# Humping / Mounting behavior



## Guest

My 5 year old neutered male Yellow Lab has a humping / mounting issue. Everytime we visit a dog park, he becomes fixated on a certain dog and persists to mount / hump that dog. Whenever a new dog arrives at the dog park, my Lab has to be the first one to greet / hump the dog. I know that mounting is an instinctual behavior but I also think my Lab is doing it excessively. I'm embarrassed when other people at the dog parks have to pull my Lab off of another dog. 
Does anyone else here on this Forum have a similar issue with their dog and how was it dealt with?


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## Rexandbaby

If it is a dominance issue, then you have to make sure that your dog sees you as the alpha, and just tell him no way. Our command was "Not Now" he soon realized that not now meant not ever, but in the beginning, not now stop because, mom said so.


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## RawFedDogs

LabbieMama said:


> Everytime we visit a dog park, he becomes fixated on a certain dog and persists to mount / hump that dog. Whenever a new dog arrives at the dog park, my Lab has to be the first one to greet / hump the dog.


It's a dominance behavior and quite natural. You take your dog to the dog park to be a dog. Don't try to make him into a little furry human. Let him be a dog.



> I know that mounting is an instinctual behavior but I also think my Lab is doing it excessively.


That's your opinion. Obviously he disagrees and at the dog park you are in his world (or at least should be).



> I'm embarrassed when other people at the dog parks have to pull my Lab off of another dog.


Thats the problem with dog parks. There are people there who don't understand dog behavior. This behavior is part of the normal introduction ritual when dogs meet each other. It's like shaking hands. It's determining each dogs place in "society". Who is higher than the other.



> Does anyone else here on this Forum have a similar issue with their dog and how was it dealt with?


I prefer to just let dogs be dogs. I understand many people not understanding what's going on. I usually try to explain it to him.

Funny side note: I had my Abby (Great Dane) at a dog park one time when a little pomeranian came up behind her, got on his hind legs and tried his best to hump her. :smile: He didn't even reach her knee. LOL I call that confidence. :smile: Or maybe ambition. :smile: Or maybe dreaming :smile:


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## rannmiller

Yeah, my roommate's male puppy used to mount my little guy. After a while of us trying to stop it, we just let it run it's course. It usually doesn't last more than 30 seconds (which I know can seem like forever if you're watching your pet get raped by a random stranger's dog). But usually either the humpee will not accept this, snap back and the other dog will back off. Or the humper will get tired of it and stop (like I said, after about 30 seconds or so). 

Now my roommate's dog is so much taller than my little guy that when he starts to hump Milo, Milo just walks away out from under him and Kody is left standing there looking confused like, "What happened, this used to work so well."


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## Guest

I agree with RawFedDogs' response. The reason why I bring my dogs to the dog park is to let them be dogs. But, I'm tired of other people pulling my dog off other dogs. Other people who correct my dog and even say to my dog, "No humping allowed here!" As if my dog understood. I hate the way people look at me when my dog and I enter the park as if to say, "here's the humper again!" 
Both of my dogs know I am the alpha. It is quite clear to them. But at the dog park is where their instincts kick in.


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## rannmiller

That's just rude! You should definitely try to talk to the people about it, try to explain to them that this is a DOG park for dogs to play and be dogs. I got annoyed last time I went because my lab/pit likes to bark at the other dogs, especially when someone throws a ball and both dogs go to run after it. She barks at them to throw them off so she can have the competitive edge or something. I think she's just having a good time, everyone else looks at me like I've brought this terrible bully into their territory. Dogs bark, I'm sorry but they do and it's a fact of life.


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## BoxerMommie

And one more reason to add to the list of why I don't attend dog parks LoL.

Good luck though, it sounds like you're having more issues with the people than the dogs to be honest, so if it's the people that are the problem I would speak to them or just say too bad, do you really want people like that as friends anyway? Ask them nicely to stop touching your dog and just go about your business.


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## chowder

As long as we're on the subject  we just had Rocky neutered at 5 months old. Before that we had to take away his giant stuffed lion because whenever he would play with it, he would start humping it and that would lead to trying it out on my 11 year old Lhasa who is just too old to put up with that from a 50 pound puppy! Anyway, now that he is neutered and it's been a month without his friendly lion, is there any harm in letting him have his way with his stuffed toys? The vet told me it might get to be a habit with him and to keep it away from him but he REALLY loves his lion and his stuffed toys! He doesn't have any other dogs to play with because we don't have dog parks here and I haven't talked my husband into another puppy yet!


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## Guest

At this point, I'm reminded of a popular bumper sticker:

"The more people I meet, the more I love my dog."

How true. Oftentimes people ARE the problem. 

My Lab was neutered at age 3 (he's a rescue dog, before he was rescued he was not neutered) I adopted him at age 4. So he has been intact for 3 years, long enough for him to have an ingrained habit of humping, I guess....


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## BoxerMommie

LabbieMama said:


> At this point, I'm reminded of a popular bumper sticker:
> 
> "The more people I meet, the more I love my dog."
> 
> How true. Oftentimes people ARE the problem.
> 
> My Lab was neutered at age 3 (he's a rescue dog, before he was rescued he was not neutered) I adopted him at age 4. So he has been intact for 3 years, long enough for him to have an ingrained habit of humping, I guess....


This is actually a HUGE misconception. My dog was neutered at 6 months EXACTLY 6 months but he's a very dominant dog and he will mount on occasion. Mounting for dominance really doesn't have anything to do with neutering it simply has to do with your dog's individual personality and if they are a dominant personality or not.


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## Rexandbaby

Rex is a male GSD, Baby is a female JRT. She really is alpha between the two of them. But every now and then, Rex who is now almost 4, still tries to hump her. He also was fixed at 6 months old. She was also fixed at 6 months, and she insists on lifting her leg like a male, but Rex justs leans forward more like a horse. Too funny!


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## rannmiller

chowder said:


> Anyway, now that he is neutered and it's been a month without his friendly lion, is there any harm in letting him have his way with his stuffed toys?


I'd say try it and if he gets in the habit of humping his lion without humping your lhasa then it should be fine. Maybe if he tries to go for your Lhasa you could use some sort of clicker training method so he knows that lions are ok for humping, but senior dog citizens are not? 

Or maybe if he starts humping the lion, then take it away again.


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## EnglishBullTerriers

My Bull Terrier is almost 11 months old now and he is still 'intact' and he doesn't hump anything when I am around. As soon as I leave him alone, he would always try to mate with a female pit mix that I rescued because she was still cycling. (She had puppies 2 months after I got her and she got out of my house at the beginning of her cycle. I got Owen 1 month after I got her!!) I haven't had any problems with humping. I think that it partly depends on the nature of the dog and the training that you provide. It does also have to do with where you and other dogs stand to your dog in his eyes. He might just see himself at the top of the ladder at the dog park and as number 2 to you!! I don't see anything wrong with that. I do think that you should let people know that you do not appreciate that they repramand your dog, that should be your job. The only reason that I will repramand someone elses dog is if I jumps up on me or tries to hurt my dogs. 

BTW, Owen also does the 'lean foward like a male horse' thing also and my female terrier mix 'squats and lifts'! It really is a funny site to see!!


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## Guest

My female Shepherd Mix is the dominant one of my pair of dogs. Gunther never tries to dominate her. At home with me there is never any humping involved. The only time I see it happen is when we are at the dog parks. Being that my female is the dominant one, she NEVER humps other dogs at the parks -- it's always the male doing all the humping at the parks. I think it's interesting to note.


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## rannmiller

Maybe she's more secure in her dominance and your lab is trying to establish his since he can't at home? Dogs are interesting creatures, that's for sure. 

My male, Milo, also squats and leans like a male horse, but it's better than what he was doing. He'd just kind of stand there and pee and since he's a short, long dog, he'd often get pee all over the back of his front legs. Now he squats and leans or lifts (but only on walks).


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## rockymtsweetie82

Our male is constantly humping our female. Call it dominance or just plain horniness, I don't really care. I tell him to stop. Lately, our female has been humping our male. LOL. That's just too funny.


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## Guest

What's even funnier is when they hump "backwards" --- meaning, humping the head!!


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## rockymtsweetie82

Omgoodness yes, that's how China does it!! Mako tries to get it right but China's so wiggly that he just humps what he can get. lol. Soon she'll be going into heat...Probably around December. Then the humping can actually have some meaning other than arguing which one is the big boss in the pack! lol


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## PukinHovi

RawFedDogs said:


> It's a dominance behavior and quite natural. You take your dog to the dog park to be a dog. Don't try to make him into a little furry human. Let him be a dog.
> 
> 
> 
> That's your opinion. Obviously he disagrees and at the dog park you are in his world (or at least should be).
> 
> 
> 
> Thats the problem with dog parks. There are people there who don't understand dog behavior. This behavior is part of the normal introduction ritual when dogs meet each other. It's like shaking hands. It's determining each dogs place in "society". Who is higher than the other.
> 
> 
> 
> I prefer to just let dogs be dogs. I understand many people not understanding what's going on. I usually try to explain it to him.
> 
> Funny side note: I had my Abby (Great Dane) at a dog park one time when a little pomeranian came up behind her, got on his hind legs and tried his best to hump her. :smile: He didn't even reach her knee. LOL I call that confidence. :smile: Or maybe ambition. :smile: Or maybe dreaming :smile:


thank you thank you thank you for this comment, let dogs be dogs please. Mine goes to the same woods every day,since he was 8 weeks, so naturally he assumes this is his territory. He never hurt another dog, but he is quiet vocal and loud when greeting other dogs, a few seconds of raised hackles and some barking, playing king kong and its over, but people just have issues with it, thinking he is agressive. I also see a great difference between dogs in germany and dogs in the US, its hard to explain, but most US dogs we meet seem to have all alpha drives removed entirely, seldomly another dog that is being approached by my dog gives him any static, they just seem very submissive. The funny about this one is that my dog is actually not really all that tough, he is 80 pounds and turns into a shivering furball when he meets my friends 30 pound mud, quiet commical actually to watch.

That why i like the winter in the park, no fair weather amateurs around to give us static.


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## Guest

PukinHovi said:


> That why i like the winter in the park, no fair weather amateurs around to give us static.


Good dog owners know that dogs need DAILY exercise, socialization, and mental stimulation regardless of the weather.

Dog parks that I frequent in my region are well-attended in winters as well as summers. Dogs just love running and playing in the snow. My Lab loves to hunt for hidden toys buried in the snow. (that's mental stimulation.)

As for being an amateur,  OK, I will humbly confess to that. Even though I've grown up with dogs, I have owned dogs only for a short time during my adulthood (I'm approaching age 50 now.) That's because I was married for 21 years to a man who didn't like animals and would not allow any animals in our house. Within a few weeks after he moved out, I got my first rescued dog (a Greyhound) and I was in heaven. "Get rid of the husband and get a dog!", my friends encouraged me, because they knew I wasn't happy without a dog in my life. How right they were.

Now, back to the subject at hand: Ever since Gunther started attending doggie daycare on a weekly basis, his "doggie manners" have greatly improved. The day care owner suspects it's just a lack of proper socialization during Gunther's puppyhood that attributed to his constant "bad manners" at the dog parks.

Whenever I bring him to the dog parks now, he plays and runs just fine without as much humping behavior. And I just sit back and let him be a dog.


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## ChattyCathy

You know what I think, IMO of course, is that most people are ignorant regarding humping and dominance behavior in dogs. AND, I also believe that people are embarassed when they see a dog humping another dog. Just let dogs be dogs for goodness sake!!!!!


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## Guest

ChattyCathy said:


> You know what I thing, IMO of course, is that most people are ignorant regarding humping and dominance behavior in dogs. AND, I also believe that people are embarassed when they see a dog humping another dog. Just let dogs be dogs for goodness sake!!!!!


I "hear" you, Cathy, loud and clear. I agree that dogs should be dogs or should be allowed to be dogs, especially at dog parks!

The thing is, doggie daycares don't encourage inapproprate behavior. And humping is considered "inappropriate play." Most people who bring their dogs to dog parks also enroll their dogs in doggie daycare, so they are used to knowing the daycare "rules", I guess. I was told that my Gunther could be expelled from daycare if he continued to show inappropriate behavior.

I remember seeing a segment on 'Dog Whisperer with Cesear Millan' where one of the dogs in his pack started to hump another dog. Cesear intervened to stop the behavior. If Cesear Millan believed that dogs should be dogs at all times, then he would have done nothing about the behavior.

Regardless, as I've said in my previous post, I like to bring my dogs to the dog park and sit back and watch them play. It's the "ignorant" other folks at the park who keep correcting my Gunther that really annoys me.


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## prntmkr

I wasn’t going to comment but, what the heck...

I understand the sentiment of “letting dogs be dogs”. 
I understand (all too well) that dominance humping is a “natural thing”.

However, the reality is that _we do not _“just let dogs be dogs”. As romantic as the notion may be, our dogs are not wild (natural) beasts, but genetically engineered and domesticated pets. We train them, making decisions appropriate for our lifestyle and for our “pack”. 

We _do not allow _many “natural” behaviors from our dogs, especially our dominant dogs:

-Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) do not let them mark inside our houses, or inside other people’s houses.
-Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from jumping up on us, our family members or guests.
-Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from attacking aggressive dogs.
-Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from growling or snapping (or worse) when we, our kids, or guests approach our dog’s food bowl, treats toys.
-Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) do not allow them to hump us, our children or guests or their children when they visit our homes.

The list of our controlling the "natural" impulses of our dogs goes on and on. In short, we teach them behaviors condusive to having them live with us, in our very unnatural world. 

I certainly don’t advocate controlling every aspect of our dogs’ lives. But, although it may be difficult to "police" this behaviour, how is allowing humping in these instances different from all the other “natural” things we disallow?


Let the onslaught begin. :wink:


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## EnglishBullTerriers

prntmkr said:


> I wasn’t going to comment but, what the heck...
> 
> I understand the sentiment of “letting dogs be dogs”.
> I understand (all too well) that dominance humping is a “natural thing”.
> 
> However, the reality is that _we do not _“just let dogs be dogs”. As romantic as the notion may be, our dogs are not wild (natural) beasts, but genetically engineered and domesticated pets. We train them, making decisions appropriate for our lifestyle and for our “pack”.
> 
> We _do not allow _many “natural” behaviors from our dogs, especially our dominant dogs:
> 
> -Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) do not let them mark inside our houses, or inside other people’s houses.
> -Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from jumping up on us, our family members or guests.
> -Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from attacking aggressive dogs.
> -Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) discourage them from growling or snapping (or worse) when we, our kids, or guests approach our dog’s food bowl, treats toys.
> -Although it would be “natural” for them to want to, we (hopefully) do not allow them to hump us, our children or guests or their children when they visit our homes.
> 
> The list of our controlling the "natural" impulses of our dogs goes on and on. In short, we teach them behaviors condusive to having them live with us, in our very unnatural world.
> 
> I certainly don’t advocate controlling every aspect of our dogs’ lives. But, although it may be difficult to "police" this behaviour, how is allowing humping in these instances different from all the other “natural” things we disallow?
> 
> 
> Let the onslaught begin. :wink:


Well said. I have to agree with most of this. I am all for dogs being dogs, but if there is a behavior that I do not aprove of, they should not be doing that behavior. I do not like sitting by watching my dog walk around humping everything that comes near him, or worse watch another dog hump my dog because he moved. This behavior has never been allowed in my families house or mine for that matter. I am not always close enough to stop the behavior, and I am not always watching his every move, but if I see him doing that behavior, I am going to discourage him and distract him to something else that I would like to see him do. Dominance towards other dogs will 90% of the time start a fight, wether between the dogs or the owners. I think that if my dog were being humped in a public setting, I would be very upset! The only time that it is a 'natural' behavior, is when the dog thinks he is in charge!! MINE is NOT in charge, EVER!! I call the shots and I make the decisions. Therefor the dog should not feel that they need to be dominant. I have known a dog to 'mount and hump once' then get down. That is not dominance and shoud not go farther then that, at most!!


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## PeanutsMommy

if Peanut humps Jade (he does it in the worng place, her side) I let her tell him to stop..she gives a grumble and he stops and doesnt retry it. He rarely attemps it though maybe been 10 times. 

I do not attend dog parks or allow him near strange dogs.


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## Guest

prntmkr said:


> Let the onslaught begin. :wink:


Thanks for the invitation, but, I think I've said all I needed to say on this subject matter.

I know I started this thread of discussion, and I wanted to take time to thank everyone for their contribution.


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