# Female puppy humping our legs?



## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

My WGSD pup is now 4 months old. Is humping our legs a sign of her trying to be dominant over us? 

She's done it periodically since she was a couple months old...but tonight was out of control I tell ya.

She was having her evening puppy crazy time....and I was home with my daughter who is sick, so we couldn't take her for her usual night time walk. Instead I started a game of tug inside the house, then started fetch, then headed out to our back yard (fenced so no leash needed) and tried getting a good game of fetch in the dark going letting her burn off some of that energy. She kept jumping up, biting on me and humping my leg...I kept pushing her down and saying no and she must have tried it 10 times in a row. I'm out there yelling at her to quit humping my leg and quit biting me and just praying that the neighbors aren't secretly watching me out the window.  I even tried scruffing her and pinning her because she was so out of control and barking at me, but when she got up from her scruff she just went crazy again on me with a little more gusto. 

Is this normal behavior for a female puppy? Am I right in thinking it's some sort of dominance game? It just seemed like it, but I could be way off on that.


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

PS...I'm very close to giving up completely on the scruff shake or the scruff shake and flip her on her back pinning that I've heard others talk of having success with. I've only tried it a few times, tonight included, and it never works for me....in fact it seems to make her more crazy or possibly even mad...and that seems counter productive. I feel like it's my last resort when she's really being physical with me and trying to be dominant...

Any advice would be much appreciated. She starts obedience training with a trainer on Tuesday...I'm sure he'll be able to help with this, but tonight rattled me a little...she's getting much bigger now and I'm a smaller person....I admit I felt a little fear with all the jumping and rough housing she was doing...mixed in with the frustration of her just not listening to me telling her to get down...though I tried not to show that to her.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

TheVintageAngel said:


> She kept jumping up, biting on me and humping my leg...I kept pushing her down and saying no and she must have tried it 10 times in a row. I'm out there yelling at her to quit humping my leg and quit biting me and just praying that the neighbors aren't secretly watching me out the window.  I even tried scruffing her and pinning her because she was so out of control and barking at me, but when she got up from her scruff she just went crazy again on me with a little more gusto.
> 
> Is this normal behavior for a female puppy? Am I right in thinking it's some sort of dominance game? It just seemed like it, but I could be way off on that.


Yes, it is normal. Yes, it is a dominance game but she is not trying to dominate you. It's play behavior and everytime you push her down (with your hands) and talk to her, you are giving her exactly what she wants... your attention. And so she keeps doing it because this fun game gets you engaged with her. Stop with the scruff shakes and definitely the pinning because obviously it isn't working and likely confusing her more.

Redirect her to something else to play with your or put her away (calmly) for a time out. If you don't give her attention for the behavior, she will stop trying it.


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## ShenzisMom (Apr 27, 2010)

I know *I* would be pretty pissed if I was trying to play and was roughly handled. Keep a toy on you at all times. Make her a flirt pole. When she acts like she wants to play, play with her! When she bites you, make her interested in the toy you have.
There is a point where a pup will start acting like a drunk. You'll tell her to stop chewing the furniture, she'll stop, and then come right back. Don't get frustrated. Put her in her crate. She is likely exhausted and over stimulated and doesn't know better to put herself to bed. So do it for her.

She is adorable. A little pup is not trying to dominate you, only be your companion and play mate. Your avatar picture made me melt.


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## TriadGSD (Feb 19, 2011)

my 1 yr old keep humping blankets dont know who to make him stop.


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

Thank you for the advice! She is a beauty and I love her dearly. I will definately stop the scruff shaking and the pinning...only have done it three times now when she was really out of control and each time she gets up looking like she's more bonkers. I will ignore her as you guys suggested, and I have an ex pen where she goes on her time outs. Funny how you mentioned the over tired thing...I find that often, when she's behaving totally insane that if I put her in, she'll bark and howl for a few minutes then fall fast asleep...like a child is when they are overtired.

This morning, we went out to play and I took her extra long tug rope and each time she bit me, I put it in her mouth and walked with her while we played...it did the trick. She was back to humping my leg again but this time I turned my back and ignored her until she stopped. She's much bigger than in my avatar pic now, so she grabs my hip area now when she does it. A guy walking the path behind her house was having a good laugh but what the heck, it is funny to see and I did my best to ignore it. I'm glad it's only a game and not a sign of her trying to dominate me as I read in one of the books I have. This book said to take steps to stop the behavior immediately with a scruff shake or by flipping her on her back. I think this book must be outdated...this tactic does NOT work.

I posted this in another area, but I felt badly about always posting here only when she was being a stinker. Yesterday she learned roll over....all by herself. Does it on command for cheese only, but I'm so excited that she does it at such a young age. And she looks so darned proud when she's all done and we are throwing her a puppy cheese party.


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