Neutering because of aggression from other dogs

[MyDuvetDay]

Has anyone neutered a dog to prevent him being subject to aggression by other dogs?

Ive just had yet another incident where my dog (friendly) was saying “hello” to another dog while on our usual walk and the other dog suddenly flipped and went after mine snarling/biting aggressively. It was so terrifying for me and my dog, and his snout must have got scraped/grazed because there was a small amount of blood. The owner of the other dog was very defensive and basically said it happened because my dog is intact, as if her dog’s behaviour was justified on that basis.

this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this from other dog owners when their dog has snarled or had a go at mine. Mine was bitten by another male dog last year.

so while we weren’t planning to neuter our dog, I’m wondering if doing so would help protect him from this kind of aggression. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any advice?

Yeah whatever

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks do you have any links to that information on spay/neuter in goldies please?
Having lost one way too young (no choice in neuter on that occasion unfortunately, as undescended testes) I’m keen to make the right choice this time around for my newest bitch
Am slightly daunted by pyo risks though……

Because neutering removes testosterone it can cause a nervous dog to become more nervous (and potentially nervous aggressive), so if your dog shows any signs of nervousness then I wouldn’t. Personally I wouldn’t anyway, it sounds like the problem lies with the other dogs, not yours.

It doesn't work. We used to walk past a chemically castrated dog regularly and my neutered dog reacted even more strongly than he does to intact dogs.

My other dog was intact but I probably would always have a dog neutered now because I did always feel at risk and also he developed an adenoma in his bottom which was caused by testosterone.

I have two male cockers that will also be 2 in July. They are both intact. We have not had a problem with humping at all. One is very submissive and will lie on his back if another dog approaches him. The other one is quite bouncy and does need to be recalled back. We have a couple of occasions where the submissive one has been attacked and the other dog owner usually gaslights me and makes it my problem as he is still intact! Intact or not, their dog should not be attacking. It does seem to be the get out of jail free card for many dog owners!

I wouldn't keep your dog on lead all the time as dogs need their freedom and to be able to run free for their wellbeing and exercise. Just be cautious around dogs that your dog doesn't know and be prepared to put him on lead where necessary.

Yes, but as he was a little nervous in character we undertook a chemical castration trial first. It stopped him getting attacked and his personality remained the same (best boy ever and so sweet and cuddly) so we took the plunge and had him neutered. Glad to have done it as he’s just not been hassled by other dogs since. I’d recommend the chemical implant to see how it goes first.

You could try Suprelorin, the implant that mimics castration for 6 or 12 months and see how you get on. Mine have fared better afterwards (no difference on confidence, humping or marking) in relation to interaction with other dogs. Both as a target and bridling a bit when entire males are around. Some old foes will always be foes though, but 9/10 entire males get ignored now.

@DunnocantthinkofoneI found this link as a starting point.
Not an easy decision to make.
I think green and red boxes are clear recommendations and yellow and orange are suggestions.
Female golden retrievers are better off not to be spayed at all to reduce the cancer risk according to this chart.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/study-updates-spay-neuter-guidelines/

That’s fine, but having your dog off lead and allowing it to approach other dogs is irresponsible.

It causes stress and anxiety to other responsible dog walkers.

Then why keep your dog intact? It greatly reduces their lifespan, and increases their aggression.

Why wouldn't you get your dog neutered then?

There are a number of reasons why you should get the dog snipped
less obsessed with marking territory,
less driven to escape looking for females,
calmer around other male dogs,
less likely to hump excessively.
Prevents testicular cancer completely.
Can reduce the risk of prostate problems as they get older.
May reduce roaming behaviour, which lowers the chance of accidents or getting lost.
Helps avoid accidental litters.
I have always had my dogs snipped

These reasons are all very outdated.

Hehe - it's official then. I am definitely outdated.

Actually they are not. I have had 5 dogs. It’s always best to wait until the dog is fully grown unless there is a medical reason why you should do it early. It’s a myth that it calms dogs down. Only good training sorts that out

Well it definitely stops them running off if they catch the scent of a female dog in heat. As a run of the mill pet owner, there’s only so much training you can do to prevent this. I have known it happened to experienced and new dog owners and it can have very bad consequences. They were lucky but it was very stressful.
I am on the side of neutering/ spaying at the appropriate age.
But having looked at this research (I’m no scientist so can’t judge its true merits), I am a bit concerned about the link to cancers in dogs. The breed of my dogs is not listed but it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be affected. I only ever had male dogs and always neutered at the ages recommended by my vet. Only one of them had to be put to sleep because of cancer. I now wonder if he might have lived longer and cancer free?

We’re following the vet’s advice to keep
our boy dogs intact. So far, no problems, but we do put them on the lead if we spot other dogs.

My dog is intact and I keep him on a lead in parks etc where there are lots of dogs but let him off lead in fields near where we live but as soon as I see another dog he’s put straight back on lead. So just read the room so to speak go for your walks with him off lead where its safe to do so but put him on lead as soon as you see another dog. My issue is the other way in that my dog likes to get ‘friendly’ with other male dogs !

I will just share my experience as a dog owner who regularly walks with a group of dogs-

I don't think your dog being on lead really protects them if another off lead dog approaches and becomes aggressive-they will likely be away from their owner and your dog is stuck there.
I had an old dog who hated being approached-he was pretty blind and deaf and despite being on lead and me calling to owners he was constantly approached.

I have a very friendly very beta female dog but often walk in a group and if an intact male dog comes up the likelihood is that one of the dogs will see it off.
My dog finds intact males approaching very stressful and her tail goes right down and she just tries to get away but the more alpha males in the group will def bark or try and see the male off.
I think it does sadly colour the interactions with other dogs.

Obviously other dogs being wary of your dog is not necessarily your problem but it does make your boy's walks more stressful as other dogs won't like him.
I also fear that whilst not aggressive now your dog may get fed up with the negative interactions and turn a bit on other dogs as he gets older if he remains intact.

From what I’ve read so far, the case for keeping the boys intact (in goldies and other high risk breeds) is stronger but to take one example there’s a 3-4 times greater chance of contracting a certain type of cancer. Sounds horrendous but the figures specifically changed a 1-2% chance into a 6-8% chance. Not insignificant but a better context.
For the girls a pyo risk is more around the 20%. Also potentially fatal.
I’ve also not seen anywhere specific advice to NEVER spay/neuter and if I’ve got the right one, it’s one which has now been around 10+ years. Which suggests it should have reached more ears by now if it was that definitive

if anyone can link to a veterinary peer reviewed study which states the ‘never’ argument, I’d be very grateful. I’m not closed off to any possibility but want to make any decision based in scientific evidence

Also the linked study is of 759 dogs in total, spread across male, female and then split 3 ways in each section to allow for different reproductive states.
So although it’s probably the best info we have, sample size for each subgroup is pretty small and if my recollection is correct
@TheHungryHungryLandsharks may well know - USA cancer rates in goldies are higher than they are here?

Gah, it’s a bloody minefield!!

My neutered male dog reacts aggressively to unneutered males. There is nothing at all I can do about this it appears completely innate, happens very quickly and I am at a loss how I could train him out of it. He is super friendly and lovely to females and neutered males but just not to unneutered ones unless perhaps they are very submissive. He does recall well and I put him on lead as soon as I spot any dog we don’t know just in case and if I see a dog I know he reacts to I will cross the road/ turn around/ go up a side road or whatever I can to avoid a confrontation but he will start barking and lunging from miles away. I appreciate this is alarming but I don’t know what more I can do. I don’t think that I should be forced to never take him out in public for the very occasional incident that I am managing the best I can. If I explain that this is why he’s reacting I am not gaslighting’ anyone I’m just explaining.
Before he was neutered at 18 months the boot was on the other foot and other dog would react aggressively to him.
I think this is just a fact of dog owning life and a factor to consider amongst many others in the neuter/ don’t neuter decision.

My dog was attacked fairly often by neutered males (one in particular always went for him). He was neutered age 2 earlier this year. However, he has still attacked twice more by off lead dogs. The second attack was a big dog who just ran straight up to him and went for him. I had to pick him up. However, unlike in the past when he was intact he was growling in a way I had never heard before at the dog. Then a 8 month old intact puppy jumped on him the other week and he did growl and snap at the puppy to tell it to get off. He never did that when intact, always just took it and submitted. So I'm not sure if it has reduced attacks or not and perhaps he is now a bit more reactive if he is attacked. However, on the plus side his pee no-longer stinks and he is consequently a much less smelly dog (as a poodle mix it often got on his fur when he needed grooming).

@Dunnocantthinkofone They're much higher in the US v. UK. I think nearly twice as likely (something like 60-70% off the top of my head).

Dog genetics are a bit like human genetics in many ways - certain 'lines' are definitely more prone to particular issues including cancer. It's not a given, of course, but it's definitely a problem.

There are certain US lines that I (as a breeder) would absolutely never use any progeny from for any of my stud dogs, even though there's a tendency these days to try and important dogs for 'genetic diversification' reasons. I said upthread, that my family have bred Goldens for 50 years and none of ours have ever had cancer (and we don't spay once the girls have been bred from). That is possibly entirely coincidental and down to sheer dumb luck, but possibly not.

As with anything, I guess it's about the risks you're willing to take on each issue. I would never spay my girls as if they get hemangiosarcoma (which is more likely in a spayed girl) they're not going to survive as by the time you realise what's happened, it's too late. Pyo is horrible, but at least there are often signs to look for and you stand a chance.

It's a very personal decision. Lots of people prefer to spay as they worry about the risk of pregnancy for their dog. My advice has typically been to spay the bitch from litters I breed although I have never really advocated castrating boys.

I'm sorry for the loss of your boy. It's a horrible way to lose a dog 🌺

I have a pretty big dog and he’s often off lead but I always put him on a lead when I see other dogs. He’s big and boisterous and tends to go running up to other dogs in a far too overfriendly manner. It’s often intimidating for owners as well. He looks quite scary but is not remotely aggressive.

But, honestly, I’d castrate him. Intact males are a pain in the arse.