We can feel uncomfortable with certain canine behaviors, such as the act of riding, for example. But instead of punishing or repressing your pet, we propose to better understand her behavior. Various attitudes that seem ugly to us are totally natural to them. The point is that we get used to humanizing our pets and sometimes we find it hard to understand that they are animals that are guided by their instincts. Forcing them to behave like human beings is not respecting the nature of their species, their language and socialization rules.
When a female starts riding other dogs or objects, it can say a lot about her character and her he alth. Therefore, in this article on our site we invite you to know what it means when a dog mounts another dog.
Do females ride too?
The answer is yes! Mistakenly, the act of mounting is often associated with sexually active males. This is explained by the custom of relating mounting only to reproduction or the sexual act. But it is common for females to also mount and this behavior can have different causes that we will address below and encourage you to read.
It is essential to understand that there is no single reason that explains why one bitch mounts another bitch. The possible causes are diverse and must be analyzed according to the behavior of the female, her environment and also her he alth condition. Therefore, it is essential to provide adequate preventive medicine to our pets. If your dog shows changes in her behavior or obsessively repeats the act of mounting, it is essential to consult your trusted veterinarian.
Is mounting a display of dominance?
Most people mistakenly believe that mounting is a behavior performed by dominant dogs, however it is very rarethat a female is dominant with others if they have just met so it is probably due to other reasons that we will explain below.
Likewise, remember that dominance does not manifest itself through aggressive behavior, on the contrary, dominant dogs are those self-confident that behave calmly and encourage others to behave properly.
Ride other bitches for self-stimulation and sexual discovery
We've come a long way on this, but pet sexuality is still taboo for humans. For this reason, many times we stop talking about sexual self-stimulation in males and females. And what does sexual self-stimulation mean? It means that dogs also masturbate for pleasure or relief Logically, this is not perverted behavior but natural behavior in their species.
Like human babies, puppies go through various stages of sexual development. It is common that they want to explore their own body and mainly their reproductive organs. In females, the first heat represents the most important change in their sexual development, marking the beginning of their sexually active life. From 6 to 7 months of age, your female dog may begin to show more interest in mounting or licking her vulva. In reality, she is discovering her own body and preparing for her adult life.
Upon reaching sexual maturity, males and females may mount for self-gratification. This behavior also usually remains active after the sterilization procedure, since pleasure and reproduction are not synonymous.
Ride to relieve stress or boredom
It is the most frequent cause Pets also suffer from the stress of our times and the accelerated pace of our daily lives. It is increasingly common to diagnose dogs with symptoms of anxiety, boredom, depression, hyperactivity, and other emotional imbalances. A stressed or bored dog accumulates excessive tension, which must be released to relieve her physical or psychological malaise. Then, the animal looks for some escape valve in its environment to release this excess energy.
If your dog starts constantly mounting another dog or compulsively licking herself, she may be stressed or bored. And the main cause is usually related to a sedentary lifestyle or insufficient daily physical activity.
In some cases, when adult and elderly female dogs encounter other overly active and playful female dogs, they may mount them to try to calm them down. It would also be related to stress.
Your dog mounts another dog as a symptom of he alth problems
Hyperactivity, stress and anxiety can also be symptoms of certain pathologies. In these cases, the animal usually adopts strange habits in its daily life, such as abruptly starting to mount any object, such as its stuffed animal, or another animal.
The hormonal problems and the autoimmune diseases are the conditions that most often favor behavior changes like this. In addition, the movement of mounts can relieve pain caused by urinary infections and bone pathologies that mainly affect the hip.
For all these reasons, it is essential to confirm the cause of said behavior in order to avoid the development of more serious symptoms and the progression of any disease. Going quickly to your trusted veterinarian allows an early diagnosis and improves the prognosis of your pet's he alth condition.
The habit of riding and social problems
Another common cause of mounting in females is Inadequate socialization or poor educationMany dogs mistakenly fix this habit as a form of interaction with other animals or people. Unfortunately, it is also a very common problem in abandoned animals that have suffered physical and emotional abuse. Therefore, when adopting a new puppy it is essential to pay attention to its behavior and start a proper socialization process.
Also, some females may have gotten into the habit of riding by considering it a game. The problem appears when the other bitches do not see it in the same way and have negative reactions to mounting.
Riding compulsively
If your dog mounts other dogs (and people, objects, toys…) compulsively, you may be dealing with stereotyping, a serious behavior problemwhich could be translated into a human "OCD". It usually appears when the welfare of the animal is seriously compromised.
The most important thing is not to ignore any changes in our dogs' behavior and to be attentive to their needs. It is worth remembering that the articles on our site are for informational purposes and in no way replace the specialized care of a veterinarian, ethologist or canine educator.
