Humping might seem funny at first. But laughing about it or encouraging the behavior can result in disaster. Stopping Chihuahua humping early on will help your Chihuahua become better adjusted and better suited to deal with stress and difficult situations. So, this is how to stop Chihuahua humping.
How to Stop Chihuahua Humping
While you might think of humping as a sexual act, most humping is connected with dominant behavior, seen most commonly seen in males but also in females. Chihuahuas may also hump other dogs or even humans as a sign of stress when overexcited or simply because they lack proper socializing.
For example, the bossy bulldog who is humping his owner’s leg might be trying to demonstrate his dominance over him. In contrast, the tiny chihuahua humping the visitors might be overly excited and not know how else to let that show.
Dominance and Pack Order
Chihuahuas who are insecure will try mounting another dog or a person when they feel they need to secure their dominant position or establish control over somebody. They might also hump as a way to challenge for a position or to request attention.
Humping human legs is often a way for Chihuahuas to attract attention, especially if they are being ignored by their owners or feel a challenged because of the presence of a visitor or another pet.
One way to deal with this is to teach your Chihuahua the “leave it” command as soon as the behavior starts. You can also tell visitors in advance to use a firm “no!” if the Chihuahua starts the behavior in their presence. This would reaffirm that humping is unacceptable and drive the message that it must stop.
Medical Solutions
Neutering can effectively stop humping behavior, especially when done before the Chihuahua is six months old. The results are less effective in more senior Chihuahuas who have made humping a habit.
While hormones play a part in humping and the need to dominate, humping is also a learned behavior, so surgery alone might not be enough to stop it. In adult Chihuahuas, you can start a retraining program after surgery, when hormones begin to calm down, and your Chihuahua might be more responsive to training.
One way to train your Chihuahua is to use a spritz water bottle and squirt a bit of water on him when he starts humping.
Training and Socializing
The best way to stop humping behavior is to take action as soon as possible, so it doesn’t become a habit. For example, you can try distracting a puppy or a Chihuahua by offering a toy or a game. By reinforcing a healthier behavior instead, your Chihuahua will learn that a different reaction is more appropriate and provides better rewards. Hyperactive pets might hump to help relieve energy, so take them for longer walks or enroll them in obedience training to help them focus on something else.
