“Why do female dogs hump?” It is a question that people have asked forever, or at least since antiquated ideas of gender hierarchy took hold of humanity’s fevered imaginations. However, the question is not a dirty one, since the reasons for female dog humping are varied. So, why do girl dogs hump? First of all, rest assured that humping is a perfectly natural and common activity in both male and female dogs.

Female dogs also hump the same spectrum of things as male dogs, including people’s legs, pillows, dog beds and other female dogs. Humping, also called mounting, is a learned activity, often taking root well before dogs reach sexual maturity. Humping, pelvic thrusting or licking at the genital area may indicate playfulness, desire and stress. They may also hint at medical or behavioral issues that you’ll need to address together.

Why Do Female Dogs Hump? First, Let’s Talk About Sex

As strange as one may find it, female dogs do, in fact, hump. Puppies as young as six weeks old, both male and female, have been observed to engage in humping or mounting activities. Until they reach the age of sexual maturity — anywhere from a year to two years of age — mounting behaviors seem to relate primarily to playful sexual education. As a sexual activity, mounting can be mitigated through a combination of consistent, positive training as well as having your puppies spayed or neutered.

For the vast majority of adult dogs who have been spayed or neutered, humping behaviors could still serve what we would consider to be a sexual purpose, that of autoerotic pleasure. Yes, that’s right, dogs, both male and female, can and do masturbate. Humping is a learned behavior, and, along with licking or chewing at their genital areas, one that they derive pleasure from. Being fixed may prevent a dog from successfully reproducing, but it does not eliminate the joy or relief they experience in the course of genital stimulation.

Boredom and Stress Relief

Do you leave your female dog alone for extended periods? Does she have sufficient toys and other distractions to get her through the day? If not, another answer to, “Why do female dogs hump?” might be boredom or stress relief. Just as some dogs may bark, bite, whine, howl, rend couch cushions or shoes when they feel neglected, so too do other dogs hump as a reaction to boredom or intense stress.

If your dog, female or male, is a habitual humper, you may want to consider establishing a stricter and more regular schedule of walking, running or interactive play. Engaging with your dog and providing her with a routine can eliminate boredom or anxiety as a reason for her to hump objects, people, and other dogs.

Medical or Behavioral Issues

If your female dog is humping everything in sight, especially if it begins abruptly and is not an occasional or habitual activity it may be a symptom of a larger concern. In these cases, you’ll want to seek veterinary attention. Physical pain caused by trouble urinating, or a urinary tract infection, may be relieved or soothed by humping anything ready to hand. Excessive licking or chewing at the genital area may also indicate urination issues or UTIs.

Do you have a dog who was a long-term shelter resident or possibly from an abusive or neglectful home? Female dog humping may also be a response to poor socialization or other stressful conditions. Female dogs that routinely hump in social situations — at the dog park, for instance, or whenever a new person visits your home — might have behavioral issues that a trainer can address.

Force of Habit

The habitual, and incorrect, assumption about humping is that it is a male-centric activity, and one oriented toward establishing dominance. In adult and older dogs, especially in multi-dog households, or in the wild, humping may serve social purposes or reinforce hierarchies. For every other dog, the answers to, “Why do females dog hump?” are as varied as the reasons why people chew on their fingernails. If it is not constant, repetitive or disruptive, humping is a natural dog activity.

Like any behavior in female and male dogs, humping is learned, either through frequent repetition, external encouragement, or lack of dissuasion. If you have a puppy and his humping behaviors are met with laughter or simply not discouraged, dogs will not learn that humping is a disruptive behavior or an unwanted one.

Tell us: Have you owned dogs, male or female, who got into the habit of humping? How did, or do, you deal with it? Share your experiences with your fellow readers!

Plus, is your dog a frequent VICTIM of another dog’s humping? Find out what to do here >>

Read more about dog behaviors on Dogster.com:

• What to Do to Stop Dog Chewing
• Why Do Dogs Bark? Reasons Dogs Bark and How to Stop Excessive Dog Barking
• How Do Dogs Show Affection to Humans?

About the author: Melvin Peña is a writer, editor, and social media manager who spends most of his time in Durham, North Carolina. His interests include his dog, Baby (of course!), art, hiking, urban farming and karaoke.

Featured Image Credit: Jenn_C / Shutterstock.