My dog keeps humping the cushions

Hulia

12/08/2021, 08:57

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Hi everyone, I’m new to the forum and looking for some advice...

Basically, I have a 5-year-old Japanese Spitz who keeps humping the sofa cushions, the bed, throws, blankets... as soon as we aren't in the same room or if we leave the flat. It happens so often, I’d say about 80% of the time! 😠

No matter how often we catch him in the act and tell him off, it doesn't make a bit of difference – he’s right back at it the next day.

I give him plenty of attention and affection, we take him for walks, he has free access to the balcony all the time, and loads of toys.

He hasn't been neutered yet but we are planning to get him done; we're hoping that might help calm things down a bit.

Thanks in advance for your replies! 🙂

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Mike64

12/08/2021, 10:34

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And just like Emla, it’s only one cushion; he also only does it in the evening now and, as I mentioned before, for a very short time...

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Mike64

12/08/2021, 10:31

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I’m happy to believe that it’s not always sexual… that it could be down to stress… maybe because he doesn’t have a garden anymore?

Either way, mine had been doing it since he was 6 months old—the same age he started marking indoors—and his movements were definitely mimicking a sexual act… what’s more, it was very frequent and seemed to really frustrate him.

Mind you, there’s no point in scolding or punishing him…

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Emla

12/08/2021, 10:27

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Neutering won’t stop this behaviour, but it would definitely reduce it and do away with the mess 😅😆.

But getting him neutered just for that would be a bit of a shame.

One of my neutered dogs does it as well; he has his own blanket and he’s only allowed to use that one.

For my dog, it allows him to release built-up emotions when he’s really happy, so it’s usually in the evening when we’ve got people over (pure class, I know!) or when we’re playing (he alternates between play and his blanket), before having a cuddle on the sofa…

Contrary to what’s been said, it isn’t necessarily a sign of distress; it’s just a way of releasing an overflow of emotions, energy, or excitement…

If you can't stop the behaviour, I’d recommend managing it: give him a special cushion and, as soon as he tries it elsewhere, redirect him to his cushion.

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Hulia

12/08/2021, 10:04

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Hi, as @Kikaah says, mounting isn't a sexual thing; it's a gesture used to relieve stress. You should try to understand the cause of this distress instead. Also, look into his exercise levels. Furthermore, neutering him late won't have an effect on most sexual behaviours anyway.

The problem is, I don't really see what could be stressing him out; he's been doing it since he was a puppy... (I got him at 4 months old). So he's been doing it for just over 4 years, even when I was taking him out for an hour a day on the lead plus having a garden he could use whenever he wanted when we lived in a house. He still gets out now, and has constant access to the balcony.

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Hulia

12/08/2021, 10:01

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In your case, it’s almost certainly a way of releasing tension or frustration (humping isn’t always sexual) when he isn’t with you. Telling him off won’t fix the issue, and neither will having him neutered; he’s just struggling emotionally to cope with you being away. You need to teach him to see your departures as something normal, even positive… perhaps leave him an item of clothing you’ve worn when you head out? Thanks for your reply, but I’m actually at home every day. I only pop out to do the shopping (at which point I move every single cushion out of reach)... but he still does it even when I’m at home but in a different room, despite the fact that no doors are ever closed and he’s free to come into the study with me. For instance, while I’m on the computer in the study, he’ll have a go at the sofa cushion even though we’re actually there...

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Kikaah

12/08/2021, 09:50

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In your case, it’s almost certainly a way of releasing some tension or frustration (humping isn’t always sexual) when he’s not with you. Scolding him won’t solve the issue, and neither will neutering him; he’s just struggling emotionally to cope with your absences.

You should try to teach him to see you leaving as something normal, or even positive… perhaps try leaving him an item of clothing you’ve worn when you head out?

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Mike64

12/08/2021, 09:37

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Hi there, My dog used to do the same thing and it’s definitely a sexual behaviour... You’re lucky you’ve been able to keep him as he is; mine (a Cavalier King Charles) was also marking his territory outside... nothing too serious there... but then he started doing it on the furniture legs, tables, chairs, etc... and that was within his first year. We eventually decided to get him neutered, and we’ve had no more issues with marking indoors. He still humps his cushion every now and then, but not often and not for very long... Mind you, I’ve always heard that some dogs keep certain habits if they’re neutered when they’re a bit older? There can also be health issues, like testicular cancer, which is more common when a dog hasn't been neutered.

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