If you have a female dog that likes to hump stuffed animals, you may be wondering why she engages in this behavior. Humping in girl dogs is actually more common than you might think.
If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer: Girl dogs may hump stuffed animals due to dominance, anxiety, overstimulation, or medical issues like a urinary tract infection.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore the top reasons behind humping in female dogs, when you should be concerned about this behavior, and what you can do to curb it.
Establishing Dominance
Female dogs may hump stuffed animals or other objects as a way to establish their dominance and authority. This type of behavior is driven by hormones and instinct.
Displaying Authority
Humping allows female dogs to exert power and claim possession over an object or territory. It serves as a status symbol, showing their ability to dominate an item.
Even when spayed, female dogs may feel the need to display their strength and leadership. Humping is one outlet for demonstrating their confidence and self-assured nature. It reflects their efforts to control their environment.
Pseudopregnancy
Non-spayed female dogs may experience a false pregnancy after going into heat. Their bodies behave as if pregnant even without a successful mating.
These hormonal changes can cause female dogs to mother stuffed animals or other toys. The nurturing instinct emerges and humping becomes part of their maternal behavior.
Providing proper outlets for this mothering impulse can prevent your female dog from potentially damaging stuffed animals. Offer appropriate alternatives she can focus her efforts on instead.
If your dog excessively humps stuffed animals while showing other signs of false pregnancy, consult your veterinarian. Medication may help stabilize her hormones until the symptoms pass.
Stress and Anxiety
Boredom
Female dogs may hump stuffed animals out of boredom or lack of stimulation. Bored dogs tend to develop repetitive and potentially anxiety-inducing behaviors like humping to occupy themselves. Without enough exercise, playtime, or mental stimulation, your female dog may resort to humping stuffed toys or bedding within reach.
Try providing more interactive toys, longer walks, or dog sports like agility to challenge her mind and body.
Fear or Insecurity
Sudden changes, unfamiliar environments, or stressful events can also trigger anxious or fearful behaviors in female dogs like humping stuffed animals. For instance, a recent move, construction noises, or introducing a new pet may lead to your female dog grasping for security via humping.
Providing comfort items like worn t-shirts with your scent or maintaining normal routines can ease her stress. Additionally, pheromone plug-ins, ThunderShirts, or prescribed anti-anxiety medication may help for more severe anxiety.
In some cases, traumatic experiences like abuse or neglect early in life can also cause lasting insecurities leading to stuffed animal humping later on. Patience, positive reinforcement training, and confidence-building activities can help insecure pups overcome anxieties.
Consulting a vet or certified dog trainer/behaviorist provides professional support as well.
Medical Causes
Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause a female dog to hump stuffed animals or other objects. UTIs are more common in female dogs due to their shorter urethras. Bacteria can get into the bladder and multiply, causing inflammation, pain, and a frequent urge to urinate.
The pressure on the bladder can cause uncomfortable sensations that make the dog seek stimulation or try to soothe themselves by humping stuffed toys. Treating the UTI with antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian will typically resolve the inappropriate humping behavior.
Unspayed Females
Unspayed female dogs may hump stuffed animals when they go into heat. The surge of hormones that accompanies estrus can cause changes in behavior, including persistent mounting attempts. Humping provides physical stimulation that may relieve the frustration and arousal female dogs experience during their heat cycle.
Getting your dog spayed stops the hormonal fluctuations associated with the estrus cycle and often reduces or eliminates humping behavior problems.
In rare cases, some medical conditions like hypothyroidism could also contribute to a spayed female dog humping objects. Discuss any behavior changes with your veterinarian to determine if an underlying medical issue needs treatment.
When to Seek Help for Humping
Speaking with your veterinarian is advisable if your dog excessively humps over several months with no decrease in frequency. They can rule out any medical causes and provide guidance. For example, according to the American Kennel Club, urinary tract infections can elicit humping in some dogs.
You should also contact an animal behaviorist or certified dog trainer if your dog humps multiple times daily or to the extent of irritation and inflammation. They can assess if it’s anxiety-related and design an appropriate treatment plan involving desensitization.
Additionally, a behavior expert is recommended if your attempts to redirect or stop the behavior have failed over many weeks. Or your dog compulsively focuses on and guards her stuffed animal targets. A specialist can identify the underlying motivation and tailor behavior modification techniques.
Veterinary advice would also be prudent if your spayed female suddenly begins humping her stuffed toys when she reaches social maturity at 1-3 years old. This could signal hormonal issues requiring medical therapy.
Finally, if your dog’s stuffed animal humping distresses you, embarrasses guests, or promotes aggression, seeking counsel is wise. They can help ensure everyone’s safety and comfort while resolving the behavior through methods like counterconditioning.
The sooner this is addressed, the better for all.
Stopping the Humping Habit
Ignore the Behavior
One of the best ways to curb your girl dog’s tendency to hump stuffed animals is to simply ignore the behavior. By reacting negatively every time she humps, you may inadvertently be rewarding the behavior with attention. Instead, act neutrally by gently redirecting her to another activity.
She will likely lose interest once she sees the humping earns no reaction.
Redirect Your Dog’s Energy
Your female dog may hump when she has pent-up energy and needs an outlet. Help redirect her energy into positive activities like walks, playing fetch, or training. Make sure she gets plenty of exercise and enrichment. A tired dog is less likely to hump!
You can also give her puzzle toys or chews to distract her from the stuffed animals.
Desensitize Triggers
The stuffed animals themselves may be triggering your girl dog’s humping. To curb this, try desensitization training. Start with a stuffed animal out of reach. Reward calm behavior with treats. Slowly bring the animal closer as your dog remains relaxed.
This teaches her stuffed animals aren’t sexual objects. If she gets over-excited at any point, increase the distance again.
Here is a comparison of effective techniques to stop humping stuffed animals:
| Technique | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Ignore the behavior | Don’t react to reinforce the behavior |
| Redirect energy | Give positive outlets for energy |
| Desensitize triggers | Teach stuffed animals aren’t sexual |
Research shows over 80% of spayed female dogs hump due to dominance, anxiety, overstimulation or playfulness (American Kennel Club). So in many cases, this habit can be curbed with proper training and care. Consult with your vet too, as medical issues may rarely be a factor.
There are also products like anti-humping sprays or remote-activated correction devices. But the humane approaches above should be tried first. The key is remaining patient – change won’t happen overnight.
But with consistency, you can teach your girl dog more appropriate behaviors in place of humping her stuffed friends!
Conclusion
In conclusion, female dogs may hump stuffed animals and other objects due to a variety of factors like dominance displays, stress and anxiety, medical issues, or overexcitement. While humping is normal dog behavior, excessive or inappropriate humping can be a problem.
By identifying the underlying cause and using positive reinforcement training, you can help curb your girl dog’s humping habit. But if the behavior persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, consult your veterinarian to address any potential medical issues.
