Why Is Your Dog Humping People

You may find it cute and endearing when a dog licks you in the face. They trust you- you're adored, and all that cute stuff. Throwing in a little bit of humping action, and the cuteness fades away at lightning speed. Being humped by any dog, whether your own or a stranger's, is borderline mortifying and will spike nervous laughter around the room like you've never witnessed before.

We know man's best friend can be downright peculiar sometimes. Some dogs eat their poop, dig holes to China, and consume socks and underwear like it's their day job.

Cue the humping, and humans will throw their hands in the air, drawing the line there. So, why is your dog humping visitors in your home? Why is he trying to hump you or your family?  Let's dive into the wonderful world of humping behavior.

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There's nothing like teenage hormones. Humping can be sexual in nature, especially for adolescent dogs who are starting to understand what it means when a female dog is going into heat.

The scent alone of a female in heat or approaching it is enough to make a male dog instinctually want to hump for the sake of reproducing.

Yes, even a neutered male can pick up a humping habit due to a female's scent driving him wild. Unfortunately, hormones can send a dog into overdrive, causing him to substitute your leg for the female he was smelling.

Your pup may hump due to underlying medical issues. Any illness that irritates the genital region could cause your dog to want to hump or mount something to relieve the feeling of being uncomfortable.

Urinary tract infections can cause pain in the urethra, kidneys, and bladder and can be extremely painful if not treated with antibiotics.

Allergies or dermatologic skin irritants can also drive dogs to want to mount anything and everything to itch those hard-to-reach areas. If your pup has itchy skin, it is best to see an animal dermatologist to get started on a special medication regimen to give your dog relief.

Unfortunately for male dogs, priapism can be very uncomfortable and troublesome. Defined as a persistent erection that does not subside, the penis will be unable to insert back into the prepuce, resulting in paraphimosis.

Experts have found that priapism can be caused by certain drugs, neurologic disorders, trauma, or masses on the penis. The sensation alone could send the dog into a panic, resulting in humping, as the penis will become dry, swollen, and painful. Emergency intervention will be needed to ensure that blood circulation is not blocked.

Located behind the bladder and within the penis is the prostate gland which is required for successful breeding. Unaltered males are typically far more susceptible to issues with the prostate but the side effects can be daunting and painful, nonetheless.

Prostate diseases, including abscesses, bacterial infections, and tumors can also cause dogs to want to hump in order to find an escape from their pain. If you are not a breeder, consider getting your male dog neutered as soon as it is appropriate for their age to narrow their chances of being diagnosed with a prostate disease.

Medical issues aside, we all have our quirky habits when we get nervous, like biting our nails, laughing for no reason, sweating, and fidgeting, to name a few. Oddly enough, dogs can find humping to be soothing when it comes to stressful situations.

It can also be a displacement behavior: an act that has nothing to do with their current environment or situation. When your dog is positively or negatively worked up, they can resort to humping simply because they don't know what else to do at that moment. Humping may calm their nerves or get them even more ramped up.

It can certainly be embarrassing to see your dog trying to mount your house guest just as they're getting comfortable in your home. Don't worry, though!

Dogs can also initiate play by humping; in fact, this behavior is considered normal under these circumstances. Some dogs play bow to show that they want to play, while others will choose to mount. Every being has a preference for how communication is portrayed and a dog may feel that humping gets his message across clearly, as it surely gets a rise out of the human!

Image credit: Todd Dwyer

Since we know your dog can hump a human to initiate play, canines can also be particular about who they choose to mount and why. In short, if your dog is humping you and no one else, it could be because he trusts and loves you.

For dogs, humping is a normal way for them to express their comfort level- lucky you! This loving behavior is typically seen in puppies as they learn how to show love in the best and most appropriate ways.

Similarly, if you are present with your pup when they're experiencing stress or anxiety, they might try to redirect their uncomfortable feelings by humping you, the person they trust the most.

This is generally observed with canines who lack the social skills to transition into new environments without becoming overly stressed. As an owner, if you do not redirect the behavior in a corrective manner, your dog will be conditioned to believe that humping is a good answer when it comes to being in new or different situations.

Unfortunately, your dog may deem you as the chosen one to hump solely because you allow it. The behavior that you allow is what will continue, regardless if said behavior is wanted or unwanted.

As an owner, be diligent about putting your dog through puppy classes for training to get a basis of what should be expected out of a canine whom you want to make your companion. Stop your dog from humping you by staying consistent about correcting and redirecting their undesired actions.

Spaying and neutering your dogs can knock down their raging hormones a couple of levels, but contrary to popular belief, it won't completely put a halt to a humping habit. Although your dog has been surgically fixed, it has no bearing on if your dog wants to seek out things that feel good for them.

Female dogs hump just as much as males have the potential to and it all boils down to them engaging in pleasurable behavior. However, research does show that humping by female dogs is typically anxiety related whereas males tend to engage in play humping.

Now that we know that your dog is likely to hump at some point in their lives and that the action itself is common, let's talk about how to redirect behavior if you don't want your dog humping.

It is crucial to address any unwanted humping or mounting as soon as you witness it in action. Using simple commands like, "No" or "Off" can be a great start to your dog associating their behavior with something that isn't desirable.

If verbal commands fail to make their impact, monitor your dog closely and be ready to distract or redirect before they can start to hump or mount.

Offering a special toy, treat, walk, or any fun activity can aid in distracting them enough so that they forget how much they were looking forward to humping your leg. Presenting your dog with a more interesting or fun choice will hopefully avert them from humping or mounting and they will want to stop, all together.

What if you have tried absolutely everything that you have in your arsenal and you can't get your dog to stop humping? There are professionals for that! Consulting your veterinarian or a dog trainer for your dog's excessive humping may be the best move for you.

We know that sometimes dogs hump just because they love us, but it's still not a socially acceptable way to show affection. A professional dog trainer will have the experience and expertise to come in and observe your dog, and create a plan for you to execute at home with the goal being to stop the humping and mounting for good.