# 3 year old recently started showing toy aggression and dominance



## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I don't know if it's even relevant, but you mentioned leg lifting so I wanted to ask... Is he neutered?


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## mainegirl (May 2, 2005)

With such a change in behavior (after 2.5 years of being okay) I would check for a medical reason. Have you had a thyroid panel done? A golden with low normal is too low for a golden.... or is he neutered? Look up NILF.... Nothing in life is free.... if it is a behavior thing.
good luck

beth, moose and angel


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## Carebear0510 (Apr 18, 2008)

He was neutered at 1.5 years old before coming down here. He used to mount our older golden occasionally when we lived with my parents, but the leg lifting and aggressiveness didn't start until coming to the island. He doesn't mount other dogs very often either. It's only with dogs, not people. When the fighting occurs, as soon as I yell at him or grab his scruff, he usually stops and lies down. He hasn't notably harmed any of the dogs other than a minor laceration to the skin.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Its appearance is probably age related, which is why you did not see it earlier. Dogs reach social maturity at around two and often aggression does appear around that age, and frequently they don't regularly lift their legs until then also He may also be more anxious after moving and being without his role-model/emotional support dog (your parent's dog).

Now that you know he has these issues, you can start to work on them. Does your vet school have a behaviorist you can talk to? That would be a great place to start and until you can talk to them, don't let him interact with other dogs in your house and yard, so he can't practice the behavior.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

May I interject and somewhat stick up for your dog? I babysit dogs (due to a fully fenced yard) on a somewhat frequent basis. I love the extra company and it really allows my two to socialize and experience other dogs. There's a couple of rules I have always maintained in babysitting dogs I may or may not be familiar with.

1.) Don't feed together.... ever
2.) When I am not at the house the "sittee" is crated.
3.) No mid to high value toys, treats or other chewies including nylabones, kongs, bullysticks, rawhide etc. etc. unless the dogs are separated.

Leaving a dog outside with a nylabone is setting him up to become defensive. Dogs do not share ever. They do not understand sharing and it is not fair for them to be put in that position. If you have 10 dogs for one person you have about 5 too many especially so if you're letting them free chew on items and mill about loose. You can allow them to safely play in that number, but it is necessary to weed out which ones play best together and do it in shifts or groups assigned on energy levels and behaviours.

In 3 years of babysitting other peoples dogs on a semi-frequent basis, I've yet to have a fight and the first time I do it will be my fault... not the dogs.


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