by Sean
(Belfast )
Hi my pup Belle is 4 and a half months old but she is constantly rolling her bed up and humping it ? is this normal behaviour at this age?
Hi Sean. Actually the humping (of soft toys, beds, peoples legs…. etc.) is a very normal behavior for puppies.
In young pups it’s often more of a dominant behavior than a sexual one. At Belle’s age it could be a bit of both. Once she has been spayed you may well find that this behavior gradually disappears.
The best way to handle it is to tell her ‘No’ when you see her doing this (not that it’s bad or dangerous, but can be embarrassing and distracting… and could become obsessive if she gets to do it a LOT). Then distract her with a game, another toy, a quick training session.. anything which gets her mind focusing on something else.
Enough exercise, regular training and plenty of interaction with you can help keep her occupied and give her less time to focus on her love for her bed! You could try a different type of bed for her to see if that helps… maybe something within a rigid frame/base so she can’t roll it up? She may simply transfer her crush to something else, such as cushions or a soft toy, but it may break the cycle all together.
Either way with time and patience and regular correction/distraction she will grow out of this. Good luck to you both.
~Sue