Female dog humping ?=\

[PsychGirly]

My aunt's Maltese, Daisy, is about 8 months old.

She'll randomly walk up to people (usually me), and hump their arm. It's really weird cuz I know this is common in males, but I've never heard/seen it in female dogs.

I searched it online & it says it's a dominance issue. They usually do it when they're annoyed, etc.; but this isn't the case with Daisy. I have noticed her do it when she's upset, but sometimes she'll just randomly walk up to me and try to hold onto my arm, & she'll hump it while she growls.

When she does this, I've tried doing 2 things: 1) I say "No Daisy!" & I pull my arm away, but this makes her even more aggressive & she runs back & does the same, but bites & barks this time. 2) I try to calm her down by saying in a nicer voice, "Daisyyy nooo, good girllll" while I pet her and gently remove my arm. This sometimes works, but usually doesn't make a difference.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do we stop it?

[In the Dark]

Lol when I was working as a builder my boss would bring along his wifes miniature poodle and when he would be crouched down the dog would hump his arm infront of the other builders.

Hillarious let alone a builder with a miniature poodle.

But the dog would stop after a while.

[Xplode]

i would be disiplaning the dog. soon as she does it. put her in a confined space with nothing to do. no toys. no nothing. 5 mins at first. the let her out.

other trick with dogs.
push out there back end. sets them off balance and shows that you are more dominant.

[greywolf]

Yeah, it's a dominance issue. You shouldn't allow her to do it or she'll end up being a dog that walks all over you guys.

[lila...]

My female dog does it to my male dog's face all the time lol. We haven't done anything about it because we don't find it annoying, it's kind of cute and funny.

She's a puppy, maybe she'll grow out of it? A lot of puppies show weird behaviours but grow out of it once they're adults. But it could also a dominance issue like with my female dog, but she's very passive and never causes any trouble, which may not be the case with your maltese so I think you're right in disciplining her (not harshly though).

[TechResQ]

Psych - it is DEFINITELY a dominance issue. Next time she does it, pick her up and then place her on her back on the floor...hold her down gently if you have to and tell her "NO!!!" in a stern voice. Don't let her up until she is no longer struggling or growling. It may take a couple of times, but she will get the hint that she is not the Dominate Female in the pack. It is definitely best to do it now, while she is a puppy.

Hope this helps!

[BellaDonna]

She'll randomly walk up to people (usually me), and hump their arm. It's really weird cuz I know this is common in males, but I've never heard/seen it in female dogs.

I always found this quite strange. I remember one of my friends had a female dog that used to carry around a battered stuffed teddy-bear and hump it.

Back then, I never understood why they didn't just trow the teddy bear away and try to stop the dog from doing that.

I'd be even more concerned if the dog was doing it to people.

I definitely would tell a dog "no" very sternly if it did that to me.

[1MoreChance]

It has nothing to do with dominance. Humping is primarilly a sexual behavior, male or female, spayed or neureter. It is also done in play and to release stress and excess energy.

How much exercise, mental stimulation (as in being allowed to sniff on walks, play with other dogs, training - positive reinforcement based, as it gets the dog thinking about what it need to do to receive reward), and chewing activity does she get to do daily? make sure it is plenty.

this is common behavior issue in dogs her age - typical adolescent - and it can beome a more chronic, behavior problem. So make sure her daily activity needs are met and from there, if it continues, you can punish it by removing yourself and everyone involved from the room, not for 5 minutes as another poster mentionned - it's to long a duration for her to connect the dots, when you come back she will have forgetten the reason you left - but for about 15 seconds. EVERY TIME she humps, she looses atention and interaction from people. No talking to her (not even a "no!"), it just gets confrontational and it doens't work wioth her as far as I rememeber she growls at you?

and reward the times when she has four feet on the ground and is interacting nicely. the more you reward wanted behaviors, the more of them you'll get.

For issues like puppy nipping and jumping up on people, same principle. remove attention, if necessary go shut yourself in other room, for a few moments. You must me very consistent and others too.

I work with dogs with behavioral issues and this works. Don't get caught up in the "dominance" thinking, there is no need to dominante and it's not what your dog is trying to do. it will just get you into a confrontion/ower struggle and increase your dog's stress (and maybe your own).

Pick up a copy of the book The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson, she's one of the top people in dog training and behavior issues. Highly enjoyeable and ground breaking book.

[1MoreChance]

Psych - it is DEFINITELY a dominance issue. Next time she does it, pick her up and then place her on her back on the floor...hold her down gently if you have to and tell her "NO!!!" in a stern voice. Don't let her up until she is no longer struggling or growling. It may take a couple of times, but she will get the hint that she is not the Dominate Female in the pack. It is definitely best to do it now, while she is a puppy.

Hope this helps!

Don't alpha roll her.

This is dominance based training / behavior intervention.

was introduced by the Monks of New Skete who have since gone back on their recommendations.

Cesar Millan has now revived it which has been a huge issue in brining it back into popularity.

Pick up a copy of the Culture Clash. Libraries even often carry it.

And read the recommendations from these sites (American veterinary association of animal behavior):

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[jengh]

When my dog Comet was younger, she would run up to me and hump my head while I was lying down. Definitely a dominance thing. Definitely not pleasant.