THE FUSE

One of the most common questions I hear is: Why does my dog hump other dogs (the humper) when the other dog (the recipient, or humpee) is the same sex or a female who isn't in heat? Humping is far more interesting and complex than most people realize; it's a natural dog behavior, and it isn't necessarily disgusting or abnormal. For convenience, many people use the words "mounting" and "humping" synonymously—mounting means one dog climbs or stands on top of another dog's body, and humping refers to the physical act.¹