Breaking the habit

[SJQuirk]

Louie is only three months old but lately he has been having the urge to hump. Last night I was spending time with family and he began to hump people's legs and even tried to hump a little boy whom was trying to just play with him. I plan to get him neutered when he is old enough but for now is there any way I can teach him not to give into his urges?

[mammyglicks]

Mine has been humping since about the same age lol. I just swat him on the butt when he tries to get at my beagle or random items in the house including my arm and belive or not the bathtub I know you'll get some great advice. The swatting or yelling at him stops it for the moment but not for good. Bear won't be neutered so I am sure I am in for it as he gets older.

[KMARINO]

I got Vegas when he was 4 months old and neutered already, and he was already a humper, he is now, well on Jan. 1st, 19 months old and STILL a humper and I have tried EVERYTHING from water bottles, air-spray, yelling, swatting his behind, begging, you name it. I certainly don't have any advice for you since I can't control my own bully's bad behavior!!!

[LariP]

Gracie still gets excited and attempts to hump me sometimes when I get home from work and play waller with her. a quick no stops her, but it still surprises me when she does it.

[kazzy220]

Daddy hasn't started doing it yet ... I think there was a thread on here that linked the age of the dog with the humping habit ???? He is due to get the ol' snippety-snip in the next month or so and I'm hoping that will curb the urge to start doing it!!

[cali~jenn]

No help here either, my boy rarely humps and it is just when he gets excited to be around kids playing and running thru the house.

[2bulliefamily]

Oh well your not in that boat alone! Lola, my 3 year old, never had a humping issue until Brodie arrived (3 ish weeks ago) and OMG she will scoop him underneath her and try to hump him...hello.....your the girl! We get on to her and she will stop but if your not looking she will try it again. Now Brodie just rolls over on his back until she stops or we see and correct her! It is getting out of hand! I will say the past 2 days have been better but could not get much worse. I here it is a dominant thing....trying to be the dominat one! No clue but it is obnoxious. Good luck!

[Lacey28]

I havent had an issues with Silva but a dog in our puppy class humped everyone and everything and the trainer said he was showing that he was dominant. I dont know how true it is!

[froggz]

It is true. In dog and wolf pack psychology, only the most dominant female and male are allowed to mate. If a dog humps another dog, or person they are attempting to show the dog, or person that they are more dominant and alpha over them.

When it happens, disrupt it with a very loud noise. If the dog is reluctant to stop, physically separate them and push the dominating dog to the ground. Place them on their side, feet away from you and place a hand on their chest, and one on their cheek/side of face and keep them there untill they relax and submit. By doing this you are showing them that they do NOT have breeding rights and that you, the rightful one, is alpha over them.

Be careful not to accidentally encourage this behavior with extra attention. It can quickly turn into negative reinforcement. Any attention is better than no attention in a dogs eyes.

It may sound odd, but when we first got Sadie she would often try to hump my significant other while he would be laying on the couch, or bed. She had major alpha issues. It took three times of making her submit before the behavior ended. If she pulls her ears very high and straight up when around another dog I keep a VERY watchful eye on her. The moment she T's off to another dog (Placing a paw on the back or shoulders of another dog) I verbally correct her and make a very loud clap to distract her. By doing this I'm showing her that I am the pack leader and she does not have the right to dominate others.

[SJQuirk]

@froggz Thank You for the helpful advice. It seems like Louie like to hump people or things when I take him around my family members. I will for sure try this tacit out!