How to Calm a Sexually Excited Dog

Co-authored by Jaimie Scott and Caroline Heiderscheit

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Fact Checked

When your dog's sexual urges kick in around other people, it can be totally frustrating. You may be wondering how you can get your dog to kick the habit for good—so you never have to face another embarrassing public encounter. Well, you're in luck! There are actually so many easy, effective tips proven to finally get your dog to stop humping and mounting in public. For a complete guide covering all of the very best strategies to calm your sexually excited dog, read on.

1

Discourage them with loud noise.

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Make sure your dog knows humping and mounting are bad behaviors. Discourage your dog in the same way you would with other bad behaviors. Use a loud clap or give a simple, stern, “No!”—whatever your dog has learned to associate with unacceptable behavior. ^{[1]
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- For this method to work well, you should have already established trust and dominance through dog training.
- This issue can be super frustrating. Still, you should never hit or get aggressive to discourage humping or mounting in your dog.
- In some cases, humping and mounting can be about dominance. In this case, gently pushing your dog off of you and turning away from them is a good option. ^{[2]
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 How to Calm a Sexually Excited Dog}

2

Refocus their attention with toys or a game.

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Humping and mounting are often instinctual—so interrupt their behavior. Typically, your dog will be happy to move on to a new distraction. In this case, the more positive and engaging the activity, the better. When you see your dog is about to hump, take them outside for a game. Or, pull out that toy that your dog can’t resist. ^{[3]
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- Try fetch, chasing, tug-of-war, or a nice walk.
- If you offer your dog a toy, go for an interactive, stimulating choice. Treat dispensing toys, ball launchers, or puzzle toys are perfect.
- This is a great way to give your dog another outlet for their extra energy.

3

Ask them to perform a command.

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To quickly redirect your dog and interrupt their instinct to hump, ask them to sit, stay, lie down, or roll over. Not only will this disrupt their behavior in the moment, but over time, it will train them not to follow their instincts to hump and mount. When they perform their command well, follow up with a treat or reward. ^{[5]
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4

Ignore them or stay silent.

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Withhold your attention so you don't positively reinforce the behavior. Sometimes, dogs may register any interaction with you to be a positive outcome to their behavior. So to discourage them, don't engage. If you see your dog begin humping, try to leave the room silently. If you can, avoid eye contact with your dog and don't pet them on your way out.
- Subtly send the message that this behavior doesn’t earn your attention, and over time, your dog could learn to stop.
- Plus, if your dog follows you from the room, you’ll have interrupted their behavior in the moment.

5

Give your dog a time out.

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Leave your dog alone and unstimulated to discourage their behavior. When your dog starts humping or mounting, deliver a short command that you'll associate with time outs, like, “Done,” “Enough,” or “Alone Time.” Then, gently bring them to a space without toys or distractions to be by themself. Leave your dog alone for no more than 1-2 minutes. ^{[5]
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- Make sure when you release your dog, they’re not engaging in bad behavior, like whining. This may positively reinforce the behavior.
- Be consistent when you do time-outs. Spot the behavior, deliver the command, leave the dog without distractions, and release them after just a few minutes.
- This will interrupt their behavior in the moment, and over time, it will teach your dog that you don’t approve of humping or mounting.
- It also gives your dog a chance to calm down on their own.

6

Treat them when they stop humping.

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When you reward your dog, you teach them that you like their behavior. Give them a treat when they're calm and relaxed to say, “This is great behavior!” Over time, this will teach your pup that relaxed behavior pleases you—and that’s something your dog wants as much as you do! ^{[6]
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- If your dog is lying down, breathing evenly or deeply, and has a relaxed expression—offer them a quick treat.

7

Keep them engaged in daily exercise.

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Burning energy lowers stress and sexual urges in dogs. All in all, the more exercise your dog gets, the less irritability, tension, and yes, humping you’ll see in your dog’s behavior. Take them out for a nice, long daily walk. Incorporate tons of games in their daily schedule and if you can, try to make sure your activities aren’t just physically stimulating, but mentally stimulating too. ^{[7]
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American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
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- Choose physically draining exercises, like fetch, swimming, runs, and wrestling.
- Engage them in mentally taxing exercise, too. Hide and seek, learning new tricks, and searching for treats will be extra engaging to them.
- It's hard to expect your dog to calm down if they have too much pent-up energy.
Patricia McConnell, Animal Behaviorist and Bestselling Author

When a dog grows overly excited, their behavior is often misconstrued as stubbornness or spite. In truth, strong instincts—from scents triggering frenzy to physical needs—drive much conduct. Understanding their perspective allows an empathetic response. Try redirecting focus positively or meeting needs for activity and stimulation. With care aligned to compassion, peaceful coexistence follows.