddenly and is not a regular or infrequent behavior, it may be a sign of something more serious. You should seek veterinary care in these situations. A urinary tract infection or difficulty peeing can both produce physical pain that might be eased or comforted by humping something nearby. Excessive urine problems or UTIs may also be indicated by excessive licking or chewing at the genital region.
Do you own a dog who spent a lot of time in a shelter or perhaps came from a bad or abusive home? It’s also possible that female dogs will hump in response to poor socialization or other stressful situations. A trainer may be able to help female dogs who frequently hump in social circumstances, such as the dog park or anytime a new person comes to your home.
Female Dog Humping May Stem From Force of Habit
Humping is typically associated with men and is seen to be a dominance-focused action, which is incorrectly believed to be the case. Humping may be used by mature and older dogs, particularly in houses with multiple dogs or in the wild, to establish social hierarchies or reinforce them. The reasons why female dogs hump are as varied for every other dog as the reasons why people bite their fingernails. Humping is a typical dog behavior as long as it is not continuous, repeated, or inconvenient.
Humping is a taught habit in both male and female dogs, and it can be done so through repeated practice, encouragement from others, or a lack of negative reinforcement. Dogs won’t learn that humping is a disruptive or undesirable activity if you have a puppy and you laugh at or don’t discourage him from doing it.
Tell us whether you’ve ever owned male or female dogs that developed the habit of humming. How did you or are you handling it? Share your stories with the other readers!
