# 3 month old bitch lab humping dinosaur...???



## snadge (Nov 9, 2011)

our 3 month old bitch lab *|Bella *has started humping her soft dinosaur toy, she has had it since we got her, im wondering if she has caught us laughing at her and so continues to do it, we've only seen her attempt it 2 or 3 times but when she has done its just been a couple of quick 'pumps' then stops - but tonight she done it several times over and we were laughing at her and I wonder if thats why she kept doing it?

is this normal behavior for bitches...?

thanks


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

snadge said:


> our 3 month old bitch lab *|Bella *has started humping her soft dinosaur toy, she has had it since we got her, im wondering if she has caught us laughing at her and so continues to do it, we've only seen her attempt it 2 or 3 times but when she has done its just been a couple of quick 'pumps' then stops - but tonight she done it several times over and we were laughing at her and I wonder if thats why she kept doing it?
> 
> is this normal behavior for bitches...?
> 
> thanks


Yep - totally normal for bitches  it's usually a sign of dominance rather than sexual at that age.

You should be around my house at season time, the guys are confined to barracks whilst the girls are humping each other for dear life 

ETA - Between them - my girls have always been far worse humpers than my boys  the latter have their place !!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

snadge said:


> our 3 month old bitch lab *|Bella *has started humping her soft dinosaur toy, she has had it since we got her, im wondering if she has caught us laughing at her and so continues to do it, we've only seen her attempt it 2 or 3 times but when she has done its just been a couple of quick 'pumps' then stops - but tonight she done it several times over and we were laughing at her and I wonder if thats why she kept doing it?
> 
> is this normal behavior for bitches...?
> 
> thanks


Pups bark,bite,chase,play games and mount each other in the litter its all part of the critical phase of developement canine socialisation period, so likely its something thats continued as a form of play. Dogs do learn by association though, so if you have found it amusing and therfore its got her a form of attention, she could possibly continue to do it for that reason.

The problems with dogs is that they are learning all the time not just when we teach them things, sometimes we can inadvertently reward behaviour, especially when they are little pups because the behaviour is quite funny and endearing at the time. If a pup sets out to do something to instigate attention, can be anything jumping up mouthing, and we show them any form even if its eye contact and saying no focus is still on them. Its a reward, what gets them a reward they then reapeat simply because it works, so it becomes a learned behaviour, but on occasion a learned behaviour you as the owner really doesnt want.

If you dont want her to get into the habit you could try disrupting it with a simple ahh ahh, then re-direct her with something else and an alternative behaviour, could be a toy or a treat, but disrupt what you dont want. then call her to you, ask her sit for it then offer the treat/toy as the reward for coming and sitting.


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## snadge (Nov 9, 2011)

thanks for both replies... PHEW!! I was worried lol... 

yeah we will pull her attention away from it, im sure it was playing/dominance as mentioned

thanks


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## Kinjilabs (Apr 15, 2009)

My Millie used to hump her mum till the day her mum died, neither seemed to mind


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Kinjilabs said:


> My Millie used to hump her mum till the day her mum died, neither seemed to mind


Daisy whos now 14 nearly always has and still does humps the others at dinner time most night or she does unless I stop her as sometimes the others get the hump


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## Rottiefan (Jun 20, 2010)

There's no evidence to assume it's a dominance ritual- dominance over what? In what social structure? Who's the subordinate? 

Arousal is controlled by a neurotransmitting chemical called norepinephrine. This chemical is increased during times of stress, in particular during novel or non-habitual experiences. Behaviours seen when this chemical is released tend to be the four Fs: freeze, flight, fight, or 'fool around'  

Now, if you think of play circumstances, we all get aroused during play and the behaviours can become quite sexual- whether we intend them to be or not. 

The 'fool around' pattern, i.e. humping, can easily be triggered as the dog becomes more aroused during play. The dinosaur was most probably a novel circumstance, and the behaviour was positively reinforced by your laughing and the internal-reward the dog gets from relieving stress caused by its arousal. 

So, I don't think it has a thing to do with dominance, and to my knowledge, there is no evidence to assume it is.


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## Rottiefan (Jun 20, 2010)

swarthy said:


> Yep - totally normal for bitches  it's usually a sign of dominance rather than sexual at that age.


Why would an animal be trying to display dominance rituals at an age where it is imperative for them to do the complete opposite?


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## SLB (Apr 25, 2011)

Rottiefan said:


> Why would an animal be trying to display dominance rituals at an age where it is imperative for them to do the complete opposite?


Maybe the dinosaur tried it on with her?


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Daisy, who's now 14-YO, nearly-always has... humped the other [dogs] at dinner-time, most nights...
> or she does [it], unless I stop her - sometimes the others get the hump.


that sounds very-much like over-arousal - 
She uses the mounting to 'ground' her excitement, it's a *displacement behavior*: 
doing X behavior, in place of Y.

a dog who feels uncertain in the presence of a strange-dog may sniff the ground; there's no particular scent 
to investigate - it's both displacement & a calming-signal, or a sign of 'no threat' to the other dog.


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