Questions about Humping

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Just some quick questions about humping... Is it bad if two dogs are having fun in the dog park and one gets fixated on humping the other? I know hump happens from time to time, but when one dog gets obsessed and won't quit, is this a sign of trouble (other than it being annoying to the humpee and the owner)?

 

If one dog is obsessivly humping another dog should the owner not take action to stop it, or else leave the park with their dog?

 

The back story - both Sophie and Winston were playing in the park and in came a spaniel of some sort, full of energy. They were all having a blast chasing each other when suddenly Moxie became obssessed with humping Sophie and wouldn't stop. The owner laughed it off while I pryed him off of her over and over again. I know she doesn't like it but she never does anything about it, just sort of wiggles a bit to get loose. Sophie eventually shook him off and ran around while he chased her. She didn't seem too bothered, was having fun, but the humping kept up and I had to keep prying Moxie away from Sophie. The owner never reacted, but eventually distracted him with a ball. Winston meanwhile, was bothered that he wasn't included so started humping Moxie. Then Moxie turned his obssession to him. it was a giant hump fest and I was getting really annoyed.

 

Am I the one with "humping issues" or would this bother other people too?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Funny, we never have that here but Luca was neutered young. He is, to say the least, not well endowed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

JD's "red rocket" has never made an appearance, and he wasn't neutered until he was 14 months old. He is also not well-endowed.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well there you go, another mystery not solved : ) But at least I feel better about the situation, it may just have been mother nature's will. Not that I've been too upset about it : )

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Me either. :)

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

it's not the size that counts!!!!

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

We recently had this happen at a doodle-romp.    A neutered dog started humping my Boomer.    Boomer is not a submissive dog but he seemed to tolerate it (thats the part that confused me most).  It happened several times but we were able to distract the humping dog.   We met again (just 5 doodles were at the park that day) and this other male dog found Boomer immediately and tried to hump him the entire time.   Me & the owner would pull her dog off but he'd go right back at it.   I threw the tennis ball a few times, Boomer would break free but this other dog would get him at the opposite end of the park and hump him there.    Humans would rush down to break it up but it'd end by the time we got there.  

 

I didn't like it, its uncomfortable and I know Boomer didn't like it either because he wasn't running around like usual.  He seemed to stay near my side after this relentless humping.   When he tried to run, the humping dog would catch up to him and hump him at a distance from the humans.   

 

I don't think it was a dominance thing because Boomer is not a submissive dog (but why would he tolerate it?)   After reading some of these responses, I'm wondering if the other dog was just overly excited and I don't believe he was socialized as well as Boomer was as a puppy...could that have something to do with it?  He didn't "learn" proper behavior (I don't know...hope someone reading this has the answers).  

 

I know at training classes, the instructors do not tolerate this at any time and use spray bottles to break it up.    

 

BTW, this other dog is a new friend from DK and I want to get together more often so hopefully we can figure out why this is happening.    :-)   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't think it's only submissive dogs who get humped; the dog who is doing the humping may be trying to exert dominance over the other dog, but that doesn't mean the other dog is submissive. And a submissive dog might even be the one doing the humping. It depends on the circumstances.  

I also don't think that most dogs could be described as "dominant" or "submissive"; I think most of them fall somewhere in between on the temperament spectrum. If 1 = very dominant, and 6 = equals very submissive (think Volhard puppy temperament testing), the average dog is going to be a 3 or 4. A well-balanced dog is going be a dog who is neither very pushy and dominant nor very shy and submissive, but might be either way at times, under specific circumstances.  

[Julie, Boomer, Milo & Casey]

I agree with everything you said because I know Boomer is not a submissive dog, nor is he a dominant dog.   He is (as a respectable dog trainer once said to me) a self-assured dog, a confident dog (and thats a good place to be - the trainer said).     In my situation, I do think the other dog was just overly excited and not sure what to do with that energy.    It couldn't have been much fun for him either - he didn't play with the other dogs, he didn't run and he didn't fetch the ball so how much fun is humping an unwilling recipient.   Its just strange that Boomer is the only one he went after repeatedly.    I don't know enough about dog behaviors but remembering what the trainer said made me wonder if Boomer was the only one there that was a "threat" to the other dogs ranking.   

 

 

[Adina P]

Rosco is a humper.  I don't like it.  I don't approve.  I don't care what the reason is because I don't think it's ever 'polite' dog behavior and is sort of a frantic Rosco-just-can't-stop type of behavior. He humped Thule lots.  He humps Boca now whenever he can. 

 

But I don't understand the statement "____ is a sign of dominance" -- does that mean the dog IS dominant the way I AM Adina or a woman--just a permanent, natural, unchangeable part of the dog?  OR does it mean the dog is trying to be seen as dominant. Or does it mean that a dog is trying to dominate?  Or what?  I have a feeling nobody really has defined that statement. Because if it means Rover IS dominant then to me that means he is just showing you what he is by humping and there's not much you can do to change what he is.  But if it means he's trying to dominate or take control or be seen as dominant then that's something else and can be influenced.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think your last sentence is accurate- the dog is trying to dominate or take control or be seen as dominant.

[Michael Gurley]

Sunny is overly submissive, and will stop playing if another dog is fixated on her. If a dog tried to mount her, she lies down and flips over belly-up. It really upsets her and frightens her so much that she'll hide behind my legs and try to climb up into my lap to get away from the offending dog! 

 

In this case, I usually either go to the other section of the park (the park i go to has a large dog area and a small dog area, separately fenced) or I make it obvious that I don't like the behavior of the other dog, and ask the owner to correct that dog's behavior. If Sunny weren't bothered by it, I wouldn't fuss about it, but she is and I believe it's up to the owner of the humping dog to correct that behavior or at least redirect him. I don't think it's appropriate for owners to just allow their dogs to do whatever they want if it's affecting another dog.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I'm glad you posted this because although it's not a big problem in my experiences with my dogs or even others dogs, but when it does occur I am always surprised by the all the different reactions from each person. Some totally ignore it, some quietly break it up, some absolutely freak out and act like they just witnessed the most disgusting thing in their whole lives and how dare that dog DO that!!! Maybe because it's what dogs do?

I agree if it bothers humans then they have every right to stop it, if the dogs look uncomfortable with it then yes their owners have every right to stop it as well. For whatever reason it bothers the owner, or other dog, isn't really the issue to me as I don't see how there's really a failsafe way of knowing why the dog is humping. And it may totally be a normal dog act of affection, attention, getting to know each other, etc. There was once a time I thought sniffing other dogs butts was rude and disgusting and others thought it was what it is...normal dog behavior.

Having said that, I do stop Murphy when he tries to hump Bella if she seems annoyed or a little snappy with him. But it really doesn't bother me all that much as it does seem to be part of Murphys excited play style. He will occassionally do it to her at the dog park if other dogs keep coming near her, but it;s usually really shortlived and over before I can get near enough to tell him no. So I guess i could say he's trying to be dominate, trying to protect her, trying to show ownership, or just admit I just don't know!