# Why is an 8 week old puppy humping?



## JenniferH

Not sure if that word will get censored. Sorry...

Tanis has been trying to hump my dd's leg when they play. I expected that later on but not at 8 weeks. Is that normal? When he does it I make her get up off the floor and take 5. 

Any insight? 

Thanks!


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## Mandalay

I dont know if this has anything to do with it, but I can offer my own humping story...maybe it will help.

We were taking Mandalay to puppy training class when she was about 8-10 weeks old. On the way there, I would place her on the passenger seat on a blanket or some towels. She would hump them.

I asked the trainer and the vet and they both said that it was most likely a nervous reaction...a sort of stress release. I ignored the behavior and it went away after a few more trips in the car.

Maybe this could be the same in your situation? Could he feel threatened by your daughter and be getting stressed out? I dont know...just a thought. I am interested to see what others think.


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## JenniferH

Thanks Emily...I guess I should clarify thats its not just the leg. Its whatever body part he is closest too. 

I hope he doesnt feel threatened by her. He's pretty new though so its possible.


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## UConnGSD

> Originally Posted By: MandalayI asked the trainer and the vet and they both said that it was most likely a nervous reaction...a sort of stress release.


Interesting point about the nervous reaction. Wolfie used to hump like crazy ever since he was an 8 week old pup. Wasn't a nervous thing for him though. His routine was eat, drink, hump pillow with a look of utter bliss on his face. He would go into a zone. And sometimes, he would keep rotating between the 3 activities. I am convinced that he did it because he liked it. Nothing else. Every pillow, every stuffed toy would get happily humped. How entertaining for the guests


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## Mandalay

> Originally Posted By: UConnGSD eat, drink, hump


What a typical male!!


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## JenniferH

> Originally Posted By: UConnGSD
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> Originally Posted By: MandalayI asked the trainer and the vet and they both said that it was most likely a nervous reaction...a sort of stress release.
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> 
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> Interesting point about the nervous reaction. Wolfie used to hump like crazy ever since he was an 8 week old pup. Wasn't a nervous thing for him though. His routine was eat, drink, hump pillow with a look of utter bliss on his face. He would go into a zone. And sometimes, he would keep rotating between the 3 activities. I am convinced that he did it because he liked it. Nothing else. Every pillow, every stuffed toy would get happily humped. How entertaining for the guests
Click to expand...

LOL! What did u do? I havent owned a male dog before so I dont know if this behavior should be ignored or what! Does he still do it?


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## riorider

Actually, my FEMALE pup did the same thing. It's a dominance thing. I think it is pretty common with working dogs. I would tell her "NO" and divert her attention to something else. Get him excited about a tug or a ball. The good thing about puppies is that their attention span is really short.


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## roxy84

> Originally Posted By: Mandalay
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> Originally Posted By: UConnGSD eat, drink, hump
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> What a typical male!!
Click to expand...

that is a completely unfair characterization...we watch TV, too.


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## MaggieRoseLee

My girldog also does it. Never in a dominance situation, so I think for the puppies, it's just side kind of natural thing that gets triggered. Glory always seems a bit pleasantly surprised when it happens. And it used to occur a bit more frequently when she was younger than now at 5 months.

I just ignore it.


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## gmcenroe

My female did it a couple of times to me when she was a puppy, I told her not to do it any more.


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## UConnGSD

> Originally Posted By: JenniferH
> LOL! What did u do? I havent owned a male dog before so I dont know if this behavior should be ignored or what! Does he still do it?


My strategy was to just ignore it. Guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do -- that was my feeling! DH is extremely prudish compared to me so he would try to either distract or yell, depending on his mood I guess. For the most part, it was harmless fun except one time. This is kinda gross so consider this fair warning! Wolfie had this giant Mickey Mouse that bore the brunt of his attentions. That one time he humped so hard that his prepuce got pushed way back and his eyes looked like he was hurting. He stopped humping but his privates did not get back to normal until DH held a towel soaked in warm water to it for a while. Needless to say, Mickey got banished after that and he hasn't had a pillow since. I wonder at times whether he would do it again. I should try giving him another pillow again. He has humped our bed though with a totally goofy look on his face


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## UConnGSD

Jen, does Tanis do this only when he is alone with dd? The reason I'm asking is because my SIL's labradoodle (almost 2 year old) humps my nephew (8 year old) ONLY when they are alone. SIL caught the dog in the act one day -- that's how she found out. Nephew thought the dog was just playing (ah the innocence, enjoy it while it lasts I guess). The dog never does that to my niece though (also 8). This case is more of a dominance issue I think whereas with Tanis because he is only 8 weeks old, I would tend to put it down as a "scratching an itch" factor, albeit embarrassing for all parties but him. Sometimes, the pups do it when they get overstimulated.


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## APBTLove

J did this a couple of times, grabbing ahold of my leg when he was frustrated at us leaving, or walking too fast. I gave him and "ah ah!" and walked away, he hasn't done it since, and I've never caught him humping a non-living item... When Sparkles was a pup she humped her stuffed tiger (which she still has) very often. She seemed to think it was fun, J just looks anxious when he tried. 

Completely natural IME and no a dominance or sexual thing at that age.


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## selzer

I don't have any humpers, at least not to people. Dubya did it once to my dad when he was over, and I did tell him "No." And Dad stood up, that was the end of that. Highly embarrassing though. 

Ninja humps Milla though, they're both girls.


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## HeidiW

Oh my your poor dad!! and you too.

Bella hs never humped anything ever, now Bo at 10 weeks old started to try and hump Bella. Not often but at least twice a week to this day. It don't last long as Bella wrestle him down.


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## JenniferH

Thank you everyone! I appreciate your responses!

No, Tanis doesnt do this when they are alone. I havent let them be alone yet! LOL He did it to my leg after I posted about it. I have since just started to divert his attention or ignore it when he does it. He'll do it when I try to walk so I just keep walking. If he does it to dd while she is on the floor playing with him I just ask her to get up and try a new game. She has no clue what he's doing though. Bella never did this at all. This is my first male pup so I may have to learn to adjust to new things.


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## BowWowMeow

I agree that redirecting is the best way to handle it. Rafi's little buddy across the street has been humping him since she was 3 months old! Rafi's solution is to get up (she does it when he's lying down) and dump her on the ground. Sometimes, if she's really annoying, he pins her down. Don't try that though!


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## JenniferH

UPDATE:

"Mom! He's doing that funky thing with his butt again!"

So, onward we shall march...LOL


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## Mandalay

> Originally Posted By: UConnGSD until DH held a towel soaked in warm water to it for a while.


I can say with certainty that there is no way in this creation my husband would ever have done that. He would have either taken the dog to the vet or made me come home from work, but no way would he have held a warn towel up to the dogs winkie.


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## mjbgsd

My new pup's brother today (at 4 weeks) was humping his sister! That was funny, lol.


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## scannergirl

> Originally Posted By: roxy84
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> Originally Posted By: Mandalay
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> Originally Posted By: UConnGSD eat, drink, hump
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> What a typical male!!
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> Click to expand...
> 
> that is a completely unfair characterization...we watch TV, too.
Click to expand...


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