My Dog Is Trying To Hump My New Puppy

The Short Answer is:

In dogs, mounting and humping can occur for various reasons, and puppies are not uncommon victims of this behavior. There is likely no cause for significant concern despite the embarrassing occurrences. Nevertheless, if you are concerned about this behavior or believe it could be harmful to your puppy, you can take steps to minimize it.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “My Dog Is Trying To Hump My New Puppy“.

Bringing a new puppy into a home is exciting and rewarding for many people because they will get to see their beloved dog fulfill the role of “big brother” or “big sister.” 

Having an older dog hump the new puppy is not a good idea however.

Mounting and humping are natural behaviors for dogs and the discomfort only exists in their owners’ minds. 

Since the dog sees nothing inappropriate about this behavior it is the humans responsibility to establish its inappropriateness. 

Additionally to being embarrassing this behavior can also be harmful to the puppy either through physical injury or aggressive behavior on the part of the older dog.

It is important to understand this behavior before attempting to control it.

Why do dogs mount and hump each other?

A dogs normal behaviors include mounting thrusting (humping) and masturbation.

Also dogs sexually self-stimulate in a variety of ways.

The animals mount and thrust against other animals people and objects such as wadded-up blankets dog beds and toys.

Dogs sometimes just rub against people or things (without mounting them) or lick themselves.

The normal sexual behavior of spayed and neutered dogs is to mount.

It is common for both sexes to mount other dogs humans and objects.

The majority of people do not realize that this activity isnot limited to intact male canines and that neutered males can have erections and ejaculate in the same way intact animals can.

Sexual mounting is frequently accompanied by flirty body language and courting behavior.

Is it normal for a new puppy to be humped?

This can be caused by a variety of factors including domination fun sexual attraction excitement anxiety or a more serious medical condition.

However this unpleasant characteristic is commonplace in reality.

Since mating is a perfectly natural occurrence it can be difficult to train a dog not to engage in this behavior.

Generally speaking dogs wait until a puppy reaches sexual maturity and is in heat before they hump it but it is not uncommon for puppies to be humped by older dogs.

Although this behavior is usually harmless it does have the potential to hurt the puppy in extreme situations.

What is the best way to stop a dog from humping a puppy?

In case your dog has developed the habit of humping your new puppy push him away. In case your dog would not stop simply te”No!” and let him out for a brief time-out in a quiet room.

Ensure that the time-out room does not have any entertaining toys for him to play with.

Allow one to three minutes for your dog to be alone.

After the time-out has ended allow your dog to go outside and act as if nothing has happened. It is unnecessary to act outraged.

If your dog tries to mount the puppy again follow these steps and give him another time-out.

You may have to separate your puppy from the older dog completely until the older dog learns to control his impulses.

Before the behavior can be fully controlled a professional may also need to intervene.

Contact a professional dog trainer who has experience intervening in these types of behaviors or simply watch videos online to see how other owners have handled the situation.

What’s the best way to stop humping in general?

If your dog is mounting an inanimate object a puppy or guests and redirecting does not help do not yell or make a fuss. As an alternative simply approach the dog and lead them quietly to their crate or another quiet place.

You can also prevent humping by controlling your dogs environment.

They should have chew toys and other activities that will keep them active and expend energy.

Remove the toy or other object that your dog is huffing at until the habit subsides.

If you are expecting a visitor and you do not want your dog to mount under any circumstances simply move your dog out of the way.

In addition if your dog hasnot been spayed or neutered some professionals recommend neutering to prevent sexually driven mounting.

You should also bear in mind that current research indicates that spaying or neutering certain breeds at a young age can have long-term health consequences.

So if your dog is still young you may want to continue to manage their behavior through training until they reach the age when neutering is safe.

Will a puppy sometimes hump an older dog?

It is not uncommon for puppies to mount and hump littermates older dogs people and toys.

In the opinion of some specialists this action serves as a warm-up for future sexual experiences.

In sexual situations puppies begin humping other canines as they mature sexually.

Even after being neutered or spayed many female dogs and male dogs continue to mount because the activity feels really good for them.

At what age does humping start?

Dogs do not reach sexual maturity until they’re between six and eight months old so humping before that is not considered sexual play.

A puppy learns about establishing power and standing in the pack through this technique.

Therefore even if your dog is female or has been spayed or neutered it can persist into maturity.

In an environment that is tense or exciting dogs may mount items.

When your puppy greets you at the door with a welcoming leg-hump its probably because they’re happy to see you.

If your puppy is terrified it could also happen at the dog park.

The body language associated with sexually motivated mounting includes wagging tails sniffing crying and pawing.

Do neutered males hump more or less than unneutered males?

Even though neutering reduces the amount of testosterone in a dogs system there is still some testosterone in the animals body.

Consequently certain animals will still mount but less frequently.

The hormones play a role in mounting or humping but they can also occur in non-sexual situations.

In this scenario it is referred to as displacement behavior which is an act performed out of context.

In some cases mounting could indicate a medical issue such as a urinary tract infection especially if it is a new behavior.

You should consult your veterinarian if your dog has never mounted before and the habit occurs frequently.

Alternatively it may be a symptom of an illness or hormonal disorder that mimics a testosterone boost.

When a dog has suddenly been mounted it may be vital to examine its health.

Do female dogs hump? And why?

During mating females in heat frequently mount and hump their male “potential candidates.”

When both or one of the females is in heat they will often mount and hump one another.

Dogs of both sexes mount people other dogs and objects.

Most people are unaware that this activity is not limited to intact male canines.

The canine play behavior includes sexual actions such as mounting and stroking.

It can also be triggered by stressful or exciting circumstances.

Occasionally female dogs will mount humans other dogs or objects to attract attention especially if they do not get enough exercise and affection during the day.

A dog however prefers negative attention (such as being told “no”) to no attention at all.

Can humping lead to more aggressive behavior?

Mounting behavior is not always related to sexual activity. Rather it is often a social activity and sometimes even a source of pleasure.

It is common for dogs to mount and dominate other dogs in a non-sexual manner.

When puppies as young as 3-4 weeks are engaged in it it is primarily about play and socialization.

The act of mounting people is entirely non-sexual; it can be performed for many reasons including dominance attention and stress relief.

Unfortunately unwanted mounting is a common cause of aggression in the dog being mounted.

This type of unwanted attention can and frequently does cause the impacted animal to lash out aggressively in order to stop the behavior.

Because of this you must teach the offending animal that this behavior is not acceptable.

What are some of the strangest things that dogs will hump?

Dogs often hump toys stuffed animals blankets and human legs as part of their hump behavior.

Many of the reasons outlined above explain why a dog can hump practically anything.

There is no rhyme or reason to this behavior so nothing about the way a dog heaps up can be considered “strange”.

Final thoughts on dogs humping puppies

In dogs mounting and humping can occur for various reasons and puppies are not uncommon victims of this behavior.

There is likely no cause for significant concern despite the embarrassing occurrences.

Nevertheless if you are concerned about this behavior or believe it could be harmful to your puppy you can take steps to minimize it.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.