Reasons for Mounting Behavior in Dogs

Reasons for Mounting Behavior in Dogs

I’ve not read anything serious about the Reasons for Mounting Behavior in Dogs. I made a lot of assumptions, most or perhaps all, of which are wrong according to this trainer’s information.

So if you’re a bit like me. You take this information in, process it and decide if your dog needs a little help.

Take a look at this information from Dogster.com from their Dog Training and Behavior section.

Mounting (or “humping”) in dogs is frequently described as “dominant” behavior. Like most behaviors that are commonly ascribed to dominance, such a label grossly oversimplifies the behavior.  What about dogs who “air hump?”  Are they trying to “dominate” the air?  Does that even make sense?

Mounting in dogs can be a status-seeking behavior. This is only one possible reason a dog may exhibit mounting behavior.

These reasons include, but are not limited to:

Stress or Insecurity

You see this often in under-socialized dogs or dogs who are unsure of their environment.  I had a client with such a dog.  He tried to punish his dog for mounting another male dog.  He said he “didn’t want his dog to be gay.”  (Yes, seriously.)  The problem with punishing this dog is that doing so exacerbated the dog’s stress, therefore, increasing the mounting behavior.  The dog wasn’t dominant. He was nervous.

It Feels Good

I’m just going out on a limb here, but I’m guessing that some dogs simply do this because they like the way that it feels.

For Attention

Some dogs likely hump other dogs, people, or household items because it gets them attention from their owner. That attention may be in negative forms like scolding or other reprimands.

Reproductive Rehearsal

Play is often a way for animals to rehearse behaviors and skills which are important to the survival of both the individual and the species.  Chasing and biting in play are ways that dogs rehearse hunting behaviors.  Biting in play helps dogs learn to control the strength with which they use their teeth when interacting socially with non-prey animals.  Mounting in play helps dogs rehearse, well, procreation.

Hormones

This behavior often appears initially during adolescence.  It can be seen in both male and female dogs.  Sometimes neutering or spaying can decrease the frequency but not always.  Also, if the dog has established a history of engaging in this behavior, neutering or spaying will not solve the problem as it has since become a learned behavior.

Medical Problem

Check with your veterinarian to make sure there is no irritation or inflammation in the genital area.  This may be indicated especially for dogs who chew or lick at these areas excessively or compulsively.

Over-Arousal

I don’t mean sexual arousal, I mean over-stimulation.  The dog is beyond the threshold at which he can make appropriate social situations and is experiencing heightened excitement levels.

Determining why your dog is mounting is the first step in developing an effective treatment plan.  You will likely need the support of both a veterinarian (to rule out and address any potential medical contributing factors) and behavior professionals to learn to deal effectively with your dog’s mounting behavior.

If you have a strong dog exhibiting this or any other negative behavior it is best sometimes to gain the initial control by using a great tool: the strongest Heavy Duty Dog Crates for your strong dog. Once you gain control you can then start effectively teaching.

So if you have a dog exhibiting this type of behavior use these Reasons for Mounting Behavior in Dogs to get to the bottom of it and know why it is happening then you can do something to make a positive difference in your dog’s life. They are depending on us and we have accepted that responsibility.