# Playing or competition?



## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Many of you know that my boys are equal opportunity humpers! sometimes they do it when playing and one humps and then the other humps right back, but other times they hump at each others weakness or fear. For Instance, Cash humps Jasper when he is out of control, after the mail attack, or even if Jasper has taken an especially intense, faster than a speeding bullet rlh. Cash will just watch and when Jasper is done Cash will hump him. On the other hand Jasper will hump Cash when it's time for a walk, something Jasper loves but Cash is not too fond of or when it's Cash's turn to be groomed. We stop them when we are there... but we actually think it is funny in a way and may encourage it. We thought nothing of it, but a friend recently suggested that it may not be so good, that they competing and that someone has to be top dog. 

So my question is, is this just boys being boys, or are they competing for dominance? would they be happier if we enforced a hierarchy?


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

I don't know how to respond... except to say those are some pictures!


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Hahaha,... yes, those are some pics!!!... lol
Jasper seems pretty content in that picture I'd say!! I've seen more fight in Beamers stuffed animal.. lol

Ryan


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

I don't know about boys being boys. I don't do that to my guy friends...

I think Beamer would make the perfect 3rd in that group lol


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Missy, I've heard all sides of this one and still don't know the real answer. Personally, for me, when Vinny tries to hump one of the girls I tell him no. It seldom happens and when it does it's when all three are playing or if the girls are playing together. I don't know if he's trying to break up their fun or just trying to say, you gals are having fun but don't forget who's boss.
Many peeps shrug it off and it doesn't bother them. Me, it bothers, LOL.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

Missy, that could easily be a picture of Marley and Rufus. Mine do it when they are excited. Marley will hump Rufus if I am filling the food bowls and they are just back in from their walk. Rufus will hump Marley if he's playing with Phoebe and he wants to play too! I've had conga lines with them all lined up because Phoebe will hump too when she's wound up. It doesn't upset me but I'd rather they didn't do it. Like you I tell them to stop but I don't think it's a big deal. 

The funniest is when Marley will hump Phoebs and do the "helicopter move" where he keeps spinning around her.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Muprhy does the spin too! We crack up because he's doing it wrong and it just looks so funny. It seems like it happens when they start playing and just get over excited. Scooter and Bo will even um, well...pleasure themselves :redface: after a really crazy RLH in the house.


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## brugmansia (Dec 6, 2007)

I don't know about just boys. I know that Dickson will try to hump Luna, but almost night around 8:30pm, Luna will hump Dickson I guess to let him know she's the boss. 

Cute pictures!


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## LilyMyLove (Jul 11, 2009)

Woah Missy-you should have marked this post NSFW!:eyebrows: Hahaha!

Lily humps a stuffed lamb at night (and only ever at night) sometimes, and I just let her do it because when I have said something, she gets a guilty look and I don't want to shame her. 

Sounds like they are just playing around. Other than the humping is everything ok? Are they having any behavoral issues that would be symptomatic of dogs with heirarchy problems? What I am getting at is if it isn't broke, maybe don't fix it.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

:redface::redface: I'm glad I have girls. No humpers..:redface::redface:


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## DorothyS (Aug 11, 2009)

Ha, our girl Pixie humps! Just depends on the dog, I think.


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## susieg (Aug 28, 2009)

Careful, this site could get busted for puppy porn...LOL!

Lola humps too, but only people, not other dogs. She mostly tries to hump me, but sometimes DH. She actually humped my real estate agent the other day. SO embarrassing! :redface: She's never done that to a stranger before, she doesn't even usually like strangers. I thought she was getting into her lap, but nope....was trying to climb up on her arm and hump her! Thank goodness she's a dog person and didn't mind!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

LOL. My Hav-a-niece humps my SIL's feet! she will pull off a sock and then go to town. When I was watching her for a few weeks before we got our boys she tried to do it to me. Let me just say it was a very ewww feeling and I put a stop to it and it never happened again. 

Jasper used to try and hump us when he was 8 weeks old. but we put a stop to it and gave him a hump buddy Tiger from whinny the poo.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I think it's pretty natural for them to hump and some do it more than others but what's important is how you handle it. I don't stress on it when my dogs do it to each other unless it's excessive. I NEVER let them hump people but I don't get embarrassed about it. 

When I was a kid one of my moms friends had a little white poodle that humped and would hump my leg. I didn't understand what was happening and no one took the time to explain it. They yelled at the dog and they told me to push her off, but she would keep trying to do it. Because no one explained about it and everyone made such a fuss, I thought I was doing something wrong or bad. I can still remember feeling bad about it. I sure wish my mom had talked to me about it so I knew what was happening. I wanted to play with the dog but felt really awkward about it.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

Daisy is a year older than Beau and usually assumes the alpha role. She will hump him as much as he humps her..... Neither humps toys, blankets or people. Seems like they mostly do it when they are riled up from RLH.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Missy , chances are this is just play. The best article I've read on mounting is by Jean Donaldson. http://www.dogsincanada.com/oh-behave-love-and-mounting


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## leena365 (Sep 17, 2009)

Those are cute pics. Mine do it all the time as well. I try to stop it but it continues to happen when I am not looking. I think my daugter posted the video she took of them on her facebook account. Lol


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## Cristina76 (Jan 7, 2007)

Coopers almost 2 and Grizzly is 6 months old, and they both hump each other... Grizzly usually does it out of frustration usually when Cooper's chewing a Retriever stick.. and Cooper will do it to Grizzly when he's really excited, or if Grizzly's getting alot of attention. I think it's normal but I still tell them both NO !!! Coopers really bad with other dogs.. I truely think it's about excitment for him, when he meets a new dog he's so happy.. and he will normaly try to hump doesn't matter if its a girl or a boy.. but he's getting better.. 

Do you think it's something they will out grow????


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## Oliver'sMom (Apr 1, 2009)

I have a similar issue. Oliver is a year and a half old. About a month ago we brought Maddox home (9 week Havanese puppy). These two seemed to get along from the beginning. Oliver always seemed scared of the puppy, I would guess because he's so small. Now it seems like they are playing, but then it escalates to growling and chasing. Luckily there's no humping, but alot of showing teeth and growling. They start by playing with a toy and then I find them growling and biting each other. Some tell me they are playing cuz they don't hurt one another, but I don't know what to make of it. 

It's clear that the little one (Maddox) has the more dominant personality, but in the past 2 weeks Oliver is becoming less obedient, more troublesome and showing teeth to us when it's time to go bedtime in his cage. I do obedience lessons with both (sit, stay, paw, roll over etc.) and I've managed to use a squirt bottle to keep them from stealing from one another and so far it has worked.

Does anyone have any advice on helping them get along?


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## Lindzarie (Jun 30, 2008)

Gizmo doesn't hump. The only thing he has really ever humped is a round dog bed. And he isn't fixed because I haven't wanted to put him through it even though I know I should. And I will! 
I feel like it is shouldn't be encouraged. But to each their own. I am no expert!


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