Dominance!

I'm getting a little tired of hearing this word lately, so thought I'd share to see what people thought.

Oscar is coming on leaps and bounds now when out and about. He no longer freaks out at every little thing and loves to play with other dogs on walks. Of course he's getting to that teenage stage and his hormones are well truly "out there" so he's quite happy to have a go at humping most things with 4 legs!

It's far from a problem as he'll only do it once or twice before continuing to play with his new doggy friend, but twice now I've had people say "Oooh that's dominance that is, he's trying to dominate that dog!".

Now Oscar is anything but dominant (I nearly choked on me sucky sweet the first time I heard that remark through trying not to burst out laughing ) and as far as I'm concerned he's just a horny little beggar at the moment!

So, is a dog that has the occasional hump automatically trying to dominate? I don't think so personally, but will be interested to hear peoples opinions.

Probably not, if it really is only very occasionally. It depends whether it is "air" humping, or actual physical humping where he is mounting and thus having body contact with another dog. This virtually always is dominance - the humper is saying "I am a higher rank than you".

I find with Tai and Ben, and Hal, that air humping usually meant they are just feeling randy!

Humping and the motives behind it have always puzzled me to be honest. I've never been able to figure out my Labrador and why he does it. I can't work out whether it is an excitement thing or an 'I'm going to assert myself over you' thing.

Part of me also thinks it is a breed associative thing, as the majority of dogs that he tries it on with are other Labradors and other Lab/Golden 'type' breeds and mixes.

I guess they do it for a variety of reasons. In a young dog like Oscar, I'd guess a mixture of hormones and excitement does it for him, rather than being assertive (or dominant).

Interesting what you say about your Lab seemingly being "breedist!" I do think that dogs recognise their own type or breed.

I'm not sure I agree about the youth factor - even very young puppies will display assertiveness and dominance over their litter mates.

No he doesn't air hump, can't say I've ever seen a dog air hump!

He humps Isla from time to time and he certainly isn't asserting his authority over Isla! She'd soon tell him who's boss if he tried to take over!

He doesn't do it with all dogs, just those that he gets really excited with. He'll have a good run around and then after a while try and have a little hump, before continuing to play. It's almost like the excitement just gets too much and he has to let it out some how!

Both Oscar and Rossi hump each other when they're all looked after by my parents, I'm not really sure who's boss over who with those two tbh?

TBH given his age I'm more inclined to believe it's just sexual!

It is a weird one isn't it? Oscar will always have a good hump of Isla when I'm going out leaving them home alone. Almost as if to try and annoy me and make me come back! In this instance I think it's more of a comfort thing, perhaps again helping him to cope with his emotions?

Hal was a notorious air humper, sometimes with ... ahem ... embarrassing consequences! Tai disgraced himself in the pub garden once in a similar fashion, but obviously embarrassed himself so much he has never done it again, thank goodness. Obviously this is purely sexual, but mounting at any age is virtually always related to rank. The fact that Oscar humps Isla when you leave the two of them home alone is an absolute classic example of this - nothing to do with trying to annoy you IMO!!

Sorry I'm getting confused now, are you seriously saying you think Oscar is trying to dominate Isla?

I personally find it really hard to believe that dogs could be regarded as such a primitive species whereby humping can only ever mean dominance?

Hmm...methinks you have answered your own question....

I would be inclined to believe it is a tension release...it is happening in excitable or stressful situations....he has learnt it is a good way to relieve stress

Gabe does it when stressed as well (usually to pillows when he is left alone)...Puppies will often do it when play gets OTT or thy are over tired - again - just a way of externally expressing (and releasing) internal excitement levels.

Urgh, I think I'd rather pretend he was dominant. Dirty little boy!

Can I ask, do you think humping always = dominance when done between two dogs?

Nope......