Aggression towards un-neutered males

[Ree]

Our lab-mix pup Cooper (approx. 1 year 10 mos. old) seems to have a significant problem with other male dogs that are not neutered. Cooper was adopted at approx. 4 mos. of age from an animal shelter in Oklahoma City. He has been neutered and is extremely well behaved, with exception to the subject problem. He knows and responds to various commands/tricks, has had obedience training and some agility training.

However, outside of our family, he is an alpha dog who attempts to put other dogs down and prevent them from getting back up when they are either overly submissive and/or un-neutered. We have limited success with putting him down and simulating a bite by holding his scruff. He recognizes my husband and me as alpha yet becomes so fixated on the un-neutered male that he is not responsive to our commands. We are looking for insight on how to correct the problem and/or obtain a better under standing as to why he is so threatened by these intact males? We have recently purchased an electronic collar in hopes of deterring his behavior. He is such a great dog... however this issue has lead to my being yelled at and having to leave the dog park early. It is embarrassing, yet more importantly; we want to fix the problem. Thanks in advance for your reply.

[Angie]

I hate that no one has replied to this! I'm searching for the same answer as you. My story is very, very similar. My dog is pretty well trained and would do anything I ask. When he sees these intact males though, he goes "in the zone." I could scream in his ear, and he would not hear me.

I did see someone else asking a vet about it on another site. Their question was, "should we stop going to the dog park?" His answer was yes (to my huge chagrin). He did not say whether or not the behavior could be corrected. He did say it would get worse...

I want a solution other than never going to the dog park! I will continue to search.

[famie]

Bax and I have the same problem, he's pretty calm and fine at home (and most of the time, at the dog park!) But when an unneutered male is at the park too, it's crazy, he's fixated and aggressive (not to the point of biting) but it's definitely troublesome. I don't know what else to do!

[Patti Miller]

Is it possible for your dog park association to schedule times when un-neutered dogs are not allowed in the park - and other times when they are so that you can still go to the dog park and not have the hassle?

I have stopped taking Albert to the dog park because of the huge signs suggesting that non-neutered dogs cause aggression - the sign says "should" but I just don't enjoy my visits to the dog park anymore. Albert unfortunately misses his time to run and play.

My vet has told me that my dog's aggression will not be diminished by neutering - that its only effects would be to obviously stop his ability to make puppies (he's three and still hasn't figured out how this works - he just likes to hump - he's not even specie specific), he'll get fat and he won't get testicular cancer - I don't want a fat dog. Albert plays well with most dogs, but there always seems to be one that has this fixation.

Albert missed the boat on neutering when he started to seizure after the Kennel cough vaccine. The vet was not comfortable operating on him after the seizures.

[Lisbeth Mønsted Larsen]

You won´t get a fat dog from neutering him that is nonesens. Besides it does help with the agression levels he will no longer have to compete with other dogs for the ladies as it were. You could try a chemical neuter before having the actual procedure done. This will give you an idea of how much it helps or not besides it only lasts about six months. It is worth trying. If you let him wear a muzzel that prevents him from biting other dogs I don´t think anyone will object to him being there. Taking his walks in the dogpark away from him will frustrate him no end if you can´t go there find other ways of stimulating him. Obidience traning soft agillity and the like hide treats in your garden and let him find them using his nose. This will stimulate him almost as a walk in the dogpark. Best wishes and good luck. Lisbeth and the lads in Denmark.P.s my exracing greyhound Connor is neutered and he certainly isen´t fat.

[Strega]

I realize this was a while ago, but you mentioned your dog seized after receiving his Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine- was it linked to, or because of, the vaccine or did it just happen to happen right after that?

[Woof1234]

I am also interested in a response to your question. We adopted our 2 year old dog when he was about a year old- he had just been neutered a few days before. We've taken him through advanced obedience training and he is generally well behaved and gets along well with most dogs. However, he has very severe aggression with intact males. I recently read that males neutered late in life may be more likely to be aggressive than if they had been neutered earlier. Is his aggression something that we can work on with training? We don't often encounter the intact male in the neighborhood, but when we do it's very frightening.