Humping. Why do they do it?

This is an excellent article from Bark magazine about humping. It's fairly long so I'm only posting the link and copying and pasting the article.


http://www.thebark.com/content/hmping#.UARUm_U7t8E

It is a great article; thanks for that Blanche.

I have certainly noticed that most of the humping my boys do is based around social excitement; pug parties are a humpfest; visitors often get treated to a "show".

I actually find it quite frustrating when humans project human norms onto dogs and get really hung up about humping. For me there are many other things I would rather they not do than hump, so I concentrate my training efforts on what matters to me. However, visits from the MIL can be excruciating. Fortunately the pugs have realised she is never going to like them, so they rarely bother to put on a show for her any more.

Biggest lecture at Camp Unleashed (google it to see an old Rachel Rae clip about it, if you are interested) is "HUMPING IS NOT ABOUT SEX!"

That being said, after they have "made their point" (so to speak), it's not unreasonable to ask "them" to "lay off" or "move on" to some other way of communicating...

The most awkward scene of course is when someone can't walk just after it because his lipstick is out.

Ray never humps and Minni only air humps if I dare to show Ray too nuch attention if dhe feeling left out. I don't see it as a big deal as it's a pretty rare occurence around here.

CSollers wrote:Ray never humps and Minni only air humps if I dare to show Ray too nuch attention if dhe feeling left out. I don't see it as a big deal as it's a pretty rare occurence around here.

Like you, I don't see a lot of it. If I'm going to see it, I see it in the first couple of days of a new foster who may go hump-crazy. I discourage it, but have never had a really bad humper. Hazel occasionally uses it to subdue a puppy she can't otherwise catch.

Tank air humps in the back seat of the car as we come home from the park or an event. Sits there very quietly and politely with his hips going back and forth. It's hilarious.

My pugs rarely ever hump. I have never seen Tobey (the girl) hump at all. On occasion Skeeter will try to hump Ichiro, but I stop that if it happens, and it is never about dominance, just play and excitement.

I am thankful too that I have never had a foster that was a serious humper.

My boys only do it at the pug meets to each other. Otherwise at home they are content to snuggle.