# Dog humping & smells



## choclabwoody (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi
I didn't know whether to put this in Woody's thread or start a new one. I've started a new one because it might help other people and they might not of read the thread 'Woody, Diary of'.

There has been a number of times that Woody has gone into humping mode with me and some of my visitors. I have noticed with me when he starts to hump, I have put a clean item of clothing on i.e. that's been washed in the washing machine.

Is there a smell or something in the washing detergent I'm using that could be making him act like this?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Is he young? If he is it's probanly just his hormones and a smell could start him off. Our little T-Bo (one year and entire) gets fruity with Britches and Bruce after they've had a bath but a good lloud "Oi" from us soon stops him in his tracks. Never had a humping problem here as I won't allow it and as soon as it has started I have nipped it in the bud. I do think smells start them off, T-Bo seems to like Pet Head shampoo!


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## TheFredChallenge (Feb 17, 2011)

Be stern with your 'NO' when he starts to hump. Fred has never tried to do it with us or other humans and very rarely with other dogs. He does however have a go at his cushion if he thinks I'm not looking. But as soon as I appear on the scene (almost straight away cos I know when he's likely to do it) he then just stops as if to say I wasn't do anything really 

Fred still does a mixture of wees....some girlie, some boy-like and then of course marking produces more of 'the smell' that ain't pleasant. 
Neutering helps but we're still undecided on that one at the minute.


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## choclabwoody (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi
He's 12 months old+ and he does girlie wees and has started to mark his territory outside with cocking his leg. The problem with girlie wees at the moment is that he can't wait to finish and it ends up on him and probably elsewhere around the house when he comes back in.

Hope my clean clothes shouldn't stink of him so there must be something in the washing powder that sets him off. Although saying that he tends to lick me and my clothes all the time and I have to say 'No' and he stops until the next time.


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## TheFredChallenge (Feb 17, 2011)

mm....I'm guessing you can't really control what type of wee a dog is going to do!.....but the more there is to pee up against - the more he'll do boy wees....I know that much!

It comes with time and the girlie wees should be less and less.....unless he's in a lazy mood and can't be bothered cocking! Mine does a mixture of the two as well and he's 14 months.

As for licking you and your clothes - yeh it can be yucky so just try to prevent him doing it and maybe give him an alternative to keep him busy? if he is reluctant to stop.


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## Rottiefan (Jun 20, 2010)

Yes, there could definitely be something in the smell that is getting him over-excited and triggering the humping behaviour. 

Unlike the above posters, I do not think humping is a major issue. Yes, it may be unpleasant and embarrassing, granted, but when we put our egos aside and relax a little, and try and understand why the behaviour occurs, we can actually see it in a better light. 

I wouldn't shout at the dog as I don't think it's a long term solution and may even make the behaviour worse. 

Over-arousal is controlled by particular chemicals in the brain, and in new or unhabituated circumstances, humping is a common behaviour. This same chemical, when increased, can prompt the flight, fight, freeze survival techniques too- humping is another survival technique. 

Shouting at dogs increase their arousal levels, and so I don't think it's a good idea to do so. As you said, your dog stops, but "only till the next time". 

You could either: practice putting on some new clothes, and engaging him immediately in some training. Let him sniff briefly, then engage him again. Repeat this many times, so he learns that the smell of new clothing is a marker or 'sign post' to do some particular command. This should reduce his stress levels.

Alternatively, you could train humping as a particular behaviour. When he humps, reward him through praise and food. Keep doing this until he begins to offer you humping for the reward specifically, and not just out of stress. You can then put a command to it, as a well as an 'off' command. 

I know this may sound like madness, but it helps with a lot of 'problem' behaviours. Humping is incredibly natural for dogs, and many hump and mount during play. It's us humans who see the problem in it, and freak out over dogs humping each other or humans, and it really is unnecessary!


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## TheFredChallenge (Feb 17, 2011)

Well we'll have to disagree on that one. I was always told to stop the behaviour (by an assisting trainer) and I certainly don't think it's acceptable to leave a dog hump a human or another dog. Most dogs dislike a humping dog jumping on their back anyway or mounting and is usually unacceptable in dog world (and they would be 'told' so by the dog underneath) - so why would we leave them to think it's fine to do it? I think you're just setting your dog up for awkward situations if you ignore it and it's a habit that's escalated along the way....what with increasing hormones etc.

Usually it resolves itself but having seen my parents dog show embarrassing manners I'd prefer to try and correct prior to it becoming an issue....especially with humans!


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## Rottiefan (Jun 20, 2010)

TheFredChallenge said:


> Well we'll have to disagree on that one. I was always told to stop the behaviour (by an assisting trainer) and I certainly don't think it's acceptable to leave a dog hump a human or another dog. Most dogs dislike a humping dog jumping on their back anyway or mounting and is usually unacceptable in dog world (and they would be 'told' so by the dog underneath) - so why would we leave them to think it's fine to do it? I think you're just setting your dog up for awkward situations if you ignore it and it's a habit that's escalated along the way....what with increasing hormones etc.
> 
> Usually it resolves itself but having seen my parents dog show embarrassing manners I'd prefer to try and correct prior to it becoming an issue....especially with humans!


I never said that it was appropriate to let the dog do it to other dogs or humans, neither did I advise the OP to just ignore it.

Humping is used in play often. Just because we don't deem it acceptable does not mean it is indicative of underlying behavioural issues. Taking it from the dog's perspectives can help us a lot in training more appropriate behaviours, and so if we see humping as just a case of a dog who can't control their arousal levels, we can find better ways of dealing with the problem, e.g. train a replacement behaviour, get the dog to engage in different behaviours when they get over-aroused, train more impulse control exercises etc.

The ethics, philosophy and science behind punishing dogs for behaviours we don't deem appropriate has been well-documented on this forum alone. Suffice to say, it isn't as simple as just shouting 'No' at a dog to successfully fix behavioural issues. The downsides of using such approaches are far greater than the benefits, IMO. We need to be smarter and less hot-headed during training to the best out of our dogs.

That's why I offered two alternative approaches to helping with the behaviour. Both of which do not involve stressing out the dog even more, or 'correcting' the dog for acting purely out of biological motivations. For me, punishing a dog for humping is synonymous with shouting at someone for getting a little bit panicky.


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## choclabwoody (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi
I have found a way of stopping him more or less, if I tell him to go to his bed he sorts of lies down and has a moan. He doesn't like being on his own and the bed is in the bedroom next door.

It might help Woody but not sure about anyone elses dogs. It also works when he is misbehaving so kind of a result there.

Colin


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