How can I reduce my dog's reactivity towards other entire males?

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Hi everyone, Neels is an Australian Shepherd who is now 10 months old. Everything was going really well from the moment we got him (at 8 weeks old from a breeder); Neels saw quite a few dogs, but unfortunately mostly young ones (who weren't necessarily well-socialised), so I think he picked up some slightly rough habits. He’s never been mean, though—just a real bundle of energy.

This carried on until he was about 7 or 8 months old, when an unneutered male Boxer who wasn't part of his usual playgroup tried to mount him and a scrap broke out. The fight wasn't anything major; we stepped in pretty quickly and I thought that was the end of it. However, it seems that since that day, Neels picks fights with entire males (except for one, his childhood friend). I've sought advice here and there and we decided to bring forward the date for him to be neutered (we’d already decided to have him "done" eventually). So, Neels was neutered 10 days ago.

I'm not pinning all my hopes on the operation; I'm also seeing a behaviourist at the same time to work on the aggression issues towards other males.

I'm posting today partly to hear from people who have been through something similar (targeted male aggression and the effects of neutering). I've looked everywhere and the subject comes up often, but without any real conclusion on how things turned out. I also wanted to share my own story and try to keep a bit of a diary to help any future owners facing the same problem by showing how mine progresses, if that’s of interest.

In any case, if you have any feedback or experiences to share, I'd love to hear them as this situation is making me quite sad. Off-lead walks are more complicated now, so for the time being, we're 100% on a long line.

Thanks for reading and I hope to get some replies.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    We use a choke chain, but it’s used just like a standard collar; the stopper is adjusted to her neck size. It’s because she slips out of normal flat collars far too easily.

    The best bit is still that advice: “grab the dog, pin it to the ground on its back, and hold it there to show it who’s boss.”

    Yeah, right... you’re mostly just showing them that humans are unstable and completely barking mad.

    With my girl, you’d get absolutely nowhere; she’d just laugh in your face and wait for the perfect moment to send you packing and bolt.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    You’ve also got the choke chain, or the high kick, the headbutt, or if you’re lucky enough to stumble across one of the rare competent trainers in the UK with 20 years' experience who’s handled every breed of dog going 😁
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Ugh, so we can't use play-based training anymore. That’s just great, it was actually really useful.

    I think I’ll just go and get a proper prong collar instead and scream “DOWN, STAY” at her. She disobeys? A good clout builds character.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    No, it says balls and treats.
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    It’s common knowledge that dog trainers offer the dogs walks and treats.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    To be honest, this kind of mindless bashing of trainers really winds me up. If you aren't one of those doing it, then I apologise.
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    I reckon if France actually tightened up the regulations on who can call themselves a dog trainer, we’d see far fewer people with zero skills or experience setting themselves up as "pros". It’s those people who give a bad name to the few trainers who’ve got years of training and decades of experience behind them—the ones who know that not every breed, temperament, or problem can be fixed just by throwing a few treats and toys at it. Nice to meet you, Mr grreumunf. Hope you’re feeling better now? A friend of sbaar, I take it? 😁
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    Flip-Cockwood
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    Yeah, look, Fox Terriers are a bit of a law unto themselves. Selective breeding has turned them into real live wires. I actually know one—neutered—and no other dog is safe when his owner is nearby. The other day he even took on a Staffy. It’s one of those breeds that really needs an experienced owner who knows their stuff and understands the breed's massive requirements. Personally, I love the breed, but I wouldn’t take one on with my current lifestyle.
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    Docline
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    Just my own personal experience: I was letting the dogs play in a quiet, deserted little cove. There were three females (my own dogs, none of whom were anywhere near being in season) and my parents' Fox Terrier, an unneutered male (my old dad really struggled with the idea of having him "done"). Suddenly, the Fox Terrier bolted: at least 400 metres away on the path, a lady was walking past with an entire dachshund. The Fox Terrier went straight for him and injured him; I didn't see it coming at all. In my view, an intact male is a genuine danger to other males. (Once the dog was finally neutered on the vet's orders—and after my dad had passed away—my mum was finally able to walk him without having to deal with his aggression.)

    I’m not going to generalise about all males; before that, my parents had a Fauve de Bretagne, also unneutered, who got on famously with everyone.

    But if a male is aggressive, then yes, neutering definitely lets everyone breathe a bit easier.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    “You’d rather get them neutered than train them.”

    Well, that’s a really constructive comment, isn't it?

    Actually, I’m someone who loves a good chat and I’m always trying to learn new things.

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