Female dog humping, also known as mounting, occurs for several reasons. A female dog may hump your leg or those of guests to show dominance. She may also hump as a result of excitement and overstimulation. Although it's usually harmless, this behavior can be bothersome for guests and family members. Fortunately, there are various ways you can make your dog stop humping.
Things You'll Need
- Dog toy
- Dog chewie
- Dog treat
Instructions
Spay your dog. If you have an intact female dog, a spay surgery may reduce her motivation to hump, especially if she only humps when she is in heat. According to Petfinder, females commonly mount during estrus, so spaying helps eliminate humping.
Distract your dog. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), "Some dogs display amorous-looking behavior before mounting, so if your dog sidles up to something or someone and starts to pant, lick, whine, paw or rub against the person, dog or object, he may soon start to mount or hump." If your dog shows any of these signs or begins to mount, distract her by giving her a toy or a chewie. If she has previously learned obedience skills such as "sit" or "shake," ask her to perform one of those tasks.
Change your position. The ASPCA notes, "If your dog has developed a habit of mounting you or other people, discourage him from humping by pushing him off, turning away, sitting down or somehow adopting a position that prevents him from mounting."
Give her a timeout. If your dog won't stop humping after you have changed your position, it may be beneficial to tell her "No" and immediately give her a short timeout. The ASPCA recommends taking her to a quiet room with no toys. Keep her there for one to three minutes. When you let her out, act like the incident never happened. If she tries to hump again, repeat the timeout.
Perform preventive training. Train your dog to do something instead of humping, such as sit, which she can't do while humping. The ASPCA recommends praising her good behavior with a treat. After your dog has performed some polite behaviors and calmed down, offer her playtime with her favorite toy. The ASPCA adds, "This may alter your dog's motivational state so that he's no longer interested in humping." If your dog humps from excitement as a result of people hugging, arguing, greeting, etc., ask your dog to stay during these activities, so her humping behavior is not triggered.
Avoid stressful situations. If your dog only seems to hump when she is stressed, try to avoid those situations. For example, if your dog is stressed when you yell, always talk quietly and calmly when she's around. Petfinder notes that if she humps the legs of guests, you should confine her during their visits and bring her out after things have settled down.