Nervousness or testosterone?

[TeenagePup]

We have "labelled" our dog as being anxious, and as a result he isn't neutered yet, but I'm beginning to wonder if he isn't anxious after all and it's just his testosterone. He's 18 months.

He is quite unpredictable with other dogs, usually okay but gets his hackles up and growls at the occasional dog, usually male but not always. He's never been a dog who likes to play with other dogs, just have a quick sniff and move on.

He's quite guardy at home (barks at people walking past the house and runs to the back of the garden barking with his hackles up) which we've put down to him being worried but again, could just be asserting his manhood!

He's lunges and barks at cars but he's a herding breed so could be this rather than nervousness.

Anyone experienced similar in adolescence and has these issues fixed with neutering?

Is he a GSD?
I think it’s probably nervousness but you could try the superlorin implant first and see if it improves his behaviour at all? Mid it does you’ll know it was the testosterone

@WetRainbowRoses

Is he a GSD? I think it’s probably nervousness but you could try the superlorin implant first and see if it improves his behaviour at all? Mid it does you’ll know it was the testosterone

He's a collie. Thanks, I had thought maybe we should try that.

I don’t know any collies (or any herding breed actually for that matter) that are genuinely dog friendly with dogs they don’t know.
Some are polite and mostly ignore, others make their feelings very clear.
The dog intolerance tends to start around 1 and half to 2 once they are mature so he’s the right age.

I agree, I think the guardiness is nervousness also.

The lunging and barking at cars sounds to me like fear.
Collies do often try and herd cars but by staring at them, going tense, trying to run infront and crouching down.
Lunging and barking sounds like classic trying to frighten away a threat to me.

Neutering can make nervousness worse so I wouldn’t neuter him without trying the implant first.

I understand your need to find a quick solution but chemical / full castration will make things worse - much worse. Please do not be tempted to do it. A good vet will not recommend castration in this situation.

Do you have a good positive trainer near you? They can show you methods that will make a huge difference to your dog and will increase his confidence and make live easier for you.

Collies generally do not like to hang aroiund with other dogs. So the first step is to stop interactions with other dogs. Avoid if you are on lead and if on lead turn and go the other direction. If your dog knows there will not be a meeting he will chill and this alone will make a huge difference pretty quickly.

A trainer can help you with classical conditioning which needs good timing but is very effective when you are shown how.

Re lunging at cars - I have had 5 enquiries last week alone for this it is very very common in collies and luckily pretty straightforward to sort.

Think what collies do - they are bred to stop movement eg the sheep, so when a car rushes past them , their instinct kicks in and they try to stop the car moving.

Increase the oportunities for your collie to release their natural herding instinct and again use CC on cars.

The good news is that collies pick this up really quickly.

With good training this too will pass.

Following this with interest, as my 18 month old Spaniel is exactly the same way. We haven't neutered him either, due to the worry that this could make him more nervous.

He definitely reacts more towards unneutered male dogs, but can still react to any dog - female, spayed or not, neutered male, etc.

One of the problems we're having of late is that he's suddenly started humping. And it's definitely sexual. He just looks so frustrated, I feel bad for him!

We have been considering chemical castration too, to see what would happen, without making a permanent decision.

Hopefully you'll get some more replies!

Humping is not sexual - it is over arousal but that may be general excitement , tiredness etc.

If your dog is humping cushions of blankets etc just remove them often giving them something to chew helps them to relax.