Why Do Female Dogs Hump?!

A common misconception about dogs is that only male pooches hump. However, female dogs also partake in this normal (and let’s face it: super awkward to talk about) activity. But why do female dogs hump? And how can you get them to stop? Read on to learn more!

Reasons Why Your Female Dog Is Humping

First, let’s try to figure out why your dog is displaying this behavior. There are several potential causes why your female dog humps people, things and other dogs:

Health Issues

Your dog’s humping might be caused by some kind of physical health problem. Check with your vet to rule out this possibility. Potential problems include incontinence, priapism, urinary tract infections and skin allergies. An indication that your pet is having health issues is that the humping is also accompanied by your dog licking their groin more than usual.

Anxiety or Excitement

Some dogs get the zoomies (running around in circles) when they get nervous or overexcited. But others? They hump stuff.

Arousal

Arousal is another possible explanation for why your female dog humps. Look for common behaviors of a female dog in heat including signs of amorous intent, such as raising her tail, pawing or playfully bowing.

Seeking Attention

Another reason why your female dog humps is because she doesn’t get enough attention, exercise or affection. In cases like these, a pup considers even negative attention as better than no attention.

Dominance

There’s also a good chance that your pup is trying to establish dominance.

Compulsive Behavior Disorders

Humping can devolve into a compulsive behavior if it’s a reaction to anxiety. While other mounting isn’t necessarily harmful to your dog, compulsive behavior can negatively interfere with normal activities.

How to Stop Female Dog Humping

If you have a female dog who humps, it’s more than likely that you want the behavior to stop. There are several ways to discourage humping:

Spay Her or Neuter Her Buddies

If your dog’s humping is sexually motivated, spaying your pooch might stop it, particularly if your dog only humps when she’s showing common behaviors of a female dog in heat or around other female dogs who are in heat. Neutering male dogs who your female dog comes in contact with might also help the situation.

Ignore Her

If your dog is humping to get attention, ignoring her might be the solution. Even saying “no” is considered attention in her mind, so you need to ignore her completely. Put her in her crate or a separate room entirely. Also make sure that your pooch gets enough attention, exercise and affection throughout the day.

Discourage the Humping

Use positive reinforcement to teach your pup the “leave it” command. Whenever your dog mounts a dog, person or thing, say, “leave it!” Each time your pooch obeys you, reward them with a yummy treat.

Provide a Distraction

By now you might be familiar with the warning signs that your dog is about to hump. She might be pawing the ground, panting or whining. When this happens, distract her with a toy or give her a command, such as “sit” or “shake.”

Talk to a Trainer

Ultimately, a professional will best know why your female dog humps and how to get your dog to stop humping, so call a trainer if the above methods fail to deter your dog.

Thanks for reading and check out our Resource Center for more articles on dog behavior!