humping

[vanessacat]

Why does my 3 yr old dog hump my animals!

[PurplePixie]

I'm not an expert but from my experience it looks like some dogs do this as a kind of habit, rather than it being a sexual thing. Obviously if your dog is not castrated or if it's a girl, spayed, than it possibly could be a hormonal urge. I've noticed in my own dogs, that it can be a dominance thing. The dog demonstrating to the cat/rabbit or whatever it happens to be humping,  that it is higher in the pack.

[natalie_1982]

We are talking cuddly animals? Or does he go humping ducks at the pond?  Or birds in the back garden?  Or your cat?

[simms]

It's slightly off the question, but my family of rabbits (mother and four babies) took to humping each other asap, and it seemed to me to be a sort of inbuilt instinct that the bigger / dominant one got on the back of the smaller one - maybe its same with your dog. At least he leaves your leg alone

[natalie_1982]

Simms, my rabbit used to ferosciously stalk my poor guinea pig and hump it.  She didn't like it (not surprisingly) and I am convinced that that was her reason for hermany attempted escapes.

[Newt]

Sometimes it's to show dominance and other times it could be boredom. Also, if the animal being humped is giving off pheromones, that could cause the situation. In the case of boredom or dominance, a long walk daily will help, but it should be done with the dog exiting the house behind the owner and walking along side or just behind the owner. They should not be allowed to sniff the ground until the owner allows it. This 'puts the dog in it's place' with the owner being more dominant. The collar needs to be high on the neck just belowe the ears like you would see at a dog show.

[Newt]

I forgot to ask of your dog is neutered. If not, getting him neutered will also help.

[nrmatth]

it's probably a dominace thing.  My dogs are spayed and they do this a lot and even to other animals.  We had a brave bunny that tried to do this to the dogs at times (by grabbing their heads).  I know cows do this. the one being humped is the dominant one for them.