# Starting to growl at other dogs



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm no expert but it sounds like your idea neutering and some more obedience might be the best solution. You will not be the first to not be able to go the full 18 months before neutering. I was ready to have Caue neutered at 14 months because of his bullish urges. :doh: He surely was not thinking with the head between his ears. A little additional obedience will reassert you as the leader. Good luck to you.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

bumping up


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

I agree. I think waiting to neuter at 18 months is ideal - but there are lots of reasons why waiting doesn't make sense - behavioral issues are right at the top of that list. I haven't met your dog and your description of growling isn't enough for me to form an opinion either way, I'm not sure that your trainer's advice that he's "hormonal" and should be neutered is any more clear - you didn't mention what she saw to make that comment. The bottomline is that he's 15 months - which would not be an early neuter (in my mind anyway) - he's likely finished growing now. I've always said that Teller had to earn the right to keep his - and that I would wait until at least 12 months - but behavioral and temperament issues were paramount. I have been really lucky in that respect.

Good luck!

Erica


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks for the thoughts - to give a little more background, he really is the sweetest dog temperment-wise. Up until this past week, I would say he hadn't met a dog he did not like. The reason why the trainer called him hormonal was that during class (which was outside) he would mark, and was constantly distracted by the all the smells in the ground. He would have kept his nose to the ground for the entire class if I would have let him. He would want to play with the other dogs so badly, that he would bark because he was so excited. He did see less dogs over the winter as it was too dark after work to drive him over to the park where we would walk and meet a lot of dogs. Once the time changed, we have increased getting him back over there, as I noticed he was getting very excited at going there and into town. (He would pull a lot harder there, more distracted by smells, would try and mark alot,etc) I was hoping to would be come more common place and he would settle down a bit while there. He has settled down now, especially since we will go and just sit for 10 minutes until he finally settles. He is great around the house, no marking inside, but he is testing his boundaries right now, so all of us are cracking down with NILF, and making him earn things, and he snaps back into line. I think we all are a bit unsure where he is with other dogs (will he like this one or not?) now, and I don't want to add to the situation and make it worse by him picking up on it.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Neutering at this point sounds like a good idea. You certainly don't need testosterone super-charging any potential behavioral issues. Plus, being one of the only intact dogs around does make him "stand out" to the other altered males in the area and can be affecting their communication with each others.


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks Stephanie for yor thoughts. We took him to the beach today and boy was he so excited to go to a new place. Talk about pulling! He settled down, but not much. Will the excitement of new places settle down once he is fixed? Or will it diminish with age? Just curious-


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

And that's why they call that behavior "testy".

Not fun...and I understand what you're going through. Cole is doing the same thing (again) at 22 mos. He went through it for a couple of months a while back, and now he's doing it again.

Fortunately, he's not being mean...just domineering. Good thing the other dogs (they're all part of his pack) just ignore him. It's over in about 5 seconds.

Neutering will calm that down. Hopefully. Unfortunately, we'll have to use training to get Cole over it, as he won't be neutered for a LONG time.


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