Humping is a common behavior in dogs, but it can be embarrassing at times. It's particularly cringe-worthy if your dog likes to hump people, especially if those people don't have or don't like dogs. Some dog will hump their toys, furniture, shoes, or even other pets. Humping is a normal canine behavior that's usually harmless. However, there are several ways to stop it if it's causing problems.

Learn why your dog is humping and discover ways to discourage your dog from humping inappropriately.

What is Humping in Dogs?

Dog humping, also known as mounting or mating behavior, refers to a common behavior where dogs thrust their hips against a person, another dog, an object, or even the air. When humping another animal, the dog usually mounts the back end of the other animal. Some dogs will mount a person's leg or the side of furniture.

Why Do Dogs Hump?

Dog humping is an action that appears sexual in nature, but this is not always the case. Humping is part instinct and part learned behavior and, most importantly, it is completely normal for dogs. It's not only male dogs that hump, either; female dogs can also be prone to this behavior. Still, humping generally only becomes a behavior problem when your dog humps people, upsets other dogs by mounting them, or when the humping is excessive. 

There are a few different reasons why dogs hump.

Sexual/Hormonal

An intact dog (not spayed or neutered) may hump other dogs due to hormones and sexual attraction. When both dogs are intact, they usually end up mating, so you need to keep intact dogs of the opposite sex separate if you don't want that to happen.

Sometimes, an intact dog will hump a spayed or neutered dog. Females hump too, and it may or may not be sexual in nature. When a dog humps objects or people, it might be a form of masturbation. Having your dog neutered or spayed may help with the problem, but be aware that dogs may develop the habit of humping before they're altered and continue it afterward.

Stress

Dogs that are stressed or overstimulated can use humping as a sort of self-soothing behavior. This may explain why your dog humps visitors to your home. The dog is responding to the anxiety or stress of having a stranger in the house. Other stressors that can induce humping include changes in schedule, being boarded, you returning home after a long day at work, and a new pet being introduced to the household.

Excitement

Usually, dogs aren't emulating mating behavior when they hump. Nonsexual arousal is more likely to provoke a dog to hump. It's just a way for the dog to burn off energy or relieve stress. Some dogs bark, some run or jump, and others hump. This is normal for many dogs. If the behavior is frequent, training may help by redirecting your dog to another outlet for its excess energy.

Along the same lines, some dogs hump as an attention-seeking behavior or because they are bored. If this is the case, providing them with ample exercise, mental stimulation, and attention when they are not humping should help.

Playfulness

Like play fighting, play humping can be a completely normal and acceptable behavior between two dogs as long as it doesn't upset one of the dogs. Some dogs play hump each other back and forth, and everyone is fine with it. Some dogs simply enjoy humping. Make sure to break it up if one of the dogs seems annoyed by the humping. Training (for instance, to come when called) may be useful in decreasing the frequency and intensity of play humping.

Medical Issues

Before you try to train your dog not to hump, you should rule out any medical causes. While humping is not usually related to a medical condition, there are a few possibilities.

Urinary tract infections, itchy skin, and priapism (persistent erection) may elicit humping. This is similar to other behaviors, such as licking the genital area or rubbing against furniture or other objects. Visit your veterinarian to rule out health conditions as possible reasons for humping.

How to Stop Humping

Since there are a few different reasons for dog humping, it may take a bit of trial and error to get your dog to knock it off.

Obviously, you don't want your dog humping your guests. You also don't want humping to lead to a fight with another dog. Even humping an object can potentially cause damage (depending on the object). Fortunately, humping can usually be managed through training.

Catch Your Dog in the Act

First of all, if you want to stop your dog's humping, you need to address the behavior while it's happening. There's no point in scolding your dog once the behavior has ceased, as this will only confuse your dog.

As soon as you spot your dog humping, call your dog's name and firmly say a word like "stop," "off," or "uh-oh." The word "no" is not ideal since it's often used in conversation. Likewise, the word "down" may be confusing if your dog knows how to lie down on command (or if you ever want to teach it). Use a firm, but not angry, voice. You want to get your dog's attention without frightening them.

If you manage to get your dog's attention and the humping stops, reward them with a treat, a toy, or affection, depending on what your dog likes most. Immediately provide the reward when the humping stops to help your dog form a connection between the behavior and the reward. Remove the humping target if possible. If it's a person, you might just need to remove your dog from the room.

Redirect Your Dog's Attention

If you can't get your dog's attention with a verbal cue, try redirecting your dog to a toy or game. Find something very appealing, like a food puzzle or a favorite squeaky toy. Consistently interrupt your dog each time you notice humping, then coax your dog away to another activity. Praise or reward your dog when they move their attention to the toy or game and away from the humping.

Seek Professional Help

With patience, you may be able to stop your dog's humping habit on your own. However, some dogs won't quit that easily. If yours is one of them, you may wish to seek the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist to work on the issue.

Otherwise, you might need to accept that your dog is going to hump and avoid situations where humping will be a problem. If this is how things turn out, you'll need to know how to predict the humping behavior and prevent it whenever possible. This is especially true when humping may cause a dogfight or an injury to someone. Keeping your dog in another room when visitors come over, avoiding excessive stress or anxiety in your pet, and providing toys that aren't the right size for easy humping are all options that can help prevent this embarrassing behavior.