Please don't judge me... so here’s exactly what’s happening: whenever we see an unneutered male, everything is fine until the moment they start sniffing each other. That’s when my dog starts growling, or if the other dog tries to play or anything, my dog just goes for him. Even when the other dog goes off to do his own thing, my dog follows him just to growl at him. Max can’t have any contact with other dogs now without the risk of a scrap or more growling... even though since he was a puppy, he mostly met male dogs. He even used to go on walks with a dog trainer and his two male dogs... I’d say Max had some of the best socialisation possible. This behaviour started about two weeks ago. So, my questions are: do I definitely have to get him neutered, or are there other solutions? What should I do? Why is he doing this? I socialised him so well...
PS: He gets on with females of all ages, it’s just males over 7 or 8 months old I’d say.
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"Why is he doing this? I socialised him well though..." Because he’s an entire male dog, and that’s just how the canine species is wired :) I don’t understand why people find it so hard to accept that entire males can feel a sense of rivalry with other entire males (to a greater or lesser extent depending on age, size, and the other dog’s temperament). This struggle to accept that it’s in their nature, this urge to find another explanation "at all costs". I completely understand not wanting to have your dog neutered for ethical reasons, health concerns, or because you want to breed from him, but in that case... well, you have to deal with canine nature :)
With an entire male, unless he has a very soft temperament, relationships with other males will be more complicated. For those who choose not to neuter, this means:
- having to be more selective about the dogs he's introduced to (no popping round for a drink at Auntie Janine's if she has an entire male he doesn't get on with – you leave Buster at home);
- being on your toes when walking in areas where other dogs are off-lead and might run up to yours (or even avoiding those spots if your dog is truly aggressive and might hurt another one);
- and really ramping up the obedience work so you have a dog that’s at least somewhat capable of controlling himself when he doesn't like the look of the dog in front of him.
As long as you're okay with that, there's no problem leaving him entire. But there comes a point where if you make the choice (which I respect) to keep him intact, you have to accept everything that comes with it. At the end of the day, for Max, if you want to keep him entire, there aren't a million ways around it. You handpick the dogs he walks with (no forcing him to spend a two-hour walk with an entire male he doesn't like just because you’d love them to get along). In exchange, you ask him to at least keep it together when you pass another entire male while out walking. There's no magic fix here; it’s your leadership and the obedience training you’ve done beforehand that will make the difference.
Okay, thanks a lot @Kainate! But people often say that if an entire male is well-socialised, he’ll get on with all dogs once he’s fully grown. If that’s not the case, it means you've done something wrong with his training.
So I was wondering what I’d missed in his training or socialisation. But your message has reassured me a bit; I thought I’d done something wrong with my dog 😳...
So, everything was fine until about two weeks ago, if I’ve got that right?
Yeah, more or less... 🙂 At first, the situation didn't really bother me too much, but it’s got to the point now where I thought I’d better post a message and talk it over with you all.
"Why is he doing this? I socialised him properly, though..."
Because he’s an entire male dog, and that’s just how the canine species is wired :)
I don't understand why people find it so hard to accept that entire males might feel competitive with other entire males (depending more or less on the age, size, and temperament of the other dog). This struggle to accept that it’s just in their nature, this need to find another explanation 'at all costs'.
I completely understand not wanting to neuter your dog for ethical or health reasons, or because you want to breed him, but in that case... well, you have to accept the reality of canine nature :)
With an entire dog, unless he has a very mellow temperament, relationships with other males are going to be more complicated, which means for those who choose not to neuter:
- having to be more selective about the dogs he meets (forget about popping over for a drink at Auntie Jean’s if she has an entire male he doesn't get on with – leave Buster at home).
- being on your toes during walks in off-lead areas where other dogs might run up to yours (or even avoiding these spots if your dog is truly aggressive and likely to hurt another one).
- and putting extra work into obedience training so you have a dog that’s at least somewhat capable of restraining himself when he doesn't like the look of the dog in front of him.
As long as you're okay with that, there’s no issue with keeping him entire. But at the end of the day, when you make the choice (which I respect) to keep him unneutered, you have to accept everything that comes with it.
Ultimately for Max, if you want to keep him entire, there aren't many ways around it. You choose which dogs you walk him with (it’s out of the question to force him to spend two hours walking with an entire male he dislikes just because you'd like them to get along); in return, you ask him to at least keep it together when passing another entire male on a walk. There's no miracle cure here – it’s your leadership and the obedience work you've put in beforehand that will make the difference.
Yes, thanks @Kikaah! I know it takes work, which is why I’ve decided not to get him neutered. I’m hoping that maybe (just maybe) with a bit of time and training, he’ll grow out of it...
Hello! Please don't judge me and all that... so, to give you the full details of what’s happening: whenever we see an intact male dog, everything is fine until the moment they sniff each other, then my dog starts growling. If the other dog tries to play or anything, my dog lunges. Even when the other dog goes off to mind his own business, my dog still goes over to growl at him. Max can’t have any contact with other dogs now without the risk of a scrap or growling... yet since he was a pup, he mostly met other males. He used to go on walks with a trainer and their two male dogs... I’d say Max had the best possible socialisation. This behaviour only started about two weeks ago. So my questions are: Do I have to have my dog done, or are there other solutions? What should I do? Why is he doing this? I socialised him so well... PS: He gets on with females of all ages, it’s just males over 7 or 8 months old, I’d say.
Actually, sorry, I messed up! I meant to say: So my questions are: Do I absolutely have to have my dog NEUTERED, or are there other options?
Hi, what you've described certainly sounds like aggression. This behaviour can have many causes in dogs, such as fear, a serotonin deficiency, or rivalry over mates... and even more so in animals that naturally have an aggressive or assertive temperament. If this behaviour is only directed at other males, it’s possible that hormones are playing a part, and neutering could be an option (though it’s not always advisable or beneficial, so you’d need to discuss this with your vet). You could perhaps try going on walks with male dogs he already knows and tolerates to help re-establish more "relaxed" contact. If you encounter other animals, try to keep moving so the meeting doesn't escalate (without necessarily stopping him from approaching the other dogs). If you're worried about him attacking another dog, you could also use a muzzle while you're looking for a solution. If the problem persists, it might be beneficial to consult a veterinary behaviourist who could help you find the best solution for you and your dog. There are ways to manage aggression issues. I hope this helps. Have a lovely evening, Lucie.
Okay! Thanks. I don't think I'll use a muzzle for now, but if he carries on, I might have to put one on him. For the moment, I don't want to get him neutered, but we'll see over time if the problem persists.
Thanks Lewina! I’m planning a walk tomorrow with a male dog (a Maltese)! I’ll keep you all posted + photos if I can! I haven't found anyone else with a boy dog available for now lol 🙂
Actually, at the start, I ask the owner if it’s a boy and if their dog is sociable. My dog has learned to walk to heel when he sees another dog.
But then again, Max doesn’t do anything to stray dogs! It’s quite strange! I reckon it’s because the strays are a bit wary of him, so they don’t dare try and play with Max...
What you’re describing does indeed sound like aggression. This type of behaviour in dogs can stem from many different things, such as fear, a serotonin deficiency, or rivalry over potential mates... and it’s even more likely in animals that naturally have a more aggressive or assertive temperament.
If this behaviour is only aimed at other males, it’s possible that hormones are playing a part, and getting him neutered might be a solution (though it isn’t always the right move or necessarily beneficial, so you’d definitely need to discuss it with your vet first).
Maybe you could try going for walks with male dogs he already knows and tolerates to help re-establish some more ‘relaxed’ interaction. When you meet other dogs, try to keep moving so the encounter doesn’t escalate (without completely stopping him from approaching them). If you’re worried he might attack another dog, you could also use a muzzle while you work on finding a long-term solution.
If the problem persists, it could be really helpful to see a vet who specialises in animal behaviour to help find the best way forward for you and your dog. There are certainly ways to manage and treat aggression issues.
