Puppy Humping!

MyValentine · 02-09-2010, 09:56 PM

Loekin and I were playing and he came over and grabed my arm with his front legs and proceeded to hump my arm!
I jerked my arm away and as I did that he ran over to his stuffed dog and started humping it!!!
He is only 7 weeks old! Why is he doing this?!
Is it normal for such a young puppy to hump? What should I do about it?

**Criosphynx** · 02-09-2010, 10:00 PM

its normal.

They are practicing life skills. Just like they practice hunting by biting and chasing.

Sex is a life skill. His genes say he need to practice it.

It can also be play. Just interupt him (politely LOL) and redirect him. He should do it on and off alot the first few months or so.

Luv2byte · 02-09-2010, 10:06 PM

Just give him an 'ah ah' sound & help refocus him. Puppies, male & female, hump as they are learning dominance, their place in the world & getting ready for the world.

MyValentine · 02-09-2010, 10:07 PM

Thanks! I thought something was wrong with him lol

**fawkese1** · 02-09-2010, 10:10 PM

lol... nope, nothing wrong with him, totally normal, albeit sometimes embarrassing behavior

like the others said, just interrupt, and re-direct..

Sarah · 02-09-2010, 10:31 PM

Oliver humped EVERYTHING all the time from about 3-8 months old. He is now 9.5 months old and still not neutered but actually doesn't hump much anymore. Occasionally he still does, but not much. Boys will be boys they hump for "fun" and dominance as well. Right now Jayda's been doing all the humping. She pins Oliver down and goes at it! It is definitely a dominance thing for girls. She's basically trying to tell Oliver that she owns him and she is the master. ha. I actually feel really bad for Oliver cause he doesn't even fight it.

Anyways... it's def normal. If you are bothered by it you could try and distract him, but I say just let him do his thing. It's not hurting anyone.

elisabeth · 02-09-2010, 10:55 PM

Stark use to hump our male neutered cat!

Poor Dexter!

I would just use "ah ah" and redirect.

It is not a sexual thing at this age, it's a domanice, instincutal thing.. no need to worry. If you don't like it, just redirect it.

**fawkese1** · 02-09-2010, 11:32 PM

there is an article in this thread that you may find interesting MyValentine...

Fixed Action patterns

**Criosphynx** · 02-10-2010, 12:41 AM

read my mind ^^

dominant is simply a description of the animal in possession of a resource. It is not a personality trait. I fail to see how humping gives a dog premier access to a resource. I do see how it could be an animal practicing som'thing he needs for life.

There are studies in rast that find that female rats mount as a soliticting behavior. This is in line with my observations.

**fawkese1** · 02-10-2010, 12:42 AM

it is such a good article... and such a good explanation...