Why Does My Dog Hump After Eating? 5 Reasons

You see your dog is satisfied with the meal they just ate.

And it makes you happy.

But instead of resting, your fur baby does something weird…

They suddenly start humping… anything.

Your leg, the pillows, maybe even your couch.

What’s worse is if your pooch humps your visitors.

It can get embarrassing and irritating.

Is there anything you can do about this?

Continue reading to find out:

5 reasons why your dog humps after eating.
Whether or not dogs only hump out of sexual arousal.
If humping is an invitation to play and if so, if it’s okay to engage with your canine.
And this is just the beginning…

Table of contents

Why does my dog hump after eating?
5 reasons why your dog humps after eating
People also ask:
- Why does my dog hump my leg after dinner?

Why does my dog hump after eating?

Your dog humps after eating because they experienced a surge of energy. The opposite could also make your dog hump – boredom. Your canine may hump to get your attention, too. Humping may also be a sign that your dog is anxious. And they’re trying to calm their anxiety through displacement behavior.

5 reasons why your dog humps after eating

#1: They have a surge of energy

Do you have an active dog? Or maybe your pooch is a working canine breed?

If so, then getting surges of energy may occur more often to your dog. After all, they are bred to work and be active. And they can get disruptive when they don’t have enough exercise.

Some dogs do love to rest after eating. Several canines even sleep after chomping down a hearty meal.

But for dogs who love work and exercise, this might not be applicable. They just love to go out and be active.

And if you don’t take your dog out for an activity, they start to hump things. It’s a way for them to release their urge to work or play.

“So, should I bring my dog out for a run after eating?”

Running to release your canine’s energy may seem logical. But, doing this activity after eating can be harmful to your pooch.

According to The Vet, you shouldn’t let your canine play within 2 hours after eating. Doing so can cause gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV.

Simply put, GDV happens when your dog has a twisted gut. It causes pain, discomfort, and poor bowel movement.

So instead of giving your dog exercise after meals, you should schedule it ahead of time. This way, they won’t crave an activity after eating.

Note: After exercising, give your dog 30 minutes of rest before giving them their food. If they eat immediately after an activity, it can cause GDV, too.

You may also wonder: 15 Weird Reasons Why Your Dog Is So Hyper All Of A Sudden

#2: They’re trying to get your attention

There are several ways our dogs try to catch our attention. And a lot more reasons why they do so.

Here are some actions that indicate your fur baby needs attention:

Another behavior your canine might do is hump something. Especially if you keep on giving them attention when they do it.

Humping may be the main method your pooch does to get their needs addressed.

One reason your dog wants your attention is that they want to cuddle. Or maybe they’re getting jealous. This can happen if you have several canines.

“Dogs get jealous, too?”

Yes, they do. In fact, research shows that dogs feel jealousy just like children.

Just watch this jealous pooch trying to get their father’s attention:

Have you ever seen your dog get jealous? They usually do these things:

Growling at you.
Getting too near your personal space.
They push the thing you’re giving attention to e.g. laptop, another canine, or your partner.

If you’re not too busy, you can give your pooch a quick belly rub. Or get them to sit beside you on your couch.

#3: They want more food

Your Dog Humps You After Eating Because They Want More Food

Another reason why your dog humps after meals is to ask for more food. There are some fur parents who might not know the proper amount of meals for their dog.

Canines have different consumption needs. And these change throughout their life. A normal healthy dog usually eats twice a day.

But your dog may need more if they’re active. The more exercise they do, the more fuel they need. This is true for working dogs, too.

Examples of these canines are:

Boxer.
Kuvasz.
Cane Corso.
Great Pyrenees.
German Pinscher.
Alaskan Malamute.
Doberman Pinscher.
Black Russian Terrier.

Their age, breed, and size will also affect their consumption.

The contents of your dog’s meals matter, too. If they’re not getting a balanced diet, it can create a lack of nutrition.

Make sure that your pooch is full by giving them enough fiber. Fibrous meals are low in calories but can fill your dog’s tummy easily.

This is why vets suggest giving more fiber to overweight canines. Here are some fibrous human food dogs can eat:

Apple.
Orange.
Beet pulp.
Brown rice.

Another reason why your pooch feels hungry is a lack of protein. Dogs are designed to eat meat. Even the structure of their teeth says so.

Canines have incisors used to cut flesh.

#4: They’re sexually aroused

Well, this one is pretty obvious. Dogs sometimes hump because they feel aroused. Humping looks like a sexual act. And your fur baby just might be ready to mate.

Sexual arousal in dogs is normal behavior. Especially during mating season.

Well, canines don’t really have a specific time when they have to mate. Unlike other animals that have a fixed mating schedule.

Take birds for example. These animals usually mate during the spring. And most of them do breed during this time without fail.

Dogs on the other hand have no breeding seasons. What female dogs have, though, are estrous cycles. According to the VCA, this usually happens twice a year.

And when your pooch is in heat, they easily get sexually aroused. Male dogs can also sniff out bitches that are ready to mate.

This is because, during the estrous cycle, a female dog’s pee contains hormones. And this can signal other canines that they’re ready to reproduce.

If you have a male fur baby, they might be able to smell a female dog’s pee. Which in turn can arouse them. And cause humping in your home.

Another way for male dogs to smell a bitch’s hormones is through you. An encounter with a female canine in heat can make you become a carrier of their hormones.

And if you bring the smell to your home, it can arouse your pooch.

#5: They’re feeling anxious

What do you usually do when you’re anxious? Some people fiddle with their fingers. Others bite their nails.

I even know some people who play with their hair when they’re up for a presentation. Behaviors like these are pretty common in humans. It’s pretty common for dogs to feel this way, too.

Research shows that the major reasons why dogs get anxious are because of the following:

Noise sensitivity.
Separation anxiety.
General fearfulness.

The study reveals that being sensitive to noise is the top cause of anxiety.

It’s estimated to occur to 39.2% of dogs. 26.2% have general fearfulness. And 17.2% of the respondents said their dogs have separation anxiety.

And when a dog feels anxious, they might show displacement behaviors. These are activities that canines do when they don’t know how to react to something.

Let’s say, for example, your dog meets a new person. If they’re not well-socialized, they have the tendency to “act out.” One of the ways they do this is through humping.

A dog’s internal emotional conflict causes them to do “weird” things. This might be why your pooch humps your visitors. It just so happens that your guests arrived after your dog ate.

New and tasty food may also cause displacement behaviors in canines. Since treats can make them excited and they might not know how to properly react.

Don’t forget to check out: 19 Proven Ways To Calm Your Anxious Dog (How-To Guide)

Bonus: They’re trying to soothe themselves before sleeping

Have you seen babies suck on their thumbs before sleeping? That’s a self-soothing behavior. Thumb-sucking can help some kids sleep, that’s why they do it.

And this can happen to your pooch, too. Not that they have thumbs to suck. But rather, they display actions that can soothe themselves.

According to Dr. Bergman, one self-soothing method dogs do is by humping. You might see them hump their toys, pillows, and blankets. Or any other object that’s near them before they sleep.