Is your dog always licking you or keeps on trying to hump you?
This is really distracting and annoying behavior. It can also be pretty embarrassing if you have friends or family over.
But there’s good news. If you’re wondering what to do about your dog licking and humping, there are some ways to help him stop.
Let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Why does my dog keep licking me and trying to hump me?
As humans, there are some behaviors that we find inappropriate, especially in public. Unfortunately, your dog might have other ideas of what’s okay to do in front of company.
If your dog won’t stop licking you and trying to hump you, this isn’t just annoying. It’s also probably pretty embarrassing if it happens while friends, family or even strangers can see you!
Even if you’re home alone, you probably wish that you could have your personal space back from your dog.
There are ways to get a dog to stop doing this, but first you have to understand why it’s happening in the first place. Before we get into it, check out these related articles for a bit of background:
When people see dogs humping, they usually assume that it’s a sexual act. But humping isn’t all about reproduction for dogs.
Humping is also a way for dogs to communicate. Dogs obviously can’t use spoken language to talk to each other, so they use their bodies to communicate what they’re feeling! While humping can certainly be sexual, dogs also express dominance, excitement, stress or playfulness with it.
Dominance
A dog that starts humping another could be trying to show dominance over the other dog. Humping is a dog’s way of saying, “I’m in charge here.”
This isn’t a behavior that you’re going to want to encourage. Dominance in dogs can quickly turn into aggression.
Hormonal/sexual
Humping in dogs is usually a dog’s way of communicating or dealing with another emotion. But it can certainly also have to do with reproduction.
Just like us humans, dogs have hormones in their bodies that control certain internal systems, including their reproductive systems. This means that humping can indeed be a sexual response.
This is more common in dogs that have not been spayed or neutered (yes—female dogs can hump too!). It’s important to make sure that you are getting your dog neutered or spayed when they are old enough.
If you’re looking for more information on this, take a look at this article: What Is the Best Age to Neuter or Spay a Dog?
Excitement
There’s probably a lot that your dog feels excited about. There are so many fun and interesting things in the world, and that can make your dog feel pretty excited.
Unfortunately, when dogs get overexcited, they might start to behave in ways we don’t appreciate. If your dog doesn’t know what else to do with the big feelings he’s having, he might start licking you, and trying to hump you.
It’s important to keep your dog from getting overexcited if you want to keep him well-behaved. Here are a few articles on overexcited that might be able to help you:
Stress
Being overexcited can cause a lot of unwanted behavior in dogs. But that’s not the only thing that might cause issues like humping.
Stress can also trigger a lot of issues in dogs. If your dog doesn’t know how to deal with his stress properly, then he might try to hump you, or licking you, to get rid of his nervous energy.
If your dog experiences a lot of stress, this can make life difficult for both of you. There are lots of great ways to help your dog.
Make sure you take a look at these related articles for a little advice:
Playfulness
It might seem weird, but humping in dogs can also be triggered by playfulness!
Dogs tend to mount each other as part of playtime. Your dog might have learned this behavior while playing with other dogs. He doesn’t realize that this isn’t a good way to get someone to play with him!
If your dog tries to hump you, or won’t stop licking you, stop playing as soon as he shows this behavior. This will teach him that he doesn’t get to keep having fun if he acts this way!
Habit/Compulsive disorder
Another reason why your dog might try humping you all the time is because it’s become a habit he’s picked up.
Your dog might also have a compulsive disorder. If the humping is a habit, you can help break it using positive reinforcement dog training. Ignore your dog when he starts humping, and reward him when he chooses to do something else.
Why is my dog humping me in this specific situation?
Knowing the basics of why dogs hump or try licking you can help you prevent your dog from trying to hump you all the time.
But you might be wondering why your dog might be humping you in specific situations. Here’s a closer look at some reasons why your dog might be trying to hump you.
My dog tries to hump me when I’m on my period
It’s probably pretty confusing to find your dog trying to hump you when you’re on your period. You’re probably feeling pretty annoyed about it too. After all, you’re probably already pretty uncomfortable from having your period!
Trying to get your personal space back from your dog can make you feel even more frustrated.
If your dog keeps trying to hump you when you’re on your period, it could be because the smell of blood and hormonal changes is encouraging him to start humping.
You can still use positive reinforcement to curb this behavior. Make sure that your dog is also neutered or spayed.
My dog keeps biting and trying to hump me
If your dog is biting you and trying to hump you, that could indicate that your dog is trying to display dominance.
A dog trying to display dominance over his human could wind up becoming dangerous. This is something that you’re going to want to get some help with right away.
These articles on aggression might be useful:
If you are concerned about your dog, you can always get the help of a dog trainer. This might be especially helpful for owners who are worried their dogs might put someone in danger.
Related topic: For dog training in general I highly recommend you get a program that walks you through step by step, such as Braintrainingfordogs. Certified dog trainer Adrienne Farricelli teaches you to train your dog to be the best dog he can by be using mental stimulation! Check out Dogpackr’s review to see if this is a fit for you!
My dog keeps whining and trying to hump me
A dog that won’t stop whining and trying to hump you can be pretty annoying. You just want to go about your day, but your dog seems pretty intent on getting your attention!
As long as your dog is spayed or neutered, this is most likely a sign of stress or anxiety.
Something is going on around your dog that’s making him feel pretty nervous. And, unfortunately, he doesn’t know a better way to deal with his nervous energy.
A lot of dogs become anxious because they’re not getting enough exercise. Here are 11 tips to tire out a dog quickly that might be helpful.
Why does my dog hump me before bed?
There are few things more annoying than trying to go to bed but having your dog continuously trying to mount you.
Most of the time, this happens because a dog didn’t get enough exercise during the day. He’s got too much energy to go to bed, and he’s trying to get your attention by humping you.
Always remember to provide your dog with a healthy amount of daily activity. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog!
Why does my dog hump my arm?
It might seem pretty weird when your dog tries to hump your arm rather than any other part of your body.
But the most likely explanation for this is that your arm is the part of you that your dog can reach at that moment. Maybe you’re sitting on the couch and he’s hopped up with you. Or maybe you just have a large dog.
Remember, most dogs hump humans out of stress, boredom, or dominance. Make sure that your dog is getting his needs met, and work with him if he’s trying to show dominance over you.
My dog tries to hump my baby
Bringing a new baby home is exciting, but what if your dog keeps trying to hump your little one?
It’s probably safe to assume that your dog is humping to show dominance in this case. To your dog, your baby is just another addition to the pack.
And your dog might want to make sure that your baby knows his place. Unfortunately, this can be really dangerous for your baby.
You should keep your dog and baby apart while you work on training your dog. You might also be able to find some more information in this article: Do Dogs Act Out When Their Owner Is Pregnant?
Why does my dog hump me after eating?
You just fed your dog some of his tasty food, and now he keeps trying to hump you. What’s going on?
Your dog might have gotten a surge of energy now that he’s eaten. It could also be that your dog is trying to get your attention.
Whatever the reason, use positive reinforcement dog training and ignore the behavior to get him to stop. Remember to spend time with him and provide affection and fun activities when he’s being good to reward that behavior instead!
How to stop a dog from humping you or others
So now you know all the reasons why a dog might start humping. But what can you do to get him to stop?
Here are a few helpful tips.
Find the reason for his humping and licking
The number one thing you’re going to need to do is figure out the source of the issue. You’re not going to be able to effectively stop your dog from licking and humping unless you know why he’s doing it!
This might seem pretty difficult at first, but it shouldn’t take you too long to figure it out. Most of the time, context will indicate what the issue is.
You can also try things like giving him less or more exercise or taking care to spend more time with him to see if there are any changes in his behavior.
Don’t acknowledge the behavior
When we tell our dogs “no” when they’re doing something we don’t like, our dogs don’t necessarily understand what that means.
And a lot of the time, all our dogs really want when they act out is our attention.
So telling your dog “no” when he starts licking and humping isn’t going to stop him. In fact, it might actually just encourage him. Your dog is getting your attention, after all, even if it’s negative.
Instead, it’s best to just walk away and ignore him.
Redirect his attention
The next step to curbing this behavior is to give your dog something else to do instead. Walk away from your dog and wait until he’s settled down. This could take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Then, you can try giving him something else to do.
Playing with a toy for a while is one really good idea. You can also give your dog something to chew on for a while to keep his attention.
Whatever you do, just make sure you wait until your dog has stopped humping so he doesn’t see this as a way to get what he wants.
Reward the good behavior
Showing your dog what not to do is part of any kind of training. But you should also make sure that your dog knows what he should be doing instead.
When your dog chooses not to hump and lick you, make sure you reward that behavior. Do this by giving him treats, or continuing to play with him if you’ve grabbed a toy.
This will help to encourage better behavior in your dog.
Conclusion
Dogs do a lot of things that we humans find pretty weird. Humping and licking is one of them. Now that you know why your dog might be doing this, you can use the above tips to help show him better ways to deal with what he’s feeling.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of my links, at no cost to you.