Why Does My Dog Still Hump Even Though He's Neutered?

by Naomi Millburn
"When new doggies are around, I get a little overexcited."


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Humping behavior in dogs is undoubtedly a little strange, but it's not at all unusual. Neutering a dog also isn't necessarily the end of canine mounting behavior, especially not overnight. A lot of different factors could potentially trigger humping in your pet, too, including frustration and playtime.

Newly Neutered Dogs

Once a dog is neutered, his high levels of testostone don't necessarily drop "just like that." As a result, you might still notice highly hormonal behavioral patterns -- such as humping your leg -- for upward of six to eight weeks post-neutering. Also remember that the older your pet is at the time of neutering, the more he might out of pure habit retain these types of hormonal patterns, even after surgery. Neutering can definitely eliminate or reduce many of these behaviors in dogs, but it's often more effective on dogs who haven't yet become fully sexually mature. Sexual actions are in no way exclusive to unfixed canines.

Overwhelming Emotion

Your neutered dog's humping also could have absolutely nothing to do with sexuality, as with many cases. Some dogs hump when they feel overwhelmed, both for positive and negative reasons. If your poor pooch can't get a grip on something that's going on, whether the sight of you chaotically packing up moving boxes or the arrival of your closest bud from out of town, he might just react by -- yep -- humping your limbs, the limbs of your other pets and perhaps even your furniture. Dogs occasionally take on humping as a compulsive reaction to frustration and anxiety. In these situations, it often can become extremely repetitive.


Once in a while, humping behaviors even signify power displays in dogs -- something that often exists whether they've been neutered or not. Neutering can often curb feelings of aggression and dominance in dogs, but not necessarily 100 percent of the time. If something or someone in your pet's life is causing him to feel insecure or threatened, don't be surprised if he reacts by humping. Humping is sometimes a dog's way of saying, "Look, I'm the big guy in our social realm. I'm the one in power, so accept it, buddy. That's just how things are."

Health Issues

Health issues are a common culprit behind mounting behaviors in fixed pooches. Never make any assumptions as to why your pet might be humping, fixed or otherwise. Some of the ailments that are frequently associated with canine humping are urinary tract infection, allergies, flea outbreaks and incontinence. Mounting can be a symptom of any and all of these problems. Since ignoring these -- or any medical issues in general -- can lead to extremely hazardous consequences in your pet, it is vital to schedule an appointment with the veterinarian as soon as you notice anything.


Humping can sometimes be a sign of playful behaviors in dogs, nothing more and nothing less. This is particularly common in canines who didn't receive a lot of interactive play experience as puppies, whether alongside their littermates or any other young dogs.

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