Can Dogs Get Sexually Attracted To Humans? The Truth

Admit it, your dog probably tries to hump you every now and then.

Dogs are beautiful, smart, funny, and…horny at times.

And I know many dog parents had these questions at some point.

“Is my dog sexually aroused by me?”

“Why does Fido keep on humping my leg and smelling my privates?”

Some people even wonder:

“Will a woman get pregnant if a dog had sex with her?”

Things might get weird, so buckle up!

Can dogs get sexually attracted to humans?

Dogs can’t get sexually attracted to humans because their instincts aren’t made to mate with humans. People think that dogs are aroused because of humping. But, there are reasons why dogs hump on everything. Being attracted to humans isn’t one of them.

Why can’t dogs get turned on by humans? 3 facts

#1: Reproductive isolation

The sole reason why dogs don’t get turned on by humans is that they’re not genetically wired to do so. This also prevents 2 different species from having offsprings.

First, the DNA structures of humans are different from dogs. The genomes of humans and dogs are not compatible with each other.

Creatures need reproductive isolation so they can be their sole species. Even the mating rituals of dogs and humans are different.

What’s more, the DNA of humans is related to chimpanzees. In fact, they’re our ancestors.

But, chimps and humans don’t find each other attractive. They can’t mate and produce offspring too.

Why?

Because the 2 species are a thousand years apart. Both can be considered as separate species from each other.

If you need proof, Joseph Stalin tried to cross-breed humans and apes. His goal was to create super soldiers for the USSR.

This plan of course didn’t work.

If related species can’t be attracted and bred, don’t expect that humans can turn dogs on.

#2: Dogs and humans aren’t built the same

Dogs Are Not Sexually Attracted To Humans Because They Are Built Differently

I’ve mentioned that the genomes of humans and dogs are incompatible. But how are they different?

For humans, our genome tells us to have a pair of arms and legs. Dog genomes tell them to have 4 legs, a tail, and a body filled with fur.

Genomes are like an instruction manual in building a species. Human and dog genomes don’t connect to each other.

Human chromosomes aren’t the same as a dog’s either. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, while dogs have 39.

A study shows that human and dog genomes have a similarity. But, this isn’t enough for them to have offspring.

Chromosomes need to line up to each other to make a species. Humans and dogs have different chromosomes, which is why they can’t breed.

#3: They don’t get attracted the way we do

Unlike dogs, humans have a better sense of logic and reasoning. Years of evolution pushed us not to act solely because of sexual desires.

Dr. Helen E. Fisher states that humans have 3 categories when it comes to love. These are lust, attraction, and attachment.

Lust

Lust is the urge for sex. We evolved from beings who look for sex because it’s needed for reproduction.

Unlike dogs, there are times where we have sex just for the sake of pleasure and not procreation.

People feel more lust over their partners. And this is because of the second category, attraction.

Attraction

Charles Darwin said that there are 2 factors why a person gets attracted to someone. The first is the people competing for the person.

This means that you get attracted based on the selection of suitors you have.

The second factor is your preference as a person. Preferences may include looks, personality, or anything you want to have in a partner.

Attachment

Lust and attraction get you liked, but attachment is the reason a person stays and commits. Dogs get attached to humans but not in a sexual way.

People get attached to other people because of oxytocin. The brain releases loads of this chemical during sex and childbirth.

Surprisingly, dogs also experience a huge oxytocin release when they mate. This means that they can get attached to other dogs as well.

But, dogs do not feel these 3 things the same way. Male dogs lust whenever a female dog is in heat.

The only way male dogs are attracted to female ones is through pheromones. Their looks or behavior as dogs has nothing to do with why they’re turned on.

And they aren’t attached as well. Dogs will mate with any dog at any time. All they need is that sweet scent from a heating female dog.

Bonus: Pheromones

Another reason why dogs can’t get turned on by humans is because of pheromones.

You know that male dogs get turned on by pheromones that female dogs release, right? This pheromone is called Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate.

This might not be the main canine sex pheromone but it sure gets the male dogs aroused.

If an intact male dog smells this pheromone, they will obsess over the female dog until he mates with her. The pheromones on a female dog are released through urine.

This can make a male dog aggressive to the point where they will fight other dogs for the female.

Unlike humans who ovulate every month, dogs have a heat cycle and it ranges from breed to breed. The average interval of a dog’s heat cycle is 7 months.

Small breeds cycle more regularly than large breeds. A dog’s heat cycle can last for 2 to 3 weeks.

Humans don’t release this pheromone which is why dogs won’t get turned on by us. Instead, we release pheromones that turn on other humans.

Why do people think dogs get turned on by humans?

#1: Because they hump us

We all know that stud dogs mount on bitches at the first stage of mating. After mounting, their reproductive organs interlock.

This is called the “tied” stage of dog breeding. But, there are moments where male dogs try to hump our legs.

This might be the reason why many people think that dogs are turned on by humans. But, this is far from the truth.

There are different reasons why dogs hump humans and sexual reasons are only 1 of several. Intact dogs tend to hump more than neutered or spayed dogs.

You might find this shocking but female dogs also hump male dogs. This happens in the middle of courtship before they lock.

So, why do dogs mount people?

Why puppies do it

Dogs, especially male pups, tend to mount because of sexual behavior. They hump because they practice for sex encounters in the future.

At first, they would start to mount anything they can get their paws to. As they mature, they will try to hump other dogs and even humans.

Humping is perfectly normal for a puppy before reaching 1 year. It might also be because of over-excitement.

Once they learn that the humping feels good, they might develop this behavior. But, it can stop once the male pup mates with a female.

Why adult dogs do it

I’ve mentioned that puppies hump people because of sexual reasons. Well, adult dogs can hump you for the same reasons as well.

The main reason why adult dogs do this is because of sexual frustration. They could’ve been smelling a dog in heat but can’t get their chance to hump them.

In this case, you can think of humping as their form of masturbation.

Another reason why dogs hump is bully behavior. But, bear in mind that this is not because of “dominance” that some trainers talk about.

A dog humps another dog because they want to establish that they’re a bully. This behavior can lead to dog fights.

At times, dogs hump because they feel itchy or irritated. They hump to scratch their private parts.

One of the most common diseases of a humping dog is urinary tract infection. Skin infection can also be a culprit.

Dogs might also hump others if they’re obsessive-compulsive. This means that the dog humps because it’s a habit.

Read next: Why Does My Dog Only Hump Me?

#2: Dogs smell your private parts

Many people think that dogs get turned on by humans because they smell our private parts. But, this is another misconception.

Can you blame them?

After all, people touch other people’s genitals mostly because of sexual purposes.

People also think that the reason why dogs smell their privates is that they’re too smelly or unclean. This is also false.

You might get embarrassed when a pooch tries to sniff down under. But, this is because of pheromones in your body, not your hygiene.

I bet you feel relieved!

Dogs have no sense of boundaries. So you can expect them to sniff any part of your body that has a smell that they like. As we all know, a dog’s nose is its most powerful tool.

Almost all mammals have apocrine glands. This gland releases pheromones and contains information. Dogs can know a person’s age, sex, and mood just by smelling these pheromones.

For humans, this gland is located in the armpits and genitals. Since dogs can’t reach your armpit, they smell your crotch instead.

A dog smells your crotch because they want to know you and they can smell your pheromones. These pheromones are odorless for humans but dogs can detect this from far.

Dogs also have this gland all over their body. But, the highest concentration is in their butt and genitals.

This is the reason dogs sniff each other’s butts.

Dogs are more likely to sniff your genitals if you:

Gave birth.
Recently had sex.
Are on your period.

In fact, people trained dogs to detect cows who are ovulating.

Note: It’s not proven if dogs can detect ovulation in humans. But, they can sense if something has changed.

Should you stop the behavior?

Now, you know the reason why humans think dogs get turned on by them. I’ve also revealed the reasons why these assumptions aren’t true.

Yes, dogs don’t consider humping and smelling genitals sexual. But, it doesn’t mean we should let our dogs do these.

You should curb the behavior because it can make another person uncomfortable.

Here are ways to stop your pets from humping and smelling your private parts.

Humping

The best way to prevent your dog from humping is if you spay or neuter them when they’re a puppy.

This way, they won’t develop the urge to have sex as much as when they’re intact.

You should ask your vet when you can neuter or spay a dog. A study finds that neutering male dogs before 1 year old can increase their chance of hip dysplasia.

On the other hand, spaying a female dog late can increase the chances of tumors growing.

But if they’re intact, the best way is to redirect and correct the behavior. Their humping is behavioral unless they’re stressed or sick.

To redirect this behavior, your dog must first know how to sit, lie down, or stay.

What you can do is ask your dog these commands when the humping starts. You should reward them every time they do these tricks.

Note: If redirecting isn’t the solution, try keeping them in a crate when visitors arrive. Never scold and yell at your dog for humping.

Crotch-smelling

Bear in mind that crotch-sniffing isn’t a behavioral issue. Your dog just wants to gather information and say hello to a new person.

Dogs smell the crotch of people they just met. They don’t usually smell their owner’s genitals that often because they already know their owner.

Some dogs are really avid crotch-sniffers. What you can do is tell the person to present the dog their fist before crotch-sniffing happens.

This way, they’d smell your fist and get their information there.