Castration? Fear of people?

emma21

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Hi everyone :)

My 10 month old husky cross labrador, he is very handsome (if i do say so myself) and is really really calm and well behaved. Perfect recall etc etc.

However, sometimes he can get abit over the top and aggy with other male dogs if they try to hump him...? Its all handbags and no ones ever got hurt but i obviously want to sort it out. Would castration stop this?? I have got another year old fully male oes x gsd and theyve never fought or anything.

BUT :rolleyes: ... he is a rescue and one of the main issues i had with him was a fear of people... he cowers when men go to touch him and freaks out. Ive worked with this alot and now with 70% of people he is "ok" but sometimes has to be really encouraged before approaching someone who wants to stroke him - no aggression at all and never has done! But would castrating effect this fear i dont want to make it worse?
 

soloabe

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Some dogs it will some dogs it won't.

I have gained this from my reserch. If it is a genetic timidness then yes it probably will get worse. If it is a learned behavior it probably won't.
 

emma21

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Some dogs it will some dogs it won't.

I have gained this from my reserch. If it is a genetic timidness then yes it probably will get worse. If it is a learned behavior it probably won't.

Thats interesting actually. I got him at 9 weeks from rescue so he was very young and he was already like that so would you guess it is genetic? I know he was abit mistreated so thatll be abit learnt but at such a young age...? He is now 10 months and still quite timid even though ive worked really hard socialising him with different people etc...
 

emma21

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What are you doing to stop other male dogs from humping your dog? His behaviour towards these dogs may be justified (in the dog world) :)

Probably irrelevant but an interesting read...

http://flyingdogpress.com/content/view/42/70/

That is interesting thankyou!

Well yesterday we were out with my friend; my 2 fully male dogs and her 3 fully male dogs... all were fine. another friend came with her neutered dog and he started humping Zeph, zeph turned around and told him off the other dog (this i have no problem with) but the other dog turned round and went back = fight they had to be pulled apart; no injuries but still. to be fair that neutered dog caused a few scuffles with a few dogs that day anyway... That im not so worried about but he cant be told off as such?
Like if he meets another male dog and the other dog starts either playing or being an arse Zeph gets all stiff, hackles up and stand over the other dog waiting for a fight? I can call him off etc but i dont know whether its because of his balls or just because he needs to learn to meet dogs more politely? Hes never attacked with no reason and never hurt another dog.

its odd i know im waffling and it probably makes no sense!
 

Dobiegirl

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Hi Emma,

I wouldnt advise neutering him until he is older, he has some growing to do physically and mentally.

Have you taken him to any training classes?, ask around and see if your vet or rescue centre can point you in the right direction.
 

emma21

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Hi Emma,

I wouldnt advise neutering him until he is older, he has some growing to do physically and mentally.

Have you taken him to any training classes?, ask around and see if your vet or rescue centre can point you in the right direction.

Thats why i didnt particularly want to neuter him, but would do if it would help. I think itll just be on lead meeting until i know theyll be ok.

He was going to training classes each week but theyve been postponed as trainer had her baby early! But he was fine there, his overall training of commands etc is all fine and in a class situation hes more interested in me but on a walk other dogs win.
 

Jake10

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Like if he meets another male dog and the other dog starts either playing or being an arse Zeph gets all stiff, hackles up and stand over the other dog waiting for a fight?

He may just be telling the other dog (using body language) that he doesn't want to play or for the other dog to act like an arse around him. There are several good books that try to explain dog language to us mere humans:)
 

Dobiegirl

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I think you need to keep up your training and find some nice polite dogs to play/walk with.

Its interesting that it was a neutered male that tried to mount your dog and I would see this as an aggressive action and the fact that this dog had some further scuffles with other dogs rather proves it.
 

emma21

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Jake10 - but he does want to play? For some reason he gets funny when he plays with anyone but my other dog? He gets all defensive...? Yeh dogs are complicated animals!!

Dobiegirl - that's interesting about the other dog being aggressive... I hadn't seen it that way but he did cause friction a few times whereas all other fully males got on without issue.

Will keep up meeting nice dogs and gentle play :)
 

CAYLA

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Nope, it will of course not harm him and when old enough the health benefits are enough of a good reason to take the old go nads off:p but it wont stop him having little appreciation for boltchy over bearing dogs;) he does not have the problem as such it sounds like its the dogs that approach him that have the issue.
The other is just a confidence thing which you say you have over come hugely, no balls would not make a difference to that.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Hi Emma,

I wouldnt advise neutering him until he is older, he has some growing to do physically and mentally.

Have you taken him to any training classes?, ask around and see if your vet or rescue centre can point you in the right direction.

Pressing like button.

You know what I think, I said it on the other forum and I think you should ignore the chop it off brigade who would neuter as a matter of course. Training and socialisation are key, IMO.

Zak is extremely similar and I've been training him frantically since the fight and the OH was amazed when we walked him together today.

Give it time and train lots, find nice dogs for him to meet, go to puppy class, ask everyone you meet with a dog if he can meet and greet them and the dog.
 

CAYLA

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Pressing like button.

You know what I think, I said it on the other forum and I think you should ignore the chop it off brigade who would neuter as a matter of course. Training and socialisation are key, IMO.

Zak is extremely similar and I've been training him frantically since the fight and the OH was amazed when we walked him together today.

Give it time and train lots, find nice dogs for him to meet, go to puppy class, ask everyone you meet with a dog if he can meet and greet them and the dog.

Erm, my reasoning for "chop em off" are health first and foremost not training purpose, although yes it does help in some training scenarios esp with aggression/humping/dominance to be dealing with a less hormone charged dog, this however is not one of them seen as the issue does not lie with the OP's dog.
DG is not saying "don't neuter" she is saying "wait till he is older" dont be hastey with it. If it where a cse of he is humping, snapping, pinning, pestering at every chance then neutering would help immensely no doubt.
Balls or no balls it makes no difference to a dog I own or many others but for many more they just don't have the capablities to train an entire/hormone charged dog with issues.
 

CorvusCorax

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I know I am repeating myself but after last weekend and seeing my young dog run with a pack, I am more inclined to let dogs sort things out between themselves, within reason. They won't hurt each other a lot of the time, just make a lot of noise.

That link is a good one and I don't think his behaviour is worth *overly* worrying about. I don't like being humped either. Other dog sounds rude.

Re the 'really encouraging him' to be stroked - it's possible you're encouraging him to be scared, reinforcing it with the 'there there'.
 
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