Um, humping?

[PopPops]

I just collected my sweet little seventeen week old baby from day care, which he loves and has never been a problem before. The lady was in fits of laughter, and explained that she has never seen such a young puppy with so much testosterone and that he energetically humped the two poor daxies she had in day care with him until she had to separate him... where upon he walked around with his hips still constantly going. He has apparently not stopped all afternoon! I've seen him do this with his large stuffed toy but didn't think twice as Poppy always used to as well with her large toys.

But I've never had boys before! Do I panic and rush to the vets? Is this usual? I'd planned to wait until 9ish months before neutering as always worried about not letting hormones settle enough first but if I have a canine Rudolph Valentino then do I need to think again? I'd rather he wasn't banned from day care before he's five months old!

[Helen]

so a puppy goes to daycare, plays all day with other dogs and gets over excited.....and humps.

Your daycare lady should be able to tell that this is just over-excited behaviour.  At 17 weeks he doesn't know what he's doing - all he knows is that it feels good and it gets a reaction.  It's not excess testosterone 

I would suggest that she separates him from the other dogs when he starts to get "excited" so he can calm down.  It should settle down but it will probably not be for a while yet!

I would not be rushing him off to the vets for neutering - in fact I think 9 months is a bit premature.  The current thinking is to leave them until they are fully mature before neutering.

[PopPops]

Thanks Helen, that's something I need to do some reading about, I just found an old thread here on the forum about waiting up to 2 years to reduce the risk of cancer and make sure there's time for full development - wish vets talked more about this!

Tolly's about as dominant as a jelly baby, he just loves everybody and is excitable so I'm sure you're right - was just very taken aback by someone so experienced saying she'd never seen a puppy go for it like that!

[Helen]

Thanks Helen, that's something I need to do some reading about, I just found an old thread here on the forum about waiting up to 2 years to reduce the risk of cancer and make sure there's time for full development - wish vets talked more about this!

Tolly's about as dominant as a jelly baby, he just loves everybody and is excitable so I'm sure you're right - was just very taken aback by someone so experienced saying she'd never seen a puppy go for it like that!

to be honest my boy went through a stage of that at daycare - it was pure excitement.  He NEVER did it at home or in front of us so we were quite shocked to hear he was a humper.  I point blank said to his daycare lady that it was a stage and I wasn't going to neuter him while he was a puppy and that I was happy for her to separate him when he did get excited. He literally grew out of it

Plus I bet he's anything he's humping boys - pretty much a sign it's not sexual at this age

[bizzylizzy]

I remember Humphrey doing the same when he was only a few months old but he has grown out if it (he's nearly 2 now) and I was also told it was pure play and nothing sexual about it at all. There are so many different opinions on neutering and its every owners personal choice which they should base on their own personal circumstances but don't rush into anything until you've weighed up all the pro's and cons and decided what's best for you and your pup. Humphrey's still entire,  I haven't completely discounted having him done yet but am waiting until he's a bit older so that I can better assess how he's really going to be when if  he matures!!

[Finvarra]

Dylan was the same, but it was a stage that didn't last long. He is two in June and entire, Imhaven't planned to give him the snip, and he doesn't, cause any bother now at the moment.

Lesley and Dylan

[Blueberry]

Blue was humping from the day he came home - 10 weeks old. 

[PopPops]

Thank you this is very reassuring! No, absolutely no way I'm rushing to put him through surgery or neutering early unless there was a very good reason, and am very interested in the reading I'm finding about waiting until full maturity if at all. 

Apparently there was a boy and a girl daxie and Tolls was practicing equal opportunity humping.

[Archie bean]

Mum's Jade regularly humps the cat (who apparently doesn't mind!) Jade's a girl by the way! 

[ejp]

Thank you this is very reassuring! No, absolutely no way I'm rushing to put him through surgery or neutering early unless there was a very good reason, and am very interested in the reading I'm finding about waiting until full maturity if at all. 

Apparently there was a boy and a girl daxie and Tolls was practicing equal opportunity humping.

Nice to know that he is politically correct at such a young age, good parenting I think!! 

[Buck]

My Charlie tried humping my elbow a couple of times when excited, not doing it in a sexual way but because it felt nice to him. My 11 yrs old dog did it to when he was little.
I've had mainly dogs (boys) more than girls over the last 46 years and really wouldn't think anything of this kind of behaviour.

Maybe the day care lady felt uncomfortable/embarrassed mentioning it and so said it in that manner that she was shocked. I think it's funny and wish the lil guy all the best lol 😂

[Penelope]

Dexter and Alfie have never humped anything - but Suki (yep, she's a girl!!!) will hump them given half a chance 
In fact if they annoy her too much she humps them into submission.
However, she also cocks her legs whilst Alfie and Dexter still often squat - so I am just very pleased that Trev and I are both completely happy with our own sexuality as our dogs obviously are a little confused 

[bizzylizzy]

 

[moneypenny]

Penny(a girl) is 4 years old. She has always humped our male cat, who she loves to bits. I'd love to know more about this issue. She doesn't hump indiscriminately. I wonder what really drives her to do it?

[Jaysmumagain]

Sounds like there are some happy cocker loving cats out there