WHY IS MY PUPPY HUMPING MY CAT!?

    • Gold Top Dog

    WHY IS MY PUPPY HUMPING MY CAT!?

    My almost seven month old female pug-zu puppy was trying to hump my female cat!  What is going on??
    • Gold Top Dog
    It isn' t something to be worried about. Lots of dogs do this.

    If the dog isn't fixed, the hormones trigger this type of behavior that cause the dog to want to hump everyhing in site.

    And, more often than not, it's a dominance thing.

    Altered dogs also do this.

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Gold Top Dog
    But it is a female dog!  I thought only male dogs did that.
    And she hasn't gone into heat yet.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Females can do it also. It's a dominance thing.

    Is there a reason she is not spayed? Are you going to have it done???
    • Gold Top Dog
    I have 3 male and 2 female dogs.  The males are all neutered and one of the females is spayed, and all 5 of them hump each other and my cats (and one of them tried to hump my 8-year-old!).  I was told that it was a dominance issue.  I noticed that it happened a lot more when we first brought each of them into the house.  Now that they are used to the home and the other occupants, animal and human, I don't see it nearly as often.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I've come to understand that humping is a "kinda sorta" dominance issue. Or rather, it can be a dominance issue, or it can just be playing. Repeated humping by one dog to another when the other has expressed their displeasure at it is either a dominance issue or a really socially maladjusted dog (some dogs are just a litter, er, autistic in that they have a hard time interperating the social queues of other dogs). Humping where the humper and humpee change places a lot (clearly this isn't going to happen with a cat, but puppies can have some pretty silly notions!) is done in play and is just a game and nothing to be concerned about. Males and females do it in equal numbers, and it doesn't matter if they are spayed and neutered or not. Both my dogs hump each other. Not a whole lot but when they're really playing hard, they do, and they change places. Conrad is my dominant dog, but he allows himself to be humped by Marlowe as long as he can hump Marlowe right back.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Thank you everyone, I was quite disturbed when it happened!  It freaked me out.  I am so glad it is normal.  I thought I had some kind of freak weirdo on my hands.  Dulce,  I don't know why she has not been spayed yet.  I only got her a week ago and yes I am going to have it done as soon as possible.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I think this behavior will mostly subside once the dog is altered.

    Great for you for considering altering!!
    • Gold Top Dog
    ORIGINAL: Dulce Pit Bull

    I think this behavior will mostly subside once the dog is altered.


    Don't bet on it.  My "humpiest" dogs are my altered ones.  Altering CAN have an affect, but don't be surprised or dismayed if it doesn't.
    • Gold Top Dog
    LOL, ok...I said MOST/SOMETIMES..
    • Gold Top Dog
    There is no guarantee that spaying will stop your dog from mounting your cat, dogs, or people. It could be that she is trying to establish dominance over your cat.

    Don't wait for spaying to take care of the situation. Every-time she tries to do it, quickly stop her verbally, and/or redirect her attention to a toy, chew, etc. Don't wait for her to get into it, stop her at a very first sign that she is about to get it on :)
    • Gold Top Dog
    ORIGINAL: Dulce Pit Bull

    LOL, ok...I said MOST/SOMETIMES..


    Lol, you're right.  Sorry.  I overlooked that. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    ORIGINAL: TinaK

    There is no guarantee that spaying will stop your dog from mounting your cat, dogs, or people. It could be that she is trying to establish dominance over your cat.

    Don't wait for spaying to take care of the situation. Every-time she tries to do it, quickly stop her verbally, and/or redirect her attention to a toy, chew, etc. Don't wait for her to get into it, stop her at a very first sign that she is about to get it on :)

    Oh I will!  I will not sit by and let her do this as I find it quite disturbing coming from a female dog, and the cat doesnt like it either. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    I would also suggest getting a squirt bottle, and squirting her everytime she humps the cat.
     
    I use it on my adult dog, and it works. (Not that she tries to hump my cat..she's MUCH too big)
    • Gold Top Dog
    Rather than spritz your dog with a water bottle, how about redirecting that activity and use it for a training opportunity.  BEFORE she gets into position to "hump" request a recall.  Redirect with a good game of fetch, find it or tug.  Put her into a short down stay, do doggy pushups.  Whatever you do, stop the behavior by not letting it start.  If the behavior doesn't start, then there will be no positive reinforcement (ie: "it feels good") to encourage that behavior.