04/20/2025
People often ask me about hu***ng, aka as mounting behavior. While many people assume it’s related to dominance or copulation, it is often associated with other activities and situations.
I had an adopted dog who would hump my other dog whenever she got excited, for example, we were getting ready to go to the park.
I often see puppies engaging in hu***ng behavior when playing. While it isn’t a bad behavior, it can become habitual, and I always encourage dog parents to try to evaluate why their dog is hu***ng and to discourage this behavior. After I give you some reasons why dogs hump, I’ll tell you what to do about it.
1. Normal Social or Play Behavior
Mounting can occur during play, regardless of s*x or reproductive status.
Bradshaw, J. (2011). Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet. Basic Books.
Mounting often appears in play between dogs and is not necessarily s*xual—it's more about excitement or a way of engaging with others. (Dr. John Bradshaw is an anthrozoologist.)
Bekoff, M. (2001). Social Play Behavior: Cooperation, Fairness, Trust, and the Evolution of Morality. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 8(2).
Mounting is observed in non-s*xual play contexts and helps dogs practice social roles.
(Dr. Marc Bekoff, PhD is a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, a Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society.)
2. Excitement or Overstimulation
Dogs may hump when they are overly excited or stimulated. This can happen during play, when meeting new people or animals, or in response to other stimulating situations. The behavior serves as an outlet for their heightened arousal levels.
Horwitz, D.F. (2006). Common Behavior Issues in Companion Animals. In Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline Behavior
Dogs may mount due to excitement or emotional arousal, especially in stimulating environments like parks.
(Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB, has been board certified in veterinary behavior by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists for over 25 years.)
3. Displacement Behavior (Stress or Anxiety)
Some dogs hump when they're nervous or conflicted and don’t know what else to do.
Yin, S. (2009). Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats. CattleDog Publishing.
Displacement behaviors, such as mounting, can emerge when a dog is overwhelmed or unsure how to respond to a situation.
(The late Dr. Sophia Yin was a widely respected veterinarian and dog trainer. I was fortunate to have met and known her while she was still on this earth. Before the fear-free movement, there was stress-free handling, developed by Dr. Yin.)
4. Sexual Behavior
Yes, sometimes it is just plain s*xual—especially in intact (non-neutered) males or females in heat.
Overall, K.L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier.
Sexual mounting remains more common in intact animals and may increase in presence of certain scents, cycles, or stimuli.
(Dr. Karen Overall, VMD, PhD, DACVB is a well-respected board-certified veterinary behaviorist.)
5. Habit or Reinforced Behavior
If it gets attention (even negative), a dog might continue hu***ng simply because it "works."
Pryor, K. (2002). Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training. Bantam.
Behaviors that are inadvertently reinforced—even with laughter or yelling—can become habitual.
Dog hu***ng, or mounting behavior, is a multifaceted action that can stem from various underlying causes. Recent studies and expert analyses from the past five years have shed light on the complexity of this behavior.
(The late Karen Pryor was a well known and respected author, animal trainer, and pioneer of clicker training who got her start in marine animal training in Hawaii where she and her husband founded Sea Life Park. Karen is the founder of the world renowned Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior.)
Additional resources:
Problematic Behaviors in Companion Dogs: A Survey of Their Prevalence and Associated Factors
This 2020 study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior analyzed 401 companion dogs and found that mounting and hu***ng behaviors were more prevalent in adult dogs, small-sized breeds, indoor dogs, and single-dog households. The research highlights how factors like age, size, and living environment can influence mounting behavior.
Many Faces of Dominance: The Manifestation of Cohabiting Companion Dogs’ Rank in Competitive and Non-Competitive Scenarios
This 2024 study in Animal Cognition examined dominance behaviors among cohabiting dogs, including mounting. It provided insights into how mounting can be a display of social hierarchy rather than solely a s*xual behavior.
Association Between Training Methods and Owner-Reported Problem Behaviors in Dogs, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 2024
This 2024 study explored factors associated with owners reporting problem behaviors in dogs. It found that certain training methods were linked to increased reports of behaviors such as mounting.
Silk, M. J., Cant, M. A., Cafazzo, S., Natoli, E., & McDonald, R. A. (2019). Elevated aggression is associated with uncertainty in a network of dog dominance interactions. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 286(1907), 20190536.
This research examines how uncertainty in dominance hierarchies among dogs correlates with increased aggression, providing context for behaviors such as mounting within social structures.
So, what do you do about it?
I teach my students and clients to use a positive interrupter.
Using a positive interrupter in dog training is a humane and effective method to interrupt unwanted behavior without resorting to punishment.
A positive interrupter is a distinct sound, word, or cue that gets the dog's attention in a positive way, often followed by redirection to a more appropriate behavior.
Examples of when I teach my clients to use a positive interrupter include hu***ng behavior. I once had a client who ran a child daycare in her home and I taught her to use a positive interrupter to stop the behavior.
I arbitrarily suggested she use the phrase, “Let’s do something else!” to interrupt the hu***ng, and it worked so well to stop the unwanted hu***ng behavior, she decided to use the phrase with the children in her daycare when they were engaging in unwanted behavior.
Other words or phrases you could use as a positive interrupter include, "oops" or "hey-hey!" I occasionally use these words when working with dogs that pull on leash to get their attention and let them know the leash is about to get tight as they forge out ahead.
Here’s why positive interrupters are useful, including references:
1. Interrupt Without Fear or Punishment
Positive interrupters avoid the negative side effects of aversive methods, such as fear, anxiety, or aggression.
Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., & Heward, W.L. (2020). Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
This foundational text explains the value of reinforcing desired behavior rather than punishing undesired ones. Interruption paired with redirection and reinforcement is a key strategy.
(Timothy E. Heron, Ed.D., is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Heward, Ed.D., BCBA-D is a board-certified behavior analyst at Ohio State University and has a doctoral degree in education.)
2. Maintain a Strong Relationship
Because it’s based on positive reinforcement, it supports trust and strengthens the bond between dog and handler.
McConnell, P. (2002). The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs. Ballantine Books.
Emphasizes the importance of positive communication and trust in training, which positive interrupters help preserve.
(Dr. Patricia McConnel, PhD is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist – CAAB. She is an author, speaker, and founder of her own publishing company.)
3. Efficient Behavior Redirection
Positive interrupters can quickly shift a dog’s focus, making it easier to redirect their energy toward a more acceptable activity.
Pryor, K. (2002). Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training. Bantam.
Describes using non-punitive ways to shape behavior, including interrupting undesired actions with cues that signal a chance for reinforcement. (Karen Pryor – bio above)
4. Prevents Escalation of Behavior
Rather than letting a dog continue an undesirable behavior until it becomes ingrained or dangerous, a positive interrupter can break the cycle early.
Friedman, S. G. (2009). What’s Wrong with this Picture? Effectiveness is Not Enough. Journal of Applied Companion Animal Behavior, 3(1).
Highlights the importance of using ethical, minimally intrusive methods to manage and modify behavior.
(Dr. Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Utah State University. She has helped pioneer the application of cross-species applied behavior analysis to animals, including dogs.)
Conclusion:
Hu***ng can be observed in play behavior, excitement/arousal, stress/anxiety. It can become habitual, especially if reinforced with attention. That is why it’s a good idea to interrupt the behavior with what we call a positive reinforcer and redirect the dog to something else.
Cindy Ludwig, M.A., B.S., R.N., KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
Owner, Canine Connection LLC
Voted Best Springfield, Missouri Dog Trainer
