Humping

[Pretty Miss Emma]

So Hamish is the first boy dog I've ever owned (and in my family I didn't grow up with dogs, but now it is all females anyway!). I did once have a cat that used to like to hump a toy cat that I had, but that's the extent of my experience in this area!

Anyway, Hamish is now 7.5 months old. We don't really have a problem with humping but I'm wanting to make sure it stays that way. he has only once tried to hump a human leg, and that was abruptly put to a stop. He's really good in terms of if I tell him "no" he will stop what he's doing and then comes and sits at my feet waiting for a treat. So that one was dealt with easily, and obviously if he tries it again he will keep learning that it is not a profitable action. I'm lucky at home with kenzie, because if he tries this on her at all he is very firmly told that it is inappropriate behaviour and she puts him squarely back in his box!!! If he does it to other dogs, I always stop him and redirect him to doing something else - in general this is working well.

But, humping his bed... Do I stop this or do I not worry about it? Part of me thinks I should stop him (which is currently what I do) because if I don't then he thinks it is an acceptable behaviour and maybe he will try doing this to other "things" which are definitely not appropriate. And then part of me wonders does it matter? I am well and truely leaning to the side of stopping him any time I catch him doing it to anything/one. But just wondered others thoughts on this!

Edited November 19, 2012 by Pretty Miss Emma

[bianca.a]

Cooper (13 months) is the first male I have ever had too and I was a bit unsure what to do! I put a stop to any humping that I saw. He would try and get up on the couch and due to crap hips could only get his front up so I guess it stimulated him a bit . A "NO" and pull him off worked...so far!

[Tralee]

So Hamish is the first boy dog I've ever owned (and in my family I didn't grow up with dogs, but now it is all females anyway!).

But, humping his bed...

Do I stop this or do I not worry about it?

Part of me thinks I should stop him (which is currently what I do) because if I don't then he thinks it is an acceptable behaviour and maybe he will try doing this to other "things" which are definitely not appropriate.

And then part of me wonders does it matter?

I am well and truely leaning to the side of stopping him any time I catch him doing it to anything/one.

But just wondered others thoughts on this!

Do not encourage the behaviour if you don't want him to do it.

You have to consider that trying to stop the behaviour is a form of attention and we don't know how the dog interprets that attention.

Withdrawing any infrastructures, whether that's a leg or whatever and ignoring is appropriate.

I have a female who went through a similar stage but now has no issues.

Here is Sooki humping Big Bunny

[dancinbcs]

I have never had or known of a Border to hump anything other than dogs that try to hump bitches that smell interesting, so it is rather odd for the breed. Personally I would just distract him with a mild reprimand but not make too big a fuss or he may not perform if you need to use him as a stud in the future.

[Tralee]

Personally, I would just distract him with a mild reprimand but not make too big a fuss or he may not perform if you need to use him as a stud in the future.

With all due respect: You must be kidding.

Will he go blind, too?

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Good that you're confirming my thoughts!!

Dancinbcs, I'm lucky in that all I have to do is say ahah and he stops pretty much straight away so I don't even need to intervene that much to distract him which is convenient!

[Heston1]

Umm - Heston is 6 months old, pure bred BC, and has humped since the day we got him. He only ever humps when he is over excited from play, and generally it is my 9 year old. Who hilariously thought that Heston loved him so much he was giving him a big cuddle! He gets off when he knows he is in trouble for doing it, but other then reactively doing something about it there is not much more you can do?!?

Interestingly, Heston quite often gets humped by other dogs at the dog park!

[Nekhbet]

I have never had or known of a Border to hump anything other than dogs that try to hump bitches that smell interesting, so it is rather odd for the breed. Personally I would just distract him with a mild reprimand but not make too big a fuss or he may not perform if you need to use him as a stud in the future.

seen plenty that do it :laugh:

tell him off, if you dont like it, dont let him. Easy. It's not just a male dog thing either.

[minimax]

I'm sooooo glad my 7 month old boy never got the memo about humping! Probably because his bits were chopped off when he was 3 months old :laugh:

My 13 month old girl, Max, is the humper in our family, it was my leg that copped it before we got Boston now she just uses him as her own personal "special cuddler". We don't encourage it though, and she does respond to the "get off" command (which, in hindsight, was such a bad choice of words use )

[Dame Aussie]

I have never had or known of a Border to hump anything other than dogs that try to hump bitches that smell interesting, so it is rather odd for the breed. Personally I would just distract him with a mild reprimand but not make too big a fuss or he may not perform if you need to use him as a stud in the future.

seen plenty that do it :laugh:

tell him off, if you dont like it, dont let him. Easy. It's not just a male dog thing either.

Me too.

I agree, if you don't like it just keep doing what you're doing. My dogs have never humped a person or another dog but they occasionally hump each other in play. It's not an issue so I don't stop them. If, however they were doing it to people or other dogs then I would stop it altogether.

[Tobias0407]

Well if the dog is entire, he may have some urges. Humping a person or other animate object (unless it's a female on heat) usually has nothing to do with their sex drive, it's a dominance thing and I think you're right to not allow that; I certainly wouldn't accept my dog humping me. My entire male is almost 3 and although he has been known to occasionally 'sort himself out' so to speak, he has never tried to hump a person. He's a healthy boy and I know in human males everything should be 'cleaned out' from time to time (better for the prostate etc) so I just tell him not to do it in front of me or guests; I don't care what he does during the day when he's outside.

[FlowerProwler]

I'm sooooo glad my 7 month old boy never got the memo about humping! Probably because his bits were chopped off when he was 3 months old :laugh:

My 13 month old girl, Max, is the humper in our family, it was my leg that copped it before we got Boston now she just uses him as her own personal "special cuddler". We don't encourage it though, and she does respond to the "get off" command (which, in hindsight, was such a bad choice of words use )

Oh Gosh!

[FlowerProwler]

Back on topic, Onyx (13months old) also likes to have special cuddles with his bed.

We find him sneaking off around once per week for his secret rendezvous, but stops as soon as he knows he's been caught. Its been going on for at least the last 6months, and has never progressed further than his bed.

[BC Crazy]

Both my BC 's were neutered at 6 months & Sonny never displayed any of this of behaviour. Stella however does hump poor Sonny after they have been playing on his side. When I have finished a game with her she will kind of hump the air for a few seconds. She sometimes also does it after I have groomed her once again in the air. She a very quirky girl my Stella. She has never displayed this behaviour on a human or anything else. I just ignore it as I think she is just too excited :)

Edited November 21, 2012 by BC Crazy

[Aphelion]

My boy seemed to know all about humping before 8 weeks old. Once he came home he tried it with his toys, and blankets mainly, but occasionally I think it was directed towards me or another dog, but not often. I did tell him no firmly and stopped him when he directed it towards me, as I didn't find that to be particularly acceptable behavior. :laugh: He was already near 14kgs at 8 weeks so I really didn't want that to continue! When it was directed at toys I think I just removed them or stopped him without making too big of a deal about the whole thing. Although I wanted to leave him entire until he was grown, it was never really directed at other dogs. He's over two now and thankfully no more humping these days!

[bamboo]

My border collie was big on humping soft toys and cushions. He was desexed approx 3 mths ago, at the age of 14 mths, and the behaviour is gradually disappearing. We just say stop it if he starts, and he generally co-operates. I think it is likely the behaviour will completely disappear. My previous 2 boys never humped anything, that I saw anyway, despite being entire.

[disintegratus]

Thundercleese got to a certain age where I assume an influx of hormones caused him to start humping. Mainly he humped Zehra's face. Since she's a "special" dog, I didn't really think that was an appropriate thing to do, it's not fair to go around humping her face when she lacks the mental capacity to know what he's doing or put a stop to it. So we got him desexed. In hindisght, it was probably a little early, he's now 4ish, and still squats to wee. Sometimes he tries to cock his leg, but still squats while doing that. He's a wierdo. :laugh:

[wolfies mom]

We have just had our boy 2 years 3 months in the local kennels for 2 weeks and he had to keep being put into lock up because of his constant humping ,he has not been desexed as we still are trying to show him at times. the kennels who are very good say he is showing dominance as he does it to male dogs also and it could lead to dog fights ,she suggested talking to the vet about it which we intend to do .but can any one offer good advice on here about what to do please .

[dancinbcs]

We have just had our boy 2 years 3 months in the local kennels for 2 weeks and he had to keep being put into lock up because of his constant humping ,he has not been desexed as we still are trying to show him at times. the kennels who are very good say he is showing dominance as he does it to male dogs also and it could lead to dog fights ,she suggested talking to the vet about it which we intend to do .but can any one offer good advice on here about what to do please .

Most mature entire males should never be run with strange male dogs, desexed or not and the kennel is stupid and irresponsible to have even tried it. In a family or regular playgroup situation the dogs work out the pecking order or do not get on and have to be separated. The only thing the vet will suggest is to desex him so don't bother with that advice if you want to show him. Do not allow him the opportunity to hump males and if he tries it with females not in season they will most likely put him in his place and teach him some manners.

[MarieEvans]

Your dog humping his bed is kind of strange, I've never heard quite anything like it. And maybe yes, I think you should stop him from doing that. If you encourage that behavior, there would be a tendency that he would be switching that humping to something else. Besides, it's really disturbing. If you don't want him to do something you don't like, stop the action immediately.