Why do dogs hump pillows?

As puppies reach sexual maturity, they start to mount other dogs in sexual contexts. After they're neutered or spayed, many male and female dogs continue to mount and even masturbate because they have learned that the behavior feels good. ... Often, during courtship, females in heat mount and hump their male “suitors.” read more

Humping, or mounting, is a sexual position for dogs, but veterinarians who specialize in canine behavior say it often is done for other reasons as well. David S. Spiegel, VMD, who has a behavioral veterinary practice near Swarthmore, Pa., says in unneutered and unspayed dogs under a year old, humping is usually sexual in nature. read more

First of all, rest assured that humping is a perfectly natural and common activity in both male and female dogs. Female dogs also hump the same spectrum of things as male dogs; everything from people’s legs to pillows, and from dog beds to other female dogs. read more

Canine cognitive science has come a long way over the past few decades, but we’re still left making a lot of generalizations. Female dogs exhibit humping behavior during play, times of stress, when they’re excited, out of boredom, for attention, and out of frustration – it’s a behavior that varies based on context. read more