Correcting the Behavior
Make a loud noise. Say “NO” in a strong and loud voice or another loud noise. Dogs often get into a trance as they hump, but a loud noise might be enough to startle your dog out of that trance. Your tone should be assertive, but you need to keep anger out of it since anger can heighten a dog's energy instead of lowering it. Try using another source of noise, like a whistle or air horn. Make sure that these noise makers are far enough away from your dog to prevent damage to the ears. Make the noise when the dog is starting or in the middle of doing the behavior, not afterward.
Ignore the behavior. Dogs sometimes mount people to get attention. Push the dog away or turn away from the dog so they don't get attention. You may also sit down or move away from the dog so they can’t mount you. To push the dog away, gently take the dog by its front legs and set those paws back on the ground. Move yourself. Turning away from the dog or walking a few paces in another direction can work well as long as you remain calm.
Put your dog in "time out." You may need to physically remove your dog from the area if they won’t stop humping. Say “No!” or “Nope!” when the dog humps. Then, lead the dog out of the room and into a quiet, closed room for a few minutes. Let the dog stay in that room alone for a few minutes until they calm down. When you take your dog to a "time out" area, make sure that there are no toys to play with. Leave the dog for 30 seconds to three minutes. Make sure that your dog is calm before releasing them, and when you release them, stay calm and act as though nothing happened.
Keep your dog on a leash. When humping is a persistent behavior, you will likely need to work with your dog every time another person or dog visits your house. Put a short leash on your dog and let them wear it around the house. When the dog needs to go to time out or you have company, you can direct your dog as needed. The leash can also help you remove the dog from aggressive situations. You could either use a tab or a drag-line. A tab is a short piece of leash measuring 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15.25 cm). A drag-line is a 4 to 6 foot (1.2 to 1.8 m) nylon cord.
Redirect your dog's energy. After you get your dog to stop its initial humping, redirect that energy into an acceptable behavior, like playing fetch or other games or activities. Aside from toys, you could also distract and redirect your dog by giving him or her an interactive toy that dispenses treats or by asking your dog to perform a previously learned trick. You may also be able to train your dog to hump a pillow instead of people or other dogs.
Block your dog from the temptation. When you break your dog away from another dog or person it's been humping, you need to keep your dog away. If your dog moves back toward the target while displaying dominant behavior, put yourself in between your dog and the target to physically block your dog from returning. Dominant behavior may include growling or aggression, nudging, pawing, standing over another dog, or taking things away from the other dog. Stay calm as you step in front of your dog. If possible, consider leaning forward or gently knocking your dog with your hip or knee to send a message. Remember that the purpose is not to hurt your dog, but to snap it out of its fixation and let it know that you are taking command of the situation.
Preventing Unwanted Behavior
Exercise your dog. When a dog has too much energy, they can direct that energy toward an unwanted behavior, like humping. If you can thoroughly drain the dog's energy each day with structured exercise, you can help prevent your dog from using their energy on that behavior. Walking your dog is crucial. You can drain a lot of energy by letting your dog run around in a backyard on their own, but walking forces your dog to exercise physically and mentally.
Avoid encouraging the behavior in any context. Some pet owners think it's cute when their dog humps something like a stuffed animal, but if you want your dog to stop humping other dogs or people, you need to stop the behavior in all forms. Encouraging or allowing the behavior in one form will create an inconsistency in your training, making it less effective. You may end up encouraging the behavior without even realizing it. For example, if you laugh or show signs of happiness whenever your dog mounts their favorite plush toy, you are indirectly praising your dog for the behavior.
Distract your dog before it starts. Watch your dog and observe how they act immediately before starting the mounting behavior. When you start to notice these signs, immediately distract your dog with a toy or game before it can engage in the behavior itself. Common signs that your dog may start humping include panting, licking, whining, pawing, or rubbing against something.
Train your dog to leave other dogs alone. If your dog humps other dogs, you may try to train them to obey your commands around other dogs. You may teach them to stay when told, come to you, or to stop. When you see your dog about to hump another dog, you can use one of your commands to interrupt the behavior. Make sure to give your dog a treat for the correct behavior.
Teach your dog an acceptable behavior. Some dogs will start humping for attention when guests visit. If you suspect that this might be an issue, teach your dog an acceptable trick to perform for company, like sitting or begging, and make sure that this trick earns your dog the same amount of attention. If the trick receives positive attention while the mounting receives negative attention, your dog is more likely to want to perform the trick. Consider rewarding your dog with a treat or toy after it performs the trick to reinforce the positive behavior.
Keep your dog away from excessively stressful situations. Humping can also be a response to stress. If you notice that your dog displays this behavior when faced with a source of anxiety, avoid putting your dog in that stressful situation. If the situation is unavoidable, look for ways to make the experience less stressful. For example, petting and grooming can be a trigger for some dogs, in which case, you should limit the time spent doing these activities to a degree your dog can tolerate. If visitors are your dog's trigger, keep the dog in a room until the initial energy and excitement of the visit calms down. Let the dog out once it and all of your visitors are calm.
Work on standard obedience training. If your dog frequently humps you, they are trying to exert dominance over you. To stop this behavior, you need to let your dog know that you're the boss. Standard obedience training is a healthy and effective way to establish this. Obedience training can also help dogs focus and release their energy on something more productive and welcome than mounting. Standard obedience training includes basic commands like “heel,” “sit,” “down,” and “stay.” The overall goal of an obedience training program is to train your dog to listen to you no matter what the command might be.
Seeking Medical Attention
Neuter or spay your dog. At its root, humping is a display of social dominance. However, neutering or spaying your dog can be a helpful measure. Moreover, you should also get your dog fixed as early in its life as possible for the greatest effect. Getting your dog fixed may decrease mounting problems, especially in males. However, this may not eliminate the problem completely. With older dogs, the habit is often ingrained. That's one reason why getting your dog spayed or neutered as a puppy is so important.
Have your dog checked for medical conditions. Your dog’s humping behavior could be linked to an underlying medical condition that causes your dog to act that way. Some medical conditions can be serious if not treated and need proper medical attention. If you believe your dog has underlying issues, take them to the vet immediately. Possible medical conditions that could be contributing to your dog's behavior include urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence, persistent erections, and skin allergies.
Take your dog to an animal behaviorist. If your dog is aggressive when you try to stop them from mounting or humping, you may need to take them to see a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or certified veterinary behaviorist. You shouldn’t try to alter your dog’s behavior if they are aggressive. If you cannot find a certified behaviorist in your area, look for a certified professional dog trainer. Just make sure that the dog trainer has experience dealing with aggression and mounting. If your dog sinks their claws into the skin of a human it mounts, or growls when you try to remove it, this is a more serious problem and should be addressed by a certified applied animal behaviorist.
Ask your vet about appropriate medications. When humping is clearly connected to stress, giving your dog an anti-anxiety medication might be enough to stop the humping and improve your dog's overall mental and physical health. Medication should only be used as a last resort, and even then, only in extreme conditions. For instance, if a dog is displaying other signs of anxiety, like obsessive licking or destructive behavior, he or she might have a serious anxiety issue that needs to be addressed.
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