Why Does My Dog Still Hump Even Though He's Neutered?

Neutering a male dog renders him unable to reproduce, so it's logical to assume he won̵7;t want to hump anymore since humping is a sexual behavior. But many neutered dogs mount other dogs or try to hump their owners' legs. Although unneutered dogs typically hump more frequently than neutered dogs, neutered dogs might still hump for reasons other than sexual ones.

  1. Dominance

    • A dog who humps displays dominance over the submissive dog he is humping. Dogs learn the behavior as puppies during play. Puppies cannot reproduce yet, but they hump. They aren't doing so for sexual reasons. They hump to show littermates who is boss. Humping demonstrates power. Humping is not strictly a male behavior. Some female dogs hump others to show their power; sometimes, a powerful female dog will mount a submissive male dog. The term "top dog" originates from the dominant humping display, according to Stanley Coren, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of dog behavior books, in "Psychology Today."

    Habit

    • The older a dog is before he's neutered, the more likely it will be for humping behavior to continue. When a dog is neutered, his testosterone levels are diminished, and he becomes less aggressive and less likely to hump, no matter what age the dog is when you neuter him. But the longer a dog lives unneutered, the more his behaviors are shaped by the testosterone and the more likely it is that humping has become a habit. The familiar testosterone-laced traits of dominance and aggression aren't as likely to subside in a dog who has been filled with testosterone for years, particularly if the dog is aggressive or dominant.

    Fun

    • Some dogs continue to hump after being neutered because they've always done it before and had fun. Humping, to a neutered dog who is not engaging in sexual behavior, is just something to do, similar to jumping or barking, said Gary Landsberg, a Canadian veterinary behaviorist, in WebMD. If dogs who find humping behavior fun aren't taught not to hump, they have no reason to stop.

    Considerations

    • A neutered dog who humps is nothing to be alarmed about. But you should not allow your neutered pal to hump your leg. It's not funny or cute. Your dog is not humping you to show affection. He is humping your leg to let you know he considers himself your boss. Dogs in that position are typically more difficult to train and are less apt to follow your house rules. If you allow your dog to hump your leg, you are letting your dog think he is boss. He will be less likely to listen to you because you hold lesser rank in your dog's eyes.