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Ask Yvette

Dear Yvette:

How can you prevent a dog from humping on people, or cure it of this obnoxiously rude sexual misconduct, and what should someone do if a dog does this too them?

Sincerely, Brenda

The problem is not all that uncommon, but few people ask. Why do dogs hump? There are really many reasons that can contribute to the problem. Some dogs can begin the annoying habit because of a medical reason. It is not uncommon for dogs that have been fixed to take up the habit. The stitches irritate and the dog does not understand. Urinary tract infections seem to be related.

There are some dogs that inadvertently learn that humping gains attention. Let's face it, when a dog grabs hold of your leg, it produces a response. The dog gets your immediate attention. You may be saying, “No,” but the dog doesn't care because they got what they wanted.

Stress and anxiety can play a part. If you watch dogs in a group setting, you might see an adult dog try to control the level of activity through humping. In homes where there is a high level of activity, some dogs try to slow the momentum with this doggie tactic. The problem is that it is not an acceptable way for a dog to communicate with people.

And there does seem to be a correlation between dogs that are intact and humping. So owners may want to take to their veterinarian about sterilization. The surgery alone is not necessarily a cure all. If a dog is humping to get attention, then obviously there will be some work to do in addition to the spay or neuter.

Dog owners have a number of avenues they should pursue to solve the problem. Ensuring that an animal is healthy, and that the environment the animal lives in is comfortable. When people get a puppy, a good socialization class will incorporate lessons that teach puppies to cope with living with humans. And busy schedules can definitely act as a stressor on many dogs.

Regardless of why the problem started, owners should take steps to teach their dog how to ask for attention politely. My preferred method is, “Sit for everything.” It is an excellent foundation exercise that can prevent many problems. A dog that is sitting cannot be humping. Sit for everything minimizes a multitude of problems.

Visitors to homes with dogs want another answer. They want to know what to do with “other people's dogs.” Quietly and calmly remove the dog. If you do not know the animal or question the safety of the dog, ask the owner to do so. Then calmly walk away. Do not push the dog off. Most dogs find that rewarding because it can become a game. Do not talk to the dog – that is attention. Next time the dog approaches, you can try asking for a sit before they reach you. Hopefully the owner has taken the time to teach it. If not, you can politely ask the owner to put the dog in another room. When it is not your dog, you are limited by what the owner is willing to do. But a low-key visit and a sit have been known to make a noticeable difference.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

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