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We’ve all seen dogs that love to hump things, but it can be really embarrassing when it’s your own dog. Some dogs make a habit of humping objects, especially their favorite toys. Humping is a normal but usually undesirable dog behavior, especially when it is happening regularly. It can also extend to objects other than your dog’s toys, including other animals and even people. There are multiple ways you can stop your dog from humping their toys, though, and, hopefully, keep them from doing it again.
Why Do Dogs Hump?
There are multiple reasons that dogs may hump objects or other animals. Some dogs may use humping as an attempt to initiate play, especially if they are overstimulated by the situation. Humping can also be a stress response for a dog in an uncomfortable situation, and some dogs will hump objects or other animals simply because they aren’t sure how else to respond to a situation.
The most obvious reason that dogs hump is related to sexual behavior. When a dog becomes sexually mature, they may begin humping due to the shift in their hormones. Even female dogs may start humping when they’re in heat due to their reproductive hormones. So, while humans often view humping as an embarrassing behavior, it is often normal. However, there are also times when you need to get the behavior checked out by a vet.
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The 7 Ways to Get Your Dog to Stop Humping Their Toys
1. Redirect Them
If your dog is actively humping a toy, one of the best ways to get them to stop is to redirect their attention. You don’t need to scold or punish your dog to get them to stop. Redirection can be done by offering your dog something that interests them, like their leash or a particular toy you like to play with together.
You don’t want to give them something of interest while they’re humping the toy, though, as this can unintentionally reinforce the humping behavior. Make sure you’ve fully gotten your dog’s attention and gotten them to stop humping the toy in favor of the redirection before they’re provided any type of reward.
2. Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is a great tool to keep in your toolbox for dog training. This is a more effective and kind way of training than punitive training modalities. With positive reinforcement, you will be rewarding your dog for desirable behaviors only. This means that when they accept redirection, they receive a reward.
They can also receive a reward when they play with the toy appropriately instead of humping it or even if you notice your dog acting like they’re going to hump the toy, only to stop themselves beforehand.
3. Manage Stress
Stress can be a cause of excessive humping of toys and other objects for dogs. If this is the case for your dog, then finding ways to manage their stress can help reduce the humping behavior.
Stress can be caused by everything from the environment to illness, so you’ll have to identify the source of your dog’s stress in order to remedy the issue. If your dog’s humping seems to start out of the blue, then it’s a good idea to evaluate your dog for signs of stress, which could also include panting, pacing, drooling, whining, barking, licking, yawning, shedding, etc.
4. Spay or Neuter
Oftentimes, humping is driven by your dog’s reproductive hormones. Having your dog spayed or neutered will reduce their sex hormones significantly, which may reduce their desire to hump. This is not a guaranteed fix, though, since humping is not always sexually motivated.
If you allow your dog to get into the habit of humping their toys with the hope that getting them altered will fix the problem, then your dog may be too used to the habit to stop after the surgery.
5. Intervene Early
Don’t let your dog get fully into humping a toy before you try to stop them. Intervene as soon as you see your dog acting like they’re going to hump the object. If you catch your dog before they get started and you redirect the behavior, then they’re less likely to get into the habit of humping. It can also be more difficult to stop your dog once they get started than if you simply stop the behavior before it gets started.
6. Visit the Vet
There are physiological and medical reasons that your dog may hump objects, like urinary tract infections and skin infections near the genitals, since humping may help soothe the discomfort they’re having.
Male dogs can also experience priapism (persistent erection), and dogs may hump incessantly if this occurs. For all of these conditions, you should call your vet for guidance. Some conditions may require a visit to the vet for treatment.
7. Provide an Alternative
If you simply don’t care if your dog humps objects, it’s not excessive, and they aren’t doing any harm to themselves, then you do have the option to provide them something specific to hump. Sometimes dogs will hump other dogs, which can cause injuries and fights. They also may hump items you don’t want them to, like blankets and pillows.
You can provide your dog with a specific toy or item that is appropriate for them to hump. This can either be a temporary measure while you address any underlying reasons for the humping or as a long-term solution. You will still likely need to work to keep your dog from humping inappropriate objects, though.
Conclusion
Humping is usually a normal canine behavior but is generally annoying and undesirable. If it is happening often and becoming a problem, there are options to help reduce or stop the behavior. Never punish your dog for humping, instead redirect them to something else they enjoy doing and look to address the underlying reason. If you’re struggling to get this behavior under control, you should have your dog checked by the vet to rule out medical conditions. You may need the assistance of a behaviorist or trainer to help you get your dog’s humping under control.
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Featured Image Credit: Yanya, Shutterstock
