A female dog mounting a male?
How does that even work?
They’d have some serious maneuvering to do.
What’s surprising is this behavior isn’t rare.
And I’m sure you’re wondering,
“Why does my dog do this?”
Keep reading to discover:
- 3 things to do to stop your dog from humping.
- 3 medical conditions that result in this behavior.
- 9 reasons why a female dog would hump a male dog.
- Precisely why you shouldn’t let your dog hump other dogs.
- And many more…
Table of contents
Why would a female dog hump a male dog?
A female dog would hump a male dog because she’s initiating sexual behaviors. It also happens because they want to play and they’re excited. Other reasons include: seeking attention, boredom, canine OCD, UTIs, allergies, or incontinence. Humping happens if they’re not spayed or lack socialization.
9 reasons why a female dog would hump a male dog
#1: They’re initiating sexual behaviors
Your dog might do it because they’re feeling a bit amorous.
This often happens with females in heat.
They’re signaling that they’re ready.
This study lists the other behaviors to watch for:
- Swollen vulva.
- Ducking down.
- Moving tail to the side.
- Pointing rear end towards male dog.
- Frequent urination around the immediate area.
If you don’t want breeding to happen, remove your female dog from the area.
Make it so they can’t reach each other. Because dogs will try anything.
You can try installing sturdy and high baby gates. Or you can keep them in separate areas of the house.
Further reading: 17 Tips On What To Do When Your Dog Is In Heat (& Bleeding)
#2: Inviting play
Don’t get alarmed if your female pup starts humping all her male friends.
According to PetMD, humping is a natural form of play.
This is why most puppies will try their best to hump other dogs.
It also happens in older dogs who don’t know appropriate play behaviors.
Because they weren’t taught how to respond.
“What are the other ways to invite play?”
The AKC says one of the first things dogs do is the play-bow.
They bend down at the front with their back in the air.
Playful dogs also act silly by bouncing and jumping around.
#3: Response to excitement
Dogs often hump because they’re very stimulated.
They may hump other dogs because they’re excited to meet them.
Sometimes they express excitement by humping the nearest dog.
My friend’s dog, Hela, used to do this whenever her hoomans arrived home.
The moment her dog parents came inside, Hela jumped around in circles with a happy grin.
Sometimes she’d get so excited that she’d hump her doggy siblings. And not only that, but she also humped stuffed toys and even other humans.
#4: They’re not spayed
Female dogs who aren’t spayed often do this to male dogs.
Or those who have retained ovaries. Even if they’re spayed.
The issue here is hormonal, according to UC Davis.
As female dogs grow sexually mature, their hormone levels also get higher.
This leads to an increase in behaviors like inappropriate humping.
“What should I do if I don’t want my dog to hump?”
If it’s related to their hormones, spaying will reduce this behavior.
Spaying or ovariohysterectomy is where the vet surgically removes their ovaries and uterus.
It offers a lot of benefits.
According to VCA it:
- Prevents their heat.
- Promotes longer lifespans.
- Reduces escape behaviors.
- Prevents separation anxiety.
- Eliminates hormonal fluctuations.
It also has a number of health benefits such as eliminating or preventing risks of:
- Pyometra.
- Breast cancer.
- Uterine or ovarian cancer.
#5: To seek attention
Our dogs know what to do to get our attention.
And for some, it manifests in humping.
They don’t stop because they learned that their dog parents laugh at them when they do it.
But they also do it because they get yelled at. For them, it’s still attention. Even though it’s negative.
“How do I teach my dog to stop humping?”
If they do it to gain attention then there are 3 things to do:
- Redirect their inappropriate humping.
- Teach a new behavior to do instead of mounting.
- Reinforce it until it becomes a habit.
This is what my friend from reason #3 did with her dog.
For a long time, she wondered why Hela humped a lot.
Then it hit her. She paid too much attention to Hela when she arrived home.
So my friend tried this method:
Correcting inappropriate humping
She paid little attention to the dog when she opened the door.
Just a short, “Hello, Hela.”
At first, Hela didn’t know what to do. But when she tried to hump, my friend walked away.
On the 3rd try, Hela didn’t try to jump or hump. That’s when my friend asked her to “Sit”.
When Hela did it, that’s when my friend gave her pets.
They had to repeat the exercise a few times.
But it wasn’t long before Hela learned to behave when people came in.
Note: You can try this method if your female dog tries to hump male dogs.
Take away the male dog when they try to do it.
It helps them learn that humping = their friend going away.
#6: Boredom
Dogs and boredom don’t make the best combination.
Canines with nothing to do will find something to entertain them.
This is why there are times when you come home to a wrecked house.
And sometimes entertainment happens by humping another dog.
“How do I help my dog avoid boredom?”
You can eliminate boredom through regular exercise.
Take your dog for a walk every day. Maybe bring along a tug toy for a bit of playtime on the road.
And when you do leave your pooch, leave them a toy.
Such as a food-stuffed KONG. These are durable and reliable chew toys.
You can put food like:
- Fruits.
- Kibble.
- Treats.
- Bone broth.
- Peanut Butter.
And if you’re pooch can chew through anything, there’s also the KONG Extreme Dog Toy.
Leaving one with your dog gives them something to do.
So they won’t have to resort to humping for entertainment.
Watch this video for tips and tricks in using the KONG:
#7: Canine OCD
This mental disorder is also known as canine cognitive dysfunction or CCD.
According to the AKC, CCD is the extreme repetition of normal behaviors.
Interesting fact: Dogs with CCD have similar brain abnormalities as humans with OCD, as this study states.
It’s so hard for a dog to stop. It prevents them from functioning as normal.
Behaviors like:
- Licking.
- Staring.
- Barking.
- Freezing.
- Spinning.
- Eating dirt.
- Drinking water.
- Chasing their tail.
- Sucking their flanks or a toy.
- Snapping at invisible things.
Although it’s rare that humping a male dog signals CCD.
But you have to look out for extreme repetition of humping.
Does it happen all the time?
Do you find it difficult to get your dog to stop?
If so, then CCD may be the reason.
Have your pooch checked by your vet. You may need to get help from a veterinary behaviorist through the AVSAB’s directory.
#8: Medical issues
There are times when humping signals medical issues with your dog.
They might try to soothe pain in that area by doing it to others.
3 of the most common are:
- UTIs.
- Allergies.
- Incontinence.
For an accurate diagnosis from your vet, you can try journaling or filming the symptoms of your dog. Other than the humping, of course.
Here are the signs to look out for in UTIs:
- Difficulty urinating.
- Bloody or cloudy urine.
- Straining or whimpering when peeing.
Next, urinary incontinence is when your pooch can’t control their pee.
According to PetMD, the most obvious sign is when dogs pee in inappropriate places. Like their beds or your couch.
While allergies can happen because of food sensitivities. Or when your dog’s food or environment causes:
- Hives.
- Sneezing.
- Itchy ears.
- Itchy, red skin.
- Swelling of face, ears, lips, eyes.
It’s simple. Your pooch doesn’t know how to act properly.
This happens with puppies who didn’t have enough time to socialize with their mom.
It’s often the momma dogs who teach their pups how to behave properly.
It also happens with pups who grew up alone.
And their dog parents didn’t take them out to meet other dogs.
Correct this by teaching your dog to do another behavior instead of humping.
Step 1: Start by telling her to “Sit” when meeting other dogs.
Step 2: If she starts humping. Lead her in the opposite direction.
Step 3: Repeat the exercise, until she sits before the other dog.
Step 4: Release her and let them sniff each other. If your pooch wants to start humping, lead her away again.
This exercise teaches your dog that it’s polite to start friendships slowly.
With time, they’ll form a great bond. Plus, your dog learns that there’s no need to jump on a new friend.
You might also want to know: 15 Ways To Tell That Your Dogs Are Bonded To Each Other