# My 10-week-old Golden boy is humping my arm!



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

"The vet told me that he is too young to be having hormonal urges, and that it is a test of dominance. He suggested exposing his belly and saying "No!" "

Your vet is wrong. Many young puppies will hump when they are really excited and don't know what to do. Either just get up and ignore your pup for 30 seconds or so or give him something else to do.

DO NOT ALPHA ROLL your pup onto his back. This information has been debunked. It was taken by watching wolves in captivity. Dogs and pups may roll onto their back in submission in respect to another dog/pup/human but they make that choice themselves. If a wolf puts another in that position that is to kill it. When you roll your pup you are just hurting your relationship and teaching your pup to fear you which at some point he may choose to go after you to protect himself. Please do not do this.


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

Some dogs play by humping. It's a behavior that we as humans don't understand, and that we have a hard time accepting, but is totally natural to dogs. My roommates mini Aussie constantly humps my puppy just when they're playing. I would just redirect and not worry about it.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

LOL! Sorry, that is my first response 

That is totally normal behavior for puppies and nothing sexual or dominant! If he does it, try to get his attention directed towards something else like a toy or favorite chew treat.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

If it were my dog, I would get up off the floor and ignore him whenever that behavior crops up. He's playing with you like he would his litter mates--just IMO, but I personally wouldn't want to have that relationship with my dogs. Obviously, I play with them but it's when I start (and stop!) the game, not them.

Your game, your house, your rules!


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## Jesse's Girl (Aug 4, 2014)

Thanks for the help, everyone. All of your responses are very common sense; my vet's suggestion did not sit well with me, but I tried it because, though I am an experienced dog owner, it's been a while since I've had a puppy, and I so want to do the right thing. I did put him on his back & gently held him, but I just felt so bad, even though he wasn't hurt.

I am going with my heart, and doing things that make sense to me and that feel right, 0as I did with my Lab, who was the gentlest, most well-mannered dog you could imagine. BUT, when he was a puppy, he was feisty and crazy, like Jesse. Never mounted my arm, though. haha


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

There are so many great articles on the mysteries of humping, lol. For sure it is a happy social activity, but humans just hate it. Dominance is a pretty debunked old theory, so I wouldnt worry either about it being sexual or about the pup trying to take over your household. On the other hand, you can injure the pup's trust in you by followig that vet's advice. I would just interrupt the behavior , and give a toy or briefly ignore the pup ( least reinforcing scenario).


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Maybe you have a sexy arm? :wavey:


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

Tennyson said:


> Maybe you have a sexy arm? :wavey:




Sage hummed my foot. I just kept pulling her off and telling her to sit. She eventually stopped.


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## Yellow Labby Girl (Jun 18, 2014)

Penny is only 9 weeks almost 10 weeks old now. But when we first got her, we gave her a big stuffed octopus toy and she would hump it from time to time. She hasn't done it anymore since then.


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## ktkins7 (Jul 20, 2013)

At that age I think it's excitement. Like others said, I would either step away for a few minutes or redirect. By stepping away it tells your puppy that when he humors he doesn't get your attention. 

Ella is spayed and every once in a while she gets too excited when I'm drying her off after a bath or swimming and she tries to hump the towel. It's only happened a couple times and she's a little over a year old.


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## Elsa (Sep 10, 2013)

Brody had a soft pillow dog, nearly as big as himself. He used to carry it with him everywhere, hump it, suck it, chew it, sleep on it but he never tore it up. He loved that thing! We called it Lola, LOL. He never tried to hump us. I think your pup needs something similar, a replacement litter mate. Lola helped immensely with the landshark stage too as he took it out on her, not us!


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## Elsa (Sep 10, 2013)

*Brody had a soft pillow dog, nearly as big as himself. He used to carry it with him everywhere, hump it, suck it, chew it, sleep on it but he never tore it up. He loved that thing! We called it Lola, LOL. He never tried to hump us. I think your pup needs something similar, a replacement litter mate. Lola helped immensely with the landshark stage too as he took it out on her, not us! 

PS Sorry about the double post, don't know what happened there! 
*


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## Aleksandrina (May 27, 2014)

Yellow Labby Girl said:


> Penny is only 9 weeks almost 10 weeks old now. But when we first got her, we gave her a big stuffed octopus toy and she would hump it from time to time. She hasn't done it anymore since then.


Theo does this to a big plush bone toy we gave him. It isn't necessarily a sexual thing, especially not at this age. It is playfulness and a dominance thing.


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## Jesse's Girl (Aug 4, 2014)

LOL...my husband thinks so


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## Toffee's mrs (Aug 19, 2014)

I agree with others that suggest a "littermate replacement" toy is the easiest way to diffuse the situation. Our Toffee has had "flat cat" since he came home with us in late Feb - it's a pyjama case which we put a water bottle in for the 1st few nights. He's now 7 months and he sleeps with it still, shakes it and yes occasionally humps it but that is the only thing he has humped, not us despite much playing with him on the floor with our other "puppies", I mean teenage children!


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