The humpty hump

[Puppy Madness]

Our 11 week old pup is staying with my parents for a 3 day weekend while we are out of town. I just called to see how the first went and it was fine but he apparently wants to hump everything. He started doing this a few times this week with his do bed when the do walker was there so she took it away. I've only seen him do it a few times, and just to his bed when it was new. Is he just Trying to show dominance over things at a new house? He has been there twice before but never spent the night and they have two more days/nights to go. Any advice on how to discourage this now at a young age is appreciated - I really don't want a dog that humps it's like my worst fear :(

[Tait & Finn]

My Finn is 15 weeks old and started humping around that same time. Mostly when he was excited and playing. He has now curbed his behavior greatly except occasionally when my son gets on the floor with him to play. We discouraged it by pushing him off his "victim" and saying a firm "NO!" It takes a while but he seems to have eventually gotten it. Good luck.

[Missy]

oh no! I don't have any suggestions, but am bringing home my boy in May and I don't want this to happen either!!

Hope you can find the magic to make it stop!!

He is a cutie!!

 

[J&J]

OFF! or LEAVE IT! worked really well for Admiral... Apparently it's an act of dominance and I agree that I didn't want a dog that did that! Now around 1yo, he's not sure what's going on when other dogs try to hump him. Good luck! 

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Oscar (now 7 months) did that quite a lot at about 11 weeks, particularly at weekly puppy romps, and usually just at the beginning of interactive play with other pups. I think at that age, and especially while in social situations with other dogs of a similar age, puppies will mount to establish their dominance, or hierarchy within a group. In Oscar's case, after the initial introduction period, his mounting decreased substantially. There's another school of thought that puppies mount when they're over anxious or nervous and they use mounting as a release of tension. This scenario sounds like what's happening with your pup. He's feeling a little anxious at being at a new home, especially at night, which is unfamiliar to him, and he's using mounting as a release of tension. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, but a gentle reprimand to curb the behavior may be all that's needed to stop it. BTW, Oscar mounts his big sis during play all the time. Lucy is super quick and agile and twists out of the hold easily. We use to reprimand Oscar for it, but it seems like its an intregal part of their play now that we don't even bother anymore. The 2 of them constantly go back and forth with being dominant over the other... but its all play. Oscar doesn't mount/hump any other time outside of his play with Lucy, though. If he did I'd be more concerned.

[Sundae]

I had this problem over Easter when Bennie attacked my nephew's Easter Bunny at my in-laws, yikes!  That was an embarrassing sight!! I just keep telling him no! very firmly and removing his victim.  I was hoping this will change when he gets fixed?