# How to stop my dog from becoming aggressive when humped?



## katenkit (Sep 14, 2013)

I have a 8 year old male doberman. He was rescued when he was about 1. He is very sweet and tolerant dog and he LOVES the dog run and playing with other dogs. When he was younger, other males would hump him and he would just stand there and wait for them to stop. Over time, he was able to let other dogs know that this is not OK. 

However, in the past year or so, he began to display aggressive behavior when humped. A dog would climb on him, he would wait for a minute or so with his ears pulled back and then attack with a growl. No dog has been harmed and this has happened only a few times, but those were the only times I took him to socialize.

I would love for him to keep going to the park to play with others - his favorite past time! But I need some help dealing with this. 
Thank you!


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

If he growls and air snaps, and no one is hurt, then he wasn't really "attacking" so much as telling off the other dog and honestly, I think your dog has a right to tell off another dog who is being rude by humping him. Personally, I wouldn't allow another dog to hump my dog for a whole minute in the first place.


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## katenkit (Sep 14, 2013)

Its definitely not air snapping. He had a dog on the ground in an instant with his mouth full of hair after I pulled him by hind legs. I am just afraid of this happening again (and going any further). I'd let him growl and air snap without a problem if it was just that...
About 2- 3 years back he really was just telling off other dogs, but I feel that it escalated


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

He is 8 years old, perhaps his back hurts now. Might be time for him to just socialize with a select few dogs that aren't so rude.


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## Jmc1985 (Nov 27, 2012)

katenkit said:


> However, in the past year or so, he began to display aggressive behavior when humped. A dog would climb on him, he would wait for a minute or so with his ears pulled back and then attack with a growl.


^^If it's being allowed for a minute or longer, I don't blame him for snapping. I would be sure to supervise his play with other dogs better so they're not allowed to force him to put up with their rude behavior. If he gave them a minute without snapping, I think he's showing incredible self control and it's up to you to make sure that he's not put in that position.


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

When my Dobes turned about 7 they were no longer as tolerant of rude behavior from other dogs. My female Dobe would allow exactly two sniffs to the rear end and that was all and the male would maybe allow one if he was feeling generous. The dogs would still play with their "friends" that they had since they were younger, but they were not to keen on making new friends, let alone going to a dog park which is full of new dogs. I thought that was how Dobes were since my friend had one and he was not keen on making any new friends when he got older. I tried not to put my dogs in a situation where they would be approached by more than one new dog when they got older. You could try making play dates with dogs that you know your dog gets along with, but maybe not at the park where there could be rude dogs.


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## Adjecyca1 (Jul 25, 2010)

I wouldn't expect my dogs to tolerate humping, i don't tolerate humping, i HATE when someones dog keeps trying to hump me, i can understand why a dog wouldn't like it either


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

My dog was the humper  He's not aggressive, but he does want to play and he is a pest. When he gets snarked ( or worse), they he does a play bow or barks .... and even the most 'aggressive' dogs will stop the attack. However, if he doesn't get a chance to playbow, things can get ugly [He doesn't do this anymore, b/c of arthritis.]

As folks have suggested, many dogs learn to snark a humper ... which is appropriate. But, if humping is aggressive, or painful, then the dog may learn to escalate. In his younger days, we used my dog, as well as some well-socialized Labs and Pits, to help teach fearful dogs, how to be less threatened, and have less aggressive reactions. This type of socialization didn't work with all dogs, but many dogs learn to snark rather than to bite or attack. So, a little socialization with energetic, playful dogs ... may help. You'll also have to "protect' him when things start to get too intense, and call him off when he gets too intense.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

The three dogs I had, one female and two males did not like being humped,and would tell the other dog off right away. The female learned to sit down instead,Only one time has a dog(my other one) tried to hump my Rottie and it lead to a fight,he has no tolerance for such behaviors. I don't know exactly how he'll act now that he has been better socialized,but it's something I still want to be careful with.
Try to stop it before that,I can't blame my dogs for acting like such. Just like I wouldn't expect people to just sit there and tolerate the same.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

If you don't want your dog to correct the behavior, and the other owners don't want the consequences,,, why are you not supporting your dog stepping in or the other owner of the other dog not stepping in to be the solution for the dogs. Can't set your dog up for failure then find him at fault.. Step up, get involved to end it before it starts... You've been through this enough to know which other dogs do it, an what it looks like before it gets started... get yourself in there and deflect it before it even starts. Or just stop going to a negative environment for your dog.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Smalls does not allow humping- even for a second. Shambles learned this very quickly as a baby. I normally let the dogs correct each other for that kind of behavior, but I know Smalls will not tolerate it so I will stop it before it starts if I can. She will pin another dog to the ground and it's a lot of noise and ruckus, but no actual injury. Now, if the other dog chooses to escalate you could run into an issue, but I would also say there is nothing wrong with him telling a dog off for being rude and perhaps it is time to consider carefully who he interacts with. Possibly a vet visit to make sure there isn't an issue of pain.


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## starrysim (Dec 2, 2012)

So, I'm wondering, what's the best way to step in and break up a humping session? Or any other aggressive situation? I do like to take Luna to the dog park, but I feel that I need to be better prepared and better able to keep her out of trouble. 



Foresthund said:


> The female learned to sit down instead.


Luna does this too! When another dog sniffs her butt, she sits. It's the cutest thing.


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## ConorD (Sep 14, 2013)

My dog hates being humped. So I step in - or more commonly, the owner of the humper steps in, embarrassed that it is happening. I can't imaging expecting her to just take it for a whole minute.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

I have a humper (Buddy ... but he only does it to females ... strangely even though he is fixed) & only one who tolerates humping (Josefina ... mostly due to the fact the she was an orphan & lacks the social skills to be able to tell other dogs off) She is also horrible at reading body lingo, so the DP would be a HUGE no no for her, mostly due her to tendency to get pissed when she is bothering other dogs & they tell her to stop, she doesn't throw calming signals, she just gets pissed & starts getting aggressive ... so no DP for her.

But yes, your dog should be allowed (in the event you don't catch the humping in time to stop it) to give the humpER the what's what.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

starrysim said:


> So, I'm wondering, what's the best way to step in and break up a humping session?


I don't think I've ever had to do anything but try to "shoo" the humper away. Just walk over with an "Eh Eh!" and/or clapping my hands or making shooing motions with my hands. On the rare occasion those don't work, owners have usually noticed by then and come to take their dog away.

I wouldn't be thrilled about taking the collar of a strange dog, but if it came to it I might. Or I might wheelbarrow. It's never come up, though.


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## starrysim (Dec 2, 2012)

sassafras said:


> I don't think I've ever had to do anything but try to "shoo" the humper away. Just walk over with an "Eh Eh!" and/or clapping my hands or making shooing motions with my hands. On the rare occasion those don't work, owners have usually noticed by then and come to take their dog away.
> 
> I wouldn't be thrilled about taking the collar of a strange dog, but if it came to it I might. Or I might wheelbarrow. It's never come up, though.


thanks, that's easy enough


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