Is it normal for female dogs to hump?
It may seem unusual, or sometimes even comical, to see a female dog humping, but this is actually a fairly common behaviour irrespective of gender.
Humans often assume that humping behaviour is connected to mating or the desire to establish social dominance, but in reality, this is rarely the case.
Why do female dogs hump?
Female dogs hump for a number of different reasons. Stress, a surge in hormones or reinforcement from humans can all play a part.
Here are some of the most common reasons for this behaviour:
Anxiety and stress
Humping is often a sign of overwhelm in both male and female dogs.
Dogs that don't know how to appropriately deal with stress or anxiety may resort to this behaviour to diffuse the situation. If the behaviour isn't addressed, it can then become compulsive over time as the dog tries to relieve their feelings of anxiety.
Boredom
Humping may indicate that your dog needs more physical and mental stimulation.
If your dog seems to have excess energy and they start humping when there's nothing to do, this indicates boredom is the cause.
Hyperarousal
Some dogs will respond to meeting new people or dogs by humping, as a sign of over-arousal. This is particularly common in under-socialised dogs, who may feel overexcited or nervous on first meeting.
Humping behaviour may be accompanied by mouthing.
Sexual maturity
Hormone changes may result in your female dog humping, particularly as they mature.
Mounting behaviour may follow on from pawing or play bowing and sniffing.
Allergies or other underlying conditions
Skin issues, allergies and urinary issues are all believed to contribute to humping behaviours, as the dog tries to relieve symptoms and possible discomfort.
If you can't identify another cause of the behaviour, you will need to arrange a check-up with your veterinarian.
Why do female dogs hump people?
In addition to overexcitement and arousal, humping can also be an attention seeking behaviour.
In many cases even negative attention is rewarding to dogs, which makes them more likely to perform the behaviour in the future.
If you talk to your dog and push them down when they try to hump, you may inadvertently be encouraging your dog when they're bored and want attention.
Why do female dogs hump other dogs?
If you've noticed your female dog humping other dogs, this may be due to anxiety, excitement or over-arousal.
It may mean that they don't feel fully comfortable with the interaction, or that they need to take a moment to calm down and settle, before any kind of play can begin.
Will spaying stop my female dog humping?
Spaying and neutering will stop mounting behaviour in some cases, but this will only work if you're certain there are no other factors at play.
It's important to remember that it can take around 3 months for hormones to leave the body after being spayed or neutered, so your dog isn't going to stop humping straight after their operation.
Equally, the behaviour will not go away if it has been reinforced and is now considered a learned behaviour.
Should I worry about my female dog humping?
While mounting behaviour can be harmless, excessive humping may signal stress, hormonal changes or underlying health issues.
If you notice your female dog humping more frequently, or suspect the behaviour is causing discomfort, it's wise to seek medical care for your pet. Your vet will help determine whether they have a health or hormonal issue that needs to be addressed.
How to stop your female dog humping
In addition to a vet check-up for hormonal issues and allergies, training and enrichment can also help put an end to your female dog humping. This is often necessary in cases where mounting has become a learned behaviour.
Training
To begin, you will need to spend some time getting to know your dog's body language. Dogs that hump to relieve anxiety will often have shown other stress signals before humping begins.
Ask your pet for a certain behaviour at this time and reward them immediately using positive reinforcement.
Then, you can redirect them to a calming activity, such as a Licki mat or a chew toy.
This will be particularly helpful if your dog has learned that humping results in attention. Depending on the frequency of the mounting behaviour and your own experience, you may decide to seek the help of a professional.
Exercise
Female dogs sometimes mount through boredom. Exercise and playtime can help, particularly in the case of puppies and young dogs who need plenty of physical stimulation on a daily basis.
Enrichment
Enrichment and relaxation techniques can help reduce anxiety, and in turn the mounting behaviour.
Interactive toys, such as puzzle feeders and treat balls, are a great way to help redirect your dog's focus, offering them a soothing outlet for their energy.
Scent work is another excellent form of enrichment. Scatter feeding your dog or puppy their food can help encourage natural seeking behaviour, which helps with relaxation. Treat hide and seek, snuffle mats and DIY scent games can all provide great mental stimulation, which may help prevent humping.
Training sessions, including trick training, can help keen your dog's brain active, in addition to strengthening the bond you both share.
Creating a calm, relaxing space for your dog to decompress and rest can also help, particularly if your dog humps when they're overtired.
