Madame palm and her 5 lovely sisters

Ivers a humper. He always has been. It's not a big deal I first became aware when he was about 9 weeks of age. I've distracted and avoided situations which make him hump like stress excitement and tiredness and kept it to an ok level. He barely does it so it's not a worry. Now he's approaching 6 months and I just want to know if this distracting avoiding humpy situations is the best way to manage him. Rory is finding it irritating but he seems to manage it the same way I do.
He's growing up I won't be neutering him but I joined want to get him over this adolesant " hump" without this behaviour becoming ingrained. He's very attached to the dog bed. Thanks
 
Sounds to me like you are being really sensible here , Reubs didnt hump as a youngster but Sam did and I just distracted and removed the object of his affection without making too big a fuss about it ! I so agree that you dont want it to become a major habit , for Rory sake and other dogs too as some may not take too kindly ! Its all perfectly normal for some pups, male and female alike xx
 
I've not had a committed humper, but Willow did a bit as a teeny puppy, and Shadow does on occasion when he's excited about going on a walk. I would just continue distracting as soon as it starts, maybe think about swapping his bed out for a different one for a short while?
As much as I've never really had to worry about the hump, the twins both went through a phase of being obsessed with rocks, and I just approached it in the same way - distract, swap for an alternative behaviour of high value (such as chasing a pine cone), and it eventually died out. I'm sure you have it covered, but if over-tiredness is a trigger, then a chew, lick/snuffle mat or Kong type thing should help him relax.
 

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
Kipper is a humper when he’s overtired; most evenings he’ll give his bed a going over for a few seconds after he’s finished his kong.
We always removed the object and distracted since he began this at about 6 months, and it’s certainly lesened but never quite extinguished. We stopped removing his bed at around 18 months as it seems to be just a quick ‘get it out of the system’ thing and didn’t seem to be fading completely with removal and distraction. It’s at a manageable level and I’m still thinking it may lessen further as he grows up. With Kipper, tiredness in the evening is the trigger - it’s like he has a burst of energy he doesn’t know what to do with, so needs an outlet. It’s always the bed cushion, never seen it directed anywhere else (or any other time of day).
 

Beanwood

Administrator
Benson is a bit of a "humper" mostly when he is excited, and especially after food, he like to retire to his bed for a good old hump! We tend to give him small meals (kongs) throughout the day, and if he has tea, then a small kong or chew distracts him quite well. Out on walks, if Iver he looks like he is getting a bit humpy with other dogs, you could try something like squeezy cheese that last a bit longer than just giving a treat? :)
 
I've not had a committed humper, but Willow did a bit as a teeny puppy, and Shadow does on occasion when he's excited about going on a walk. I would just continue distracting as soon as it starts, maybe think about swapping his bed out for a different one for a short while?
As much as I've never really had to worry about the hump, the twins both went through a phase of being obsessed with rocks, and I just approached it in the same way - distract, swap for an alternative behaviour of high value (such as chasing a pine cone), and it eventually died out. I'm sure you have it covered, but if over-tiredness is a trigger, then a chew, lick/snuffle mat or Kong type thing should help him relax.
I took the bed away he's now humping Rory. I can hear banjos :giggl:
 
It's all calmed right down again, just the odd hump of uncle Rory. I've just been very careful about him getting too excited on walks. I've taken a long line to clip on when we run into exciting things and worked hard on his recall. I just have to manage him carefully
 
Well I worked on his recall and watched him and distracted him before he even mounted and he's loads better. Distraction worked and use a off command when he humps Rory. Rory also started to tell him no in a doggie way. We've not had any humping of strangersfor a while so everything's manageable and ok so far.
 
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