Even though we know dogs can show a tendency to hump, it’s one action owners rarely weather without a little bit of embarrassment. After all, everyone knows what humping means from a human perspective, so it’s almost impossible not to get a little red-faced when it’s your leg caught in the mix.
Fortunately, many of us are wrong about why we think dogs hump. Dogs rarely hump owners and objects for sexual reasons but do it instead for emotional or practical purposes. A deeper need is often at stake, and while it’s a habit most of us would like to ignore, you should consider why your dog might engage in the behavior. If your dog’s exuberance is causing issues, we’ll explore why your dog might hump your leg and easy tips to make it stop.
Why Does My Dog Hump My Leg?
Humping is a perfectly normal behavior in dogs and rarely has a sexual reason, especially if your dog is targeting your leg. Contrary to popular belief, it’s also not necessarily a dominant behavior. In most cases, it’s an affiliative, fear, or social stress-related response, which might explain why humping is more common in smaller dogs.
1. Stress or Anxiety
Humping behaviors can appear when dogs are overstimulated to the point of feeling stress and anxiety. You may see this in a crowded or unfamiliar place or when strangers visit. Children, dogs, and other rambunctious individuals may also overwhelm your dog with rough handling or excitement, causing fear responses like humping.
2. Attention-Seeking
When there’s no apparent stressor to explain the behavior, your dog’s humping may be their strange way of grabbing your attention. Your pet might be happy and excited, and humping is an attempt to show they want to play and spend time with you.
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3. Overexcitement
Playful dogs can let their exuberance get the best of them. When they don’t know what to do with their built-up energy, they’ll unleash it in any way they can, including humping your leg. You might see this when you get home from work, and your dog is overjoyed to see you.
4. Insecurity
Your dog’s humping habit when you get home may also be a sign of an underlying insecurity. To dogs, their attachment to their owner is the most crucial aspect of their lives, and any feeling that their person isn’t a center of safety and security can result in unwanted problem behaviors. A change in routine can trigger this, as can a generally inconsistent communication style, punishment, or lack of attention from their caretaker.
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How to Stop Your Dog From Humping
Owners have several ways to address their dogs’ excessive humping issues, with each focused on one of the root causes. Spaying and neutering, for instance, can reduce the frequency of male dogs humping, as desexing reduces sex drive and aggression.
When your leg is the focus of your dog’s humping behavior, the solution typically revolves around making your dog feel comfortable and occupied to address their over-arousal. Try to assess the situation for triggers whenever it happens.
You can then formulate a game plan to reduce exposure to the stimulus and keep your dog from finding a reason to hump. If you can stop your dog from performing it, the behavior will be more likely to go extinct.
1. Redirect Your Dog
Redirection is an easy way to handle humping as it’s about to happen. If your dog is feeling over-excited during play and starts to hump, toss a toy or engage them in a vigorous game of tug-of-war. In these instances, you must monitor for signs that your dog is about to hump so you can catch them, preventing them from practicing the behavior.
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2, Provide More Exercise and Enrichment
To reduce the likelihood of your dog wanting to hump in the first place, you should consider giving them more enrichment and exercise opportunities. Mental and physical stimulation prevents many stress-related behaviors. The more toys, puzzles, and outdoor activities you can provide, the less likely your dog will be to start humping your leg.
3. Work on Your Bond
Dogs that hump sometimes need reassurance in their relationship with their owners. Make bonding, training, and play a consistent part of their day, and maintain a dependable routine. When your dog knows what to expect and trusts in their relationship with you, they’ll be less likely to show insecure behaviors.
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4. Give Your Dog a Safe Space
Leg-humping is embarrassing when it occurs around guests, and unfamiliar groups are the perfect trigger for the behavior. Stopping your dog from practicing it is crucial in preventing it from becoming a habit, and when you can’t redirect them, you may have to separate them until they can relax.
If you can’t give your dog the attention they need to avoid humping when they feel stressed, set up a safe space away from you and your guests. Giving them an area with their bed, crate, and favorite toys will help them stay calm and put everyone in the house at ease.
5. Talk to Your Vet
Though they won’t necessarily direct it only at your leg, humping may indicate your dog has a health issue. UTIs, incontinence, or allergic dermatitis can cause itchiness and irritation that your dog may try to relieve by humping.
In some instances, humping may also become compulsive. When you can’t pinpoint the reason for the behavior, talk to your vet to have them perform tests and environmental or lifestyle assessments to find the issue and offer treatment.
Final Thoughts
Leg humping can easily lead to an awkward dynamic between you and your dog, but you shouldn’t let it. Despite what it may look like, humping isn’t a sexual act or an attempt to exert dominance.
On the contrary, it typically means your dog needs you in one way or another to help them manage overwhelming fear, stress, or stimulation. Take a positive approach and follow these tips to improve your dog’s well-being and naturally reduce their need to hump.
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