Humping

Discussion in 'Labrador Behavior' started by Peter, Feb 20, 2016.

  1. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Hello i have a question for you regarding this behaviour, but not towards humans but towards object in this case pillows. Today i wanted to try again and i put in a pillow for him, the moment i do that he start to bite on him and hump the pillow, i'm aware that this is normal but what makes me a little bit doubtful is that after he humps his pillow, he rest for a minute and then proceed to do it again nonstop. Is this some kind of obsession in your opinion? Thanks for the future answers!

    P.S i'd like to hear some opinion on my other thread about the trained retrieving!
     
  2. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Hello there

    I don't think it's an obsession. My dog doesn't hump things, apart from one particular mat. He hadn't had access to this for ages - I forgot and put it on a low shelf when I was having a tidy. He was strangely quiet for quite a while until I got suspicious and went to see what he was doing. Having a love in with his mat! It's back on the high shelf. It's just that mat, it's what he does...who know how their furry brains work, really.
     
  3. pippa@labforumHQ

    pippa@labforumHQ Administrator

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    Hi Peter, there are lots of possible reasons for humping, but it can easily become a habit. Try not to give him opportunity - I'd take the pillow away. :)
     
  4. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Well in fact he showed this behaviour since he was a puppy towards pillows, and i removed them immediately. But today i wanted to give it another try and he's been humping it like crazy! He has a big smile and seems tired o_O , sigh i wanted to make him a comfy spot, maybe there are somethingelse that i could use to make him rest in a soft spot?
     
  5. AlphaDog

    AlphaDog Registered Users

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    Mine is a humper too but it seems to have tapered off a bit as he has matured (right, he's 5 months -- long ways to go). At first we would joke that he was working on his form but after a spell it became quite annoying. What's odd is that he'll use the only the same pillow. Today it's out of his sight range. I agree that it does seem to make him tired once he's done.
     
  6. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    When you say 'pillow' do you actually mean a pillow? That's not a normal thing to use as a dog bed. I know people sometimes use bean bags though.

    Charlie has a couple of proper beds, but round the house I use practical, washable, canvas mats. A young dog would be perfectly fine with something like this:

    http://www.muddypaws.co.uk/dog-beds/waterproof-beds/heavy-duty-waterproof-crate-pad

    But maybe you mean he humps anything soft?
     
  7. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Yeah it could be it also humped some kind of sheet when he managed to get hold of them but that was when he was a puppy! The thing you showed me looks great! I'd like to get something comfy like that to place around the house as well but i don't know what to get to be honest =)
     
  8. MaccieD

    MaccieD Guest

  9. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Oh no i haven't because i've never seen those i think, not entirely sure!
     
  10. Newbie Lab Owner

    Newbie Lab Owner Registered Users

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    Dexter use to hump his teddy so that went away. At times now he will roll up the vet bed that I have in the kitchen and dining room, I just take them away and put them back later. I divert his attention onto some training. For months I use to have to keep the mats up but he is getting better.
     
  11. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Ahaha i think Sirius wouldn't let a teddy live even a day! I should try to give him some peluche!
     
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  12. Newbie Lab Owner

    Newbie Lab Owner Registered Users

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    No idea what peluche is :D but Dexter never destroyed his teddy, it still lives :)He has his little Kong knots teddy back now as it's far to small for humping now ;)
     
  13. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Oh my bad i meant the plush toys!
     
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  14. Snowshoe

    Snowshoe Registered Users

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    How old is he? My boy started at 9 weeks old on laundry and blankets and I went right out and bought him his own humpee toy, a big Teddy Bear. We call it Poppa Bear, it was bigger than him when I got it. I encouraged him to hump it and he has never, ever humped anything else since. Not pillows, other dogs or people or furniture legs. Poppa is washable and can be hidden in a closet when company comes. I can certainly understand not wanting your pillows humped, bed, chesterfield, whatever, but I wonder if a substitute like Poppa would help?
     
  15. Newbie Lab Owner

    Newbie Lab Owner Registered Users

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    Your English is better than my Italian :D I believe I saw on another post you are in Italy. Apologies if I have that wrong ;)
     
  16. MaccieD

    MaccieD Guest

    Most people find it preferable to discourage humping altogether by removing the offending "object" rather than substituting for something else as most people view humping as an inappropriate behaviour, but then we're all different with different ideas.
     
  17. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Well, if he humps soft things, I'd try something padded but stiff. Canvas, maybe? That's what I use (not because my dog humped things, but he'd chew things - I used very close fitting, stiff, mats in his crate so they just seemed like a floor to him). Maybe the same would work for you?
     
  18. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    @Snowshoe Now Sirius is one year and three month old still a big puppy basically =) well that thing that worried me was that he kept going and going and going he did that 1 hour straight and i can't wrap my head around it being normal at all (i might be wrong ehhehe).

    @Newbie Lab Owner Yes i'm from italy and you can hit me up with your italian it can't be bad, beside as a language it's not very hard =)
     
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  19. Peter

    Peter Registered Users

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    Well I tried a lot of times to introduce pillows to make his crate more comfortable but he usually tends to.... bring them out to hump them or to chew them as well. I think that your idea might be on the right track same for the vetbed that Maccied suggested
     
  20. Newbie Lab Owner

    Newbie Lab Owner Registered Users

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