# 12 week old puppy "humping"



## Ack

My 12 week old puppy has just started "humping" people's legs. I thought he was much too young for this! I read somewhere that sometimes in younger puppies this behavior isn't sexual, it's just something they do. I think in my puppies case it is sexual, because when he does it there is something going on "down there." Also, he did it to me much, much more than usual one day after I came home from visiting a friend who has a female dog.

Is he old enough to be neutered now? If he is, will the neutering stop this behavior?

If he isn't old enough to be neutered, what's the best way to discourage this behavior?

Also, at what age will he be old enough to impregnate another dog? I had plans to begin socializing him as soon as he's fully vaccinated. Should I be keeping him away from female dogs?


----------



## Mason

Apparently, the behavior is not unusual in pups this young. Mine did it from 12 weeks on (still doing it), and he was fixed at 10 weeks! (NOT my decision..the shelter I got him from immediately spays/neuters any four-legged creature that crosses its doorstep.) So, in answer to one of your questions, no, it won't necessarily stop it.

I find its easy to distract him from this with one of his favorite toys. All I have to do is say, "where's your ball??"

I would not recommend neutering him at such a young age. It can come with a hightened chance of some pretty nasty health problems. At least wait until he's 6 months old..if not a year.

Perhaps others can tell you at what age male dogs reach sexual maturity. I'm not totally sure on that one. I am pretty sure, though, that he's a little young to be getting a female pregnant at 12 weeks.


----------



## Keechak

Intact males sometimes as young as 5 months can produce puppies, You don't have to keep him away from female dogs just keep him away from bitches in heat and you'll be safe. To stop the behavior, physically remove him and distract him with a toy.


----------



## Flak

Humping is also a dominance thing, not just sexual for many dogs.


----------



## Ratpick

Hi, my 11 week old pup has just done the same to me.. first it was my arm then my leg.. ussaly i say its bad behavior and i ask him to stop it immidiatly.. because it is a Dominance thing.. its importent to establish that you are the pack leader as i have done with my pup from a early age  its quite intresting to see how he ends up in that behavior tough.. hehe


----------



## Original_Prankster

my pup started humping right around 7 weeks, but there was no red rocket, he did stop about a month ago when I got him neutered


----------



## katielou

Ratpick said:


> Hi, my 11 week old pup has just done the same to me.. first it was my arm then my leg.. ussaly i say its bad behavior and i ask him to stop it immidiatly.. because it is a Dominance thing.. its importent to establish that you are the pack leader as i have done with my pup from a early age  its quite intresting to see how he ends up in that behavior tough.. hehe


No no no no no.
This is a 12 week old puppy!!
Humping is not a dominance behavior folks. Its over excitement, bad social skills, attention seeking and a whole number of other things but not dominance.


----------



## DustyCrockett

It only has a sexual meaning when done by a male dog to a bitch in heat. When puppies do it, it's just playing. They play fight, play chase, play retrieve, play hump...they play everything, in preparation for becoming productive members of canine society.

Male and female dogs of all ages sometimes do this, regardless of the reproductive status of either dog. Adult dogs do it to assert themselves; stronger dogs do it to weaker dogs, and I mean psychological strength, not physical -- it's about attitude. Some deny it, some call it "dominance," but you can observe it for yourself at any busy dog park on a Saturday morning. Really ill-mannered dogs try it with everything that moves, and get snarled and snapped at in return.

Regardless, most consider it bad manners, and put a stop to it. I don't allow my dogs to do it, and will stop another dog doing it to my dog (if my dog doesn't act first, which he always does) or to me. With a pup that young, all you need to do is just brush it off and give it something else to do.


----------



## Dog101

Okay ummm so my puppy humps his favorite toys all the time and the thing going on there is just a instinctual behavior if you know what I mean.


----------



## Dog101

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE dont get him fixed until at LEAST 6 months!


----------



## WheatenDaneMom

puppy humping is normal and nothing to be of concern with. When mine humped the kids, pets or me... I just pushed him down and away a bit so he would stop... as for the pillow humping... we let him enjoy his stuffed friend... and after a few weeks he stopped.


----------



## KodiBarracuda

Ratpick said:


> i ask him to stop it immidiatly.. because it is a Dominance thing.. its importent to establish that you are the pack leader


Whats the difference between dominance and Dominance.


----------



## DustyCrockett

KodiBarracuda said:


> Whats the difference between dominance and Dominance.


you submit to dominance, but you Submit to Dominance!


----------



## KodiBarracuda

Oh, thanks for clearing that up for me.


----------



## BoxMeIn21

Humping is one of those behaviors that is hard-wired in a dog. Here's a good article:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/down-amp-dirty-humping-sex-status-and-beyond


----------



## peznite

We got our 2nd dog @ 5 weeks of age (from an accident litter). He was humping at 5 weeks of age.


----------



## DustyCrockett

peznite said:


> We got our 2nd dog @ 5 weeks of age (from an accident litter). He was humping at 5 weeks of age.


My latest pup, at 7 weeks, and his big brother (4 years and neutered) humped each other during play sometimes; they stopped doing that on their own after maybe 10 days or so. It was hilarious, especially when Scout (big brother, a Westie) looked up at us with this expression like, "oh come on, not again." Just seems sort of ...touching... when an adult dog tolerates rude behavior from a youngster.


----------



## Labmom4

katielou said:


> No no no no no.
> This is a 12 week old puppy!!
> Humping is not a dominance behavior folks. Its over excitement, bad social skills, attention seeking and a whole number of other things but not dominance.


^^^Agreed. Humping can mean all sorts of things and IME its most often not a sexual thing, unless you've got a bitch in heat of course. Males and females do it, spayed/neutered or not. I redirect the behavior but dont punish for it.


----------

