Getting my dog neutered

Wizard_of_Id

My dog (collie cross kelpie) is now 14 months old and although he has been trying it on with the ladies (and anything else) for about 6 months, it is becoming more regular and persistant to the point of aggression on either the other dogs part (both sexes) or from him if he doesn't get his own way. Mostly because of this I have decided that it is time for the 'snip' even though I was initially advised by a breeder and seperately by a dog trainer to leave him until he was at least 18 months old.

I am also hoping that he will calm down a bit and not try to be dominant all the time, the way he does at the moment, I'm also hoping that he won't pull as much on the lead, bark at lorries and cyclists and possibly even learn some recall so that I might be able to let him off the lead when out at the park.

I know all dogs and their owners are different but has anyone got any pointers as to what to expect after getting a 14 month old male collie neutered?

WaywardDriver

Our terrier cross neutered at 10 months - doesn't seem to have diminished his amorous intentions at all.

Wizard_of_Id

Apparently it takes a while for the testostorone to stop flowing round the dog's system.

GBNI

Wizard_of_Id wrote: »

I am also hoping that he will calm down a bit and not try to be dominant all the time, the way he does at the moment, I'm also hoping that he won't pull as much on the lead, bark at lorries and cyclists and possibly even learn some recall so that I might be able to let him off the lead when out at the park.

QUOTE]


Neutering is not going to help with these issues, you need to train the dog. You have got a dog made up of two breeds which require a lot of mental stimulation. Their minds need to be kept busy.

sheramber

Neutering only reduces testosterone so only behaviours affected by it are affected.

Many neutered dogs 'still try it on' as you put it. It is learned behaviour.

Nor will it not stop the other behaviours. These need to be dealt with by training.

You need to find a trainer who uses positive reward methods.

He sounds a frustrated dog who needs directed into preferable behaviours and some mental stimulation to use his collie /kelpie brain.
Both these breeds are high energy.

Find a local trainer or training club and once your dog has some control he would probably love to something like agility, which will give him physical and mental exercise.

teddysmum

My Joly's father was castrated at about 5 years old,but carried on his usual behaviour when one of the girls was interesting. On these occasions he was kept in his owner's bedroom overnight, while the girls were in the heated kennels, but he persisted in trying to dig his way through the bedroom door.


When my two boys were done (because I discovered a tumour in Joly,so had both dogs done so not to upset the balance.)


It made no difference at all to temperament (Teddy stayed stroppy),though both stopped leg cocking unless another dog had recently marked (or there was something in the way).


I've heard it said that if either sex is neutered while very young the coat doesn't develop properly, but my two were about 6 years old and both coats affected. Teddy lost a lot of coat with some bare batches below his throat, but Joly's went very thick,growing so long that it dragged on the floor, though it is shorter and thinner now, but he is 14.

Soot2006

In terms of what to expect from the op - hopefully not very much, it's straightforward. Follow the pre-op guidance given by the vet.

Behaviourally, who knows. The behaviours you describe require training, and it might be worth having a chat with the breeder or independent trainer to decide if neutering in the midst of a behavioural crisis is a good idea, or whether it might be better to train the issues first and then neuter while all is calm.

GwylimT

To be honest the barking, pulling etc should have stopped a long time ago, but dogs are never too old to be trained.

Neutering doesn't change behaviour, if he is accustomed to being given free access to a female and getting a bit stroppy, this will continue unless his behaviour is corrected.

It sounds like he is bored and used to getting his own way.

Getting a trainer in for a short while often helps as you can see their methods working before you employ them yourself, it makes it easier when you have days where you feel pooch isn't listening.

owlet

I agree with what others have said regarding both training and mental stimulation & just wanted to add that if you are on Facebook, there is a great group called Canine Enrichment. There are a lot of ideas on there to stimuate your dog mentally - that you could start using now. Using his brain to work things out should help to calm him because he is working and you can start straight away whilst you are looking into neutering and training.

Wizard_of_Id

Sounds like what you are all saying is that getting him neutered will be a waste of time and it should be me that gets done instead.

I have been trying to train him since I got him in February and had limited success
I got a trainer in to point me in the right direction but even using the techniques that he showed me there are still the issues mentioned.

If I could just get the recall working I would then be more confident in letting him off the lead to do stuff in open spaces but he has a very short attention span and will get distracted by almost anything, favourite treats don't work nor do toys or silly voices as said by the trainer.

I think I must just be too easy going and he has got the dominant position, he does walk by my side when I keep a very short lead but as soon as he gets room to move, he mostly pulls out front to the point of strangling himself, I was advised that he would learn not to do this himself (because he is an intelligent breed) but he is still at it.

People I have spoken to locally have said that castration should calm him down and make him easier to handle and train but from what I read on here it would seem that I would just be wasting £150.

sheramber

there are reasons for neutering but changing behaviour is not one of them.

Training is an ongoing thing and since he has been practicing these behaviours for over a year so it will take time to re educate him.

It will also take a lot of patience as he will improve and then sometimes get worse again. You need to be very consistent with him. the power of random success is well known.
Think of one arm bandits. People keep trying because sometimes they win.

It is the same with dogs. They are selfish creatures who do what rewards them.- but we still love them!

So you must be consistent with him.

You need to become more interesting and rewarding than anything else.

Start in the garden and the house where there are no distractions. If he doesn't respond to you there he isn't going to respond to you in the big, exciting world.

You are in the teenage stage which lasts until he is at last 2 years old. 18 months is common time for people to rehome dogs because they can't cope with them.

I f you can tell us where you are someone may be bale to recommend a trainer to help you.

Or look here http://www.apdt.co.uk/dog-owners/local-dog-trainers