Dog has become more aggressive since neutering

Michael B

I got our JRT neutered a few weeks back. Since then when I've been walking him he's gotten very aggressive with some dogs. From what we can tell they've all been male dogs too. He always used to get a bit excitable with other dogs but never vicious like he is now. Can anyone help me on this? Is it common? I'm beginning to think I'll have to muzzle him for the sake of other dogs or will this go away after a while? He's great otherwise with kids etc but this recent behaviour since he got neutered is a bit worrying. Thanks.

lrushe

It can take anything up to 6 months for the hormones to leave a dogs system after being nrutered and a lot longer than a few weeks for it to have an effect on his personality, if any effect at all. It may just be a coincidence that the two happened at the same time. Can you think of any other things which might me triggering your dog? Were you anticipating a change in your dogs behaviour by getting him neutered, if you were this could be transmitted to your dog and changing his behaviour.

Michael B

No, not at all. If anything I expected him to be quieter after getting neutered, not more aggressive so it's not like I've been tense out walking him and he's picked up on my mood or anything like that. And nothing in his routine has changed so I really can't understand if something has triggered this or not. It's very odd and not in his character at all. He's the most placid, loving dog. A dog hasn't attacked him and made him angry or scared or we've never hit him or anything like that to make him aggressive. Apart from being neutered, which I know can be a huge thing in a dog's life, nothing has changed so I really don't know where this has come from.

peasant

How are the other dogs behaving?

Neutered males smell different than unneutered ones ...more "female", if you like due to less testosterone about.

Some (other) dogs might take this as their cue to bully yours or to try it on and he may just be standing up for himself ...particularly so if he had a bad experience lately.

If that is the case, you have to let him know that you are there to protect him and he doesn't have to do do it all by himself.

lrushe

Michael B wrote: »

Apart from being neutered, which I know can be a huge thing in a dog's life.

See this sentence makes me feel like maybe subconsciously you have been treating him differently without even know it. Neutering is not that big a deal to a dog especially for a male dog, apart from a couple of days aftercare it should be business as usual in a dogs life.

boomerang

One remote possibility to rule out -is he in any pain or discomfort after the surgery? Have his stitches all been taken out? If all is not well, it could make him more defensive than normal.

Kya1976

boomerang wrote: »

One remote possibility to rule out -is he in any pain or discomfort after the surgery? Have his stitches all been taken out? If all is not well, it could make him more defensive than normal.

+1. That exactly what i was gonna say. If he hasn't recovered 100% you might see a change in his behavior.

I'ts not uncommon for aggression to be linked to health problems. Or in your case after a dogs just out of surgery.

Michael B

lrushe wrote: »

See this sentence makes me feel like maybe subconsciously you have been treating him differently without even know it. Neutering is not that big a deal to a dog especially for a male dog, apart from a couple of days aftercare it should be business as usual in a dogs life.

Like I said, not at all. Just saying that getting a dog neutered CAN be a big thing in SOME dogs' lives. My parents' dog for example was neutered at 3 years of age and completely changed his personality. He went from a crazy dog to a very quiet, timid dog and has been that way since. The Vet said it can have that affect on some dogs. Not our guy, he's flying it since and apart from the aggression with other dogs there's been no change. And we don't treat him any differently out walking.

peasant wrote: »

How are the other dogs behaving?

Neutered males smell different than unneutered ones ...more "female", if you like due to less testosterone about.

Some (other) dogs might take this as their cue to bully yours or to try it on and he may just be standing up for himself ...particularly so if he had a bad experience lately.

If that is the case, you have to let him know that you are there to protect him and he doesn't have to do do it all by himself.

The other dogs just seem to be sniffing him, saying hello like usual. He's always the one that initiates the growling/attacking.

boomerang wrote: »

One remote possibility to rule out -is he in any pain or discomfort after the surgery? Have his stitches all been taken out? If all is not well, it could make him more defensive than normal.

Nope, he was flying it the day after. His stitches are dissolvable ones. He doesn't even look at the scar or lick it or anything, it doesn't bother him in the slightest. I'd know if he was in pain, he hurt his leg before and it was the end of the world so it's obvious that he's not in any pain.

Maybe it's absolutely nothing to do with getting neutered but he changed pretty much straight away with this behaviour after he was done.

I'll look out more for other dogs' reactions to him and see if they're starting it first but from what I can see it's all him. I mean the other dog owners laugh it off because he's a tiny little thing but I'm afraid he'll bite a dog badly. Or vice versa. He's fine with dogs he already knows, like our neighbour's dog and family's dogs. It's just dogs he meets out walking.

Your Airbag

Had the same problem with my dog, but it passed. I think its due to a sense of shock an on going pain, after all there home straight away after being cut open where as a person would have to rest in hospital.

The stitching can still be sore so they can be aggresive when people approach for a few weeks after as they might be trying to stop themselves getting a tummy rub. My dog used to whimper when jumping to and from the couch for a week after, it should pass with time and he'll be back to his playfull self.

morganafay

Maybe he could be in pain but not showing it. I find that if something hurts them just a little, like hurting their leg, or pulling on tangles or cutting nails, etc. then they'll make a huge deal, but sometimes if they're really in pain they don't show it. Like they just exaggerate a small pain to get sympathy, but not a real pain.

Or maybe he just was a bit scared after going through the operation and the stress and all and is feeling more defensive?

Sudden changes in personality can be due to health problems, maybe it'd be best to ask the vet about it. It could be because of being neutered or something else?

Or maybe there was an aggressive dog at the vet that scared him? Or just that he was stressed at the vets and there were other dogs around, maybe crying and barking, and he got very stressed by the other dogs and now is scared of strange dogs?

lrushe

If all of the above have been ruled out then the only other thing I could suggested is to consult a behaviourist to see if they can pick up on something you've missed. I often find a fresh set of eyes can pick up on something that should have been obvious to me but I was looking so hard I completely missed it.

goat2

lrushe wrote: »

It can take anything up to 6 months for the hormones to leave a dogs system after being nrutered and a lot longer than a few weeks for it to have an effect on his personality, if any effect at all. It may just be a coincidence that the two happened at the same time. Can you think of any other things which might me triggering your dog? Were you anticipating a change in your dogs behaviour by getting him neutered, if you were this could be transmitted to your dog and changing his behaviour.

i know i am stealing someone elses space here
but you just answered my question, i do find what you said true, as i had my man nutered 8 wks ago and he is still looking at the girls in that same old way, so it should be another few months for it all to cool down.
when i say my man i mean my dog, he is 8 months old now, he is also jrt

Whispered

Goat 2, My fella was neutered about a year ago and I still have to have a bowl of cold water ready when he's around my dads bitch. As my dad says, its 90% in their head. Dogs will still try when neutered, particurlary if they where not young when they were done. They wont be able to do any "harm" but the hormone and smells a bitch gives off will still trigger a reaction from them.