When are you spaying/neutering?

[trini]

I was thinking about this topic today, and I figured I would just post here instead of making a new thread. I'm beginning to consider getting Enzo snipped next month (at 8 months old). Has anyone had any first hand experience with neutering a reactive dog? Enzo seems so hyper vigilant about his environment, and completely loses his mind when he sees other dogs. He seems to be getting worse

I've tried playing the 'look at that!' game, but if he sees another dog even 40 yards away he can't seem to break his focus on it. He's fine with his 'friends', and can work around other dogs in our class, it seems to be mostly when we're on the street. Also, we went to USDAA nationals a few weekends ago, and everyone brought their dogs. He was totally fine around them. Even calmly sat next to a big lab on the bleachers.

I understand that neutering isn't a cure-all and I'll still have to work with him, but will it maybe tone him down a bit? I've read so many conflicting studies - one says neutering makes dogs more reactive, another says it reduces reactivity. One says it makes dogs more aggressive, another says it helps calm aggressive dogs.

I feel like I've failed him in some ways, and I just want to make it right.

First of all you have not failed Enzo...from your description of what you have been doing with Enzo you are doing everything right. Some dogs are hyper vigilant, just as some people are far more sensitive to their environment and might jump at the slightest sudden noise when others would need a bomb to go off near them to make them jump. But, since Enzo is so good with dogs in class and did great at the Nationals (spaces that he hasn't probably mentally defined as "his space") I wonder if he considers the roads you walk as his territory and thus is challenging dogs he sees that have come into what he has decided is his space? If he is "introduced" to a friendly dog close up face to face when you are walking, does he then accept the dog?

Trini

 

[Caro]

Not neutering, but Tully was highly reactive before she was spayed. Did it help, yes I think it did - and that goes against theories that female hormones make them calmer.

It didn't stop the reactivity per se, I think it helped with a) her not having to deal with raging adolescent hormones at the same time, and b) the reaction of other dogs (esp bitches) to her. Tully was attacked several times and harassed and it got to the point she was too fearful to leave the home territory. She was spayed specifically to prevent further incidents and I did this after discussing with other trainers and my vet. It did definitely work (she has never been targeted since) and meant I could then work on her reactivity without setbacks.

 

[kryslaurelle]

First of all you have not failed Enzo...from your description of what you have been doing with Enzo you are doing everything right. Some dogs are hyper vigilant, just as some people are far more sensitive to their environment and might jump at the slightest sudden noise when others would need a bomb to go off near them to make them jump. But, since Enzo is so good with dogs in class and did great at the Nationals (spaces that he hasn't probably mentally defined as "his space") I wonder if he considers the roads you walk as his territory and thus is challenging dogs he sees that have come into what he has decided is his space? If he is "introduced" to a friendly dog close up face to face when you are walking, does he then accept the dog?

Trini

Thanks, Trini. He hasn't been able to meet dogs recently, because who would let their dog near a growling, barking, lunging mess? I don't blame them. But when his reaction wasn't so over-the-top, he would meet dogs and then would try to solicit play with them. We used to go to the dog park (I know there are a lot of opinions on this) but we stopped going after he snarled at a Malamute-type dog. But then he followed that dog around like he was the most interesting thing in the world.

 

[Mom2Melli]

Shay was neutered very young and is reactive as can be and hypervigilent to an art form. It wasn't bad til about a little over a year and got worse and worse. He is SO bad he barks at dogs on TV, even cartoon ones. Not sure if it would have played out differently if he had not been neutered young or at all.