Doggy-style. You already know what it is. There’s no clarification required. “Missionary” and “cowgirl” can refer to other things. But not “doggy-style.” It’s a notorious sex position. Everyone knows it, but there are plenty of things you might not know about it.
1. It's super popular in Dallas for some reason. Millennials have gotten accused of ruining a lot of things (see: diamonds, the restaurant industry, department stores). And it looks like they’re torpedoing missionary as the “standard” sex position, too. A 2018 survey on millennial sex from Skyn showed that "people in Dallas were more likely to do doggy-style than any other city." The more you know!
2. There's no basis to the myth that doggy-style helps if you're trying to get pregnant. Some believe that because the position allows for deeper penetration, this means the sperm are starting out closer to the cervix. However, Dr. Scott Roseff, a Florida-based fertility specialist at Boca Raton's IVFMD, confirms that “There is no evidence that rear-entry sex positions optimize fertility.”
3. And doggy-style also won't help if you’re trying for a boy. The old wives' tale that sex with the guy on top leads to male babies is also untrue. Roseff confirms that newer technology has made it apparent that X and Y sperm move at the same speed and that "various sexual positions have absolutely no effect on the resulting gender of a baby." So if you were hoping for a boy, keep crossing your fingers. It’s just as effective.
4. Americans are searching for "doggy style" like whoa. According to a study from AskMen, America Googled doggy-style more than any other sex position. It could be because it’s incredibly popular, or maybe just because some people find it logistically challenging and need help. Not our place to judge.
5. It’s the second most dangerous position. Woman-on-top edges it out, but doggy-style is responsible for over a quarter of penile fractures. According to a study done at the University of Campinas in Brazil, 28 percent of men admitted to the ER with a penile fracture got it from doggy-style (for what it’s worth, woman-on-top took credit for 50 percent). But don’t worry, the odds of “breaking” a penis during sex are still incredibly low, so don’t let this scare you off.
6. It's part of a bigger family of "rear entry" sex positions. Doggy-style isn't the only way to have sex from behind; doggy-style is part of the "rear entry" group of sex positions that range from downward dog (yes, like the yoga position) and froggy to reverse cowgirl. So if you find the "standard" doggy-style too uncomfortable, you've got plenty of options: use a pillow under your stomach or even brace yourself against a chair.
7. It's really, really old. You think Snoop Dogg was the first person to reference the sex position in 1992? No way. Ancient Greeks and Romans have artwork and literature referencing the sex position; Roman philosopher Lucretius even recommended it for couples trying to conceive (please note that this has no actual scientific basis).
8. Lots of songs reference the sex position. Lots. According to Genius, there are over 1,600 songs that address the topic, at least in passing. "P.I.M.P." by 50 cent, "The Bad Touch" by The Bloodhound Gang, and "Back That Thing Up" by Justin Moore (which is a country song about doggy-style sex in a barn, and it's just as good as it sounds).
9. If you're a woman and doggy-style sex is painful, you have options. Because this position allows for super-deep penetration, some women may find their partners are hitting up against their cervix. Try slowing down the rate of penetration, and play with the angle of your hips. Try going down on your forearms or up on your palms to see if the depth makes a difference in your comfort level.
10. It's called "doggy-style" but plenty of other animals mate that way ... including horses, camels, giraffes, and elephants.
11. ... and tons of animals don't. Whales, dolphins, and spiders forsake the position. And primates like chimpanzees don't use it exclusively.
12. It's not just for vaginal sex. Feel free to engage in anal sex and cunnilingus while you're back there. "Doggy-style" can refer to any of those things, not just sex from behind.
13. It's a favorite for a lot of guys. According to a Women's Health poll, men list it as their favorite sex position, trumping old standbys like missionary.
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated.
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