# do little girls hump and is it about alpha/dominance or, erhm, something else?



## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Well, the title says it all....we have a new little girl in our house, Minx is 5 months old, she weighs 9.3 lbs. and she is a pistol! She has been mounting and humping her 15 month old brother Spencer (who is 22.3 lb LOL), for a week or so now, and I am just so surprised whenever I see it! 

I guess I figured it was only a boy thing....but now I'm wondering if she's a) trying to achieve dominant position (she's much more "alpha-ish" than Spencer, who's usually uber-relaxed), or if it's b) because she's starting to get her lady hormones?

I have never had dogs, these two Havs are my delightful first foray into canine land, and so....I just do not know! Can anyone pls enlighten me?

need to upload new pics, here are a few from last month...

(p.s. I found an older thread that said the girl Havs were humping a cat...?!? So I guess it's for everyone - yeah? eace: )


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

They are both so cute!! Yes, Lizzie would hump our daughter's friend. We would just distract her and the behavior went away. Well, until the other day when she was on the couch and wanted some of what I was eating. I've read it could be a dominance thing, trying to raise their status, or just an emotion.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

if she's 15 months, she has had 'lady hormones' for awhile now... is she spayed?
Thankfully our 16 month old have never humped anything other than a stuffed tiger (which we just took AWAY and she neved humped anything else...) but I DO know that they can hump even though they are fixed and I think it is a dominance thing.
Hopefully one of the 'experts' will chime in and give you some advice!


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

What sweet little faces they have. My boys do boys, girls/girls, girls/boys and boys/girls. I'd never had this with the Shelties and Collies so it must be a Havanese (or toy dog) thing. Unless one of the girls is in season and out of sight (as they are from day 1 to last), none of them seem to mind.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Natural as the day is long. Here's my favorite article on this. http://www.dogsincanada.com/oh-behave-love-and-mounting Generally not considered a dominance behavior. Molly humps my slipper duck. Basically it's the only thing she humps. She's monogamous . LOL


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

My Angie girl humps my Gracie girl when she gets excited. Gracie turns around and looks at her with the funniest look on her face, like "What are you doing back there?". It is hilarious!


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

P.S. Your pups are beautiful, I meant to say!


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Baxter humps Libby and vice versa. I can't make sense of it. Libby is definitely more dominant.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Zoey humps Maddie it started when she was about 4mo. When they were in heat they both humped each other


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Slipper Duck, Dave?


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I hate to admit it but Rosie will hump Josie Wales if I am not looking. I have fussed at her so much about it that she will not do it in front of me. Course I am looking when she doesn't know so I never fail to fuss at her. I personally think it is a doominance thing. My little schnauzers never did the humping thing, but would always run up to the Alsation outside and put their paws on him as high up as they could reach. He of course just ignored them. But other dogs would not let them and in fact would put their paws on them. I really did admire the schnauzers, they never put their belly up for any dog, sorta like their mother. However Dave the Rooster from Hell has got me buffaloed. I have to take a broom with me to just let them out of the hen house. He will sneak up behind and attack me. The flogging with the wings doesn't really hurt, but he has a spur that is bad. he got me and I really bled from it. Course he is just doing what Roosters do and I wouldn't hurt him for anything, but may have to rehome him. It is hard to find a home for a rooster though and those that have chickens would probably make dumplins out of him. So I guard Rosie and myself with the broom. I know that is a pitiful thing to admit. But really slipper duck? I need a picture of that.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Suzi said:


> Zoey humps Maddie it started when she was about 4mo. When they were in heat they both humped each other


Suzi, Zoey's half sibling, Finn, is a humper too. ACK! I need to read Dave's article.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Let's just say that in the small dog playgroup, Jack has a "serious" reputation. Jack will hump any creature smaller than him. sigh... It gets annoying after a while.


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## Ricolove (Aug 28, 2011)

Paz has a stuffed dog that is slightly bigger than him and he has already tried to hump it a time or two, and he is only 9.5 weeks, it is the only thing that he has tried though so far


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

DonnaC said:


> Baxter humps Libby and vice versa. I can't make sense of it. Libby is definitely more dominant.


 Yeah Donna , that's just another reason it's not about dominance. Dogs will take turns doing it to each other without any objection. If one dog was truly dominant they would not cooperate in this. Where there are two or more dogs; in one family, it is common for one dog to show dominance in one aspect of resource sharing and another dog in another aspect.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

The most misunderstood word in dog training in dominance. People should forget about it. It does not pertain to their relationship with their dog. Dogs are not trying to be dominant over humans. It's a relationship between like species. Humans are not dogs ,and dogs don't view us as such. Here is part of the article from APDT.

One of the biggest misconceptions we find ourselves faced with is the definition of "dominance." Dogs are often described as being "dominant" which is an incorrect usage of the term. Dominance is not a personality trait. Dominance is "primarily a descriptive term for relationships between pairs of individuals." and moreover, "the use of the expression 'dominant dog' is meaningless, since "dominance" can apply only to a relationship between individuals. (Bradshaw et al., 2009) Dominance comes into play in a relationship between members of the same species when one individual wants to have the first pick of available resources such as food, beds, toys, bones, etc. Even between dogs, however, it is not achieved through force or coercion but through one member of the relationship deferring to the other peacefully. In many households the status of one dog over another is fluid; in other words, one dog may be the first to take his pick of toys, but will defer to the other dog when it comes to choice of resting places. Dogs that use aggression to "get what they want" are not displaying dominance, but rather anxiety-based behaviors, which will only increase if they are faced with verbal and/or physical threats from their human owners. Basing one's interaction with their dog on dominance is harmful to the dog-human relationship and leads to further stress, anxiety and aggression from the dog, as well as fear and antipathy of the owner.


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## lkwilson (Mar 6, 2011)

Coach was the humping monster until he was snipped. He still does, especially now that we have reunited him with his beloved monkey, but not nearly like it was before. It's sexual, not dominance. And just a note here, not to go too R rated or TMI, but I think women/females are known to have that humping urge (aka humping dreams as DH and I refer to them)


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

lkwilson said:


> Coach was the humping monster until he was snipped. He still does, especially now that we have reunited him with his beloved monkey, but not nearly like it was before. It's sexual, not dominance. And just a note here, not to go too R rated or TMI, but I think women/females are known to have that humping urge (aka humping dreams as DH and I refer to them)


ound: Nothing wrong with R rated. :whoo:


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Lizzie'sMom said:


> They are both so cute!! Yes, Lizzie would hump our daughter's friend. We would just distract her and the behavior went away. Well, until the other day when she was on the couch and wanted some of what I was eating. I've read it could be a dominance thing, trying to raise their status, or just an emotion.


thank you, Lizzie'sMom! maybe when we spay her, it will lessen...?


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

TilliesMom said:


> if she's 15 months, she has had 'lady hormones' for awhile now... is she spayed?
> Thankfully our 16 month old have never humped anything other than a stuffed tiger (which we just took AWAY and she neved humped anything else...) but I DO know that they can hump even though they are fixed and I think it is a dominance thing.
> Hopefully one of the 'experts' will chime in and give you some advice!


thank you, TilliesMom, her brother is 15 months and large, 22.3 lbs, and she's 5 months and 9.3 lbs, not spayed yet. It is quite a sight to see her hopping on the back of big Spence for a ride


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Becky Chittenden said:


> What sweet little faces they have. My boys do boys, girls/girls, girls/boys and boys/girls. I'd never had this with the Shelties and Collies so it must be a Havanese (or toy dog) thing. Unless one of the girls is in season and out of sight (as they are from day 1 to last), none of them seem to mind.


thank you Becky Chittenden.....wow, how interesting to think it may be a Hav thing.


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

davetgabby said:


> Natural as the day is long. Here's my favorite article on this. http://www.dogsincanada.com/oh-behave-love-and-mounting Generally not considered a dominance behavior. Molly humps my slipper duck. Basically it's the only thing she humps. She's monogamous . LOL


thank you so much for this link, davetgabby - haha about Molly being monogamous! thanks for the laugh


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Lsprick said:


> My Angie girl humps my Gracie girl when she gets excited. Gracie turns around and looks at her with the funniest look on her face, like "What are you doing back there?". It is hilarious!


thank you, Lsprick...HAHA YES! Spencer gives Minx the same look! And Angie is spayed? How old is she?


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Lsprick said:


> P.S. Your pups are beautiful, I meant to say!


thank you Lsprick! So are yours  the four could be littermates.


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

DonnaC said:


> Baxter humps Libby and vice versa. I can't make sense of it. Libby is definitely more dominant.


thank you, DonnaC - I'm not alone in the bewilderment...maybe it's "as the mood strikes them."


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Suzi said:


> Zoey humps Maddie it started when she was about 4mo. When they were in heat they both humped each other


Thank you Suzi....so Minx could be in her first heat at 5 months? Is that the same as getting her period (I must search for this topic as I am completely in the fog with a little girl).


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

Luciledodd said:


> I hate to admit it but Rosie will hump Josie Wales if I am not looking. I have fussed at her so much about it that she will not do it in front of me. Course I am looking when she doesn't know so I never fail to fuss at her. I personally think it is a doominance thing. My little schnauzers never did the humping thing, but would always run up to the Alsation outside and put their paws on him as high up as they could reach. He of course just ignored them. But other dogs would not let them and in fact would put their paws on them. I really did admire the schnauzers, they never put their belly up for any dog, sorta like their mother. However Dave the Rooster from Hell has got me buffaloed. I have to take a broom with me to just let them out of the hen house. He will sneak up behind and attack me. The flogging with the wings doesn't really hurt, but he has a spur that is bad. he got me and I really bled from it. Course he is just doing what Roosters do and I wouldn't hurt him for anything, but may have to rehome him. It is hard to find a home for a rooster though and those that have chickens would probably make dumplins out of him. So I guard Rosie and myself with the broom. I know that is a pitiful thing to admit. But really slipper duck? I need a picture of that.


Luciledodd, this had me LOL on so many levels....wasn't Josie Wales an outlaw? Or is that just a movie? Love your pictures here and OMG about Dave the Rooster from Hell! thank you for the laugh.


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

motherslittlehelper said:


> Suzi, Zoey's half sibling, Finn, is a humper too. ACK! I need to read Dave's article.





morriscsps said:


> Let's just say that in the small dog playgroup, Jack has a "serious" reputation. Jack will hump any creature smaller than him. sigh... It gets annoying after a while.





Ricolove said:


> Paz has a stuffed dog that is slightly bigger than him and he has already tried to hump it a time or two, and he is only 9.5 weeks, it is the only thing that he has tried though so far


thank you for your posts, motherslittlehelper, morriscsps, and Ricolove...wondered if Finn and Jack are fixed yet? Spencer is neutered, but still humps occasionally, and I actually wondered if that's how all this started - that Spencer tried it on Minx and she, being slightly more feisty, said, No No Uh Huh Boy, and jumped on him instead.


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

davetgabby said:


> Yeah Donna , that's just another reason it's not about dominance. Dogs will take turns doing it to each other without any objection. If one dog was truly dominant they would not cooperate in this. Where there are two or more dogs; in one family, it is common for one dog to show dominance in one aspect of resource sharing and another dog in another aspect.





davetgabby said:


> The most misunderstood word in dog training in dominance. People should forget about it. It does not pertain to their relationship with their dog. Dogs are not trying to be dominant over humans. It's a relationship between like species. Humans are not dogs ,and dogs don't view us as such. Here is part of the article from APDT.
> 
> One of the biggest misconceptions we find ourselves faced with is the definition of "dominance." Dogs are often described as being "dominant" which is an incorrect usage of the term. Dominance is not a personality trait. Dominance is "primarily a descriptive term for relationships between pairs of individuals." and moreover, "the use of the expression 'dominant dog' is meaningless, since "dominance" can apply only to a relationship between individuals. (Bradshaw et al., 2009) Dominance comes into play in a relationship between members of the same species when one individual wants to have the first pick of available resources such as food, beds, toys, bones, etc. Even between dogs, however, it is not achieved through force or coercion but through one member of the relationship deferring to the other peacefully. In many households the status of one dog over another is fluid; in other words, one dog may be the first to take his pick of toys, but will defer to the other dog when it comes to choice of resting places. Dogs that use aggression to "get what they want" are not displaying dominance, but rather anxiety-based behaviors, which will only increase if they are faced with verbal and/or physical threats from their human owners. Basing one's interaction with their dog on dominance is harmful to the dog-human relationship and leads to further stress, anxiety and aggression from the dog, as well as fear and antipathy of the owner.


SO interesting, davetgabby, thank you!


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

lkwilson said:


> Coach was the humping monster until he was snipped. He still does, especially now that we have reunited him with his beloved monkey, but not nearly like it was before. It's sexual, not dominance. And just a note here, not to go too R rated or TMI, but I think women/females are known to have that humping urge (aka humping dreams as DH and I refer to them)


thank you, lkwilson, and I'm glad Coach is reunited with his beloved monkey LOL!



davetgabby said:


> ound: Nothing wrong with R rated. :whoo:


Absolutely! eace: and I too would love a picture of your slipper duck, davetgabby


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## dapupster (Oct 31, 2010)

thanks to everyone who posted, I appreciate your thoughts - it was such a surprise to see this, I'm glad to know it's very common with boys *and* girls. (I don't know why I thought otherwise - why should boys have all the fun?!?)


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

My mom and dad's Maltese used to hump their Bichon Frise (usually his head) when she was little pup. She outgrew it. It was funny to see though. Poor Bailey would just sit there and take it with a "help me" expression on his face.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

dapupster said:


> thank you, lkwilson, and I'm glad Coach is reunited with his beloved monkey LOL!
> 
> Absolutely! eace: and I too would love a picture of your slipper duck, davetgabby


 Remind me in two weeks. My wife has the camera packed in her luggage as she's heading to Calgary tomorrow. I think Gwen was trying to kill me when she bought these slippers for me. The first time I went down the stairs ,I nearly tripped . Since then, one of them was donated to Molly. She immediately fell in love with it. ound:


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

My girls hump like crazy when they're in heat. And, my mom's lil girl has a thing about humping legs. Well, my legs lol.


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## Cindi (Sep 5, 2011)

I used to have a little yorkie-bichon mix (in the days before designer dogs, he was just an "oh-oh" kind of adorable oops) that carried his sherpa bed from room to room. That bed was three times his size and he'd drag it around alternating nursing on it, humping it, and killing it. He never touched another toy or chew. It was mother, lover, friend, and prey all rolled into one! But, boy did we have to hide that when non-dog lover friends came to visit!


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## Trixie (Oct 9, 2010)

my Trixie likes to hump her little round doughnut bed. Nothing besides that. It's usually when she is in a good mood. .... sometimes, after she has eaten. She seems to enjoy it 
Then, she has a cigarette and a good nap. lol !!!


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## SOPHIES-MOM (Oct 4, 2010)

Sophie humps Pepper the cat whenever she can catch and hold onto him. She didn't really hump until after her spay, but she certainly enjoys it! Poor Pepper hates it but has gotten used to it, I think. I pull her off whenever I see it, but it doesn't discourage her one bit.


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## Lizzie'sMom (Oct 13, 2010)

My husband just came upstairs and told me that Lizzie kept humping his brother when they were watching TV. Don't know what that was all about.


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