How to Stop Dog Humping

Dog humping can be an attempt to assert dominance.

Dogs are sweet, devoted and loving, but even the best of dogs can do annoying, unpleasant things. One of the most embarrassing dog behaviors is humping or mounting. It's something you have to stop early.

Things You'll Need

• Dog
• Water pistol or mist bottle

Instructions

1. Yell "NO!," clap your hands, or make other sudden, loud noises when you catch your dog humping. Some people suggest using air horns or other really piercing noise-makers, but that's a bad idea. You don't want to make your dog deaf.

2. Spray your dog with a spritz from a water bottle. Of course, that means you have to either carry a water bottle with you from room to room or have one in every room. The same would naturally apply for a water pistol.

3. Learn the causes for dog humping. A dog can hump to display dominance, to masturbate, or to initiate intercourse. It can be done by males or females. Know that the humping may have nothing to do with sex or dominance--it may simply be a form of play. Dogs aged 6 months to 2 years are the ones most likely to hump. If they get into the humping habit at that age, it's much harder to break later on.

4. Keep your eyes open if your dog has any access to kids. An adult might find a humping dog embarrassing or even amusing, but a child can be terrified if a dog starts humping him.

5. Distract your dog in mid-hump with his favorite toys, a ball or other sort of playful redirection. If he likes plastic flying discs, toss one across the room and see how he reacts.

6. Leave the room suddenly. Your dog may stop humping if you stop paying attention to him.

7. Ask your vet to give your humping male dog an injection of female hormones and see if that helps.

8. Neuter your dog and you'll find the humping will slow down and may eventually stop, but neutering is no sure cure if the dog has firmly established the habit.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish