Is there such a thing as a mid-life testosterone rush in dogs? My dog's behavior has changed in a matter of days.

Question

I'm a little chagrined asking for free advice but I can't seem to find this situation discussed anywhere.

    Is there such a thing as a mid-life testosterone rush in dogs? My dog's behavior has changed in a matter of days.

    Johann, my 4-yr-old male neutered German shepherd has always been docile and playful toward all dogs--and philosophical with the ones who lash out at him. But he suddenly became aggressive toward intact males last week--twice at the dog park and once on a walk. It took me a bit to see the pattern. A couple of days later, he lifted his leg and began to mark for the very first time in his life! Then today, unprovoked, he went after a neutered male.

    What is going on???

    I am using the usual methods of correction, and I am staying away from the dog park for the time being.

    This change has been so sudden. I can think of no incident that might have precipitated this. He's the same otherwise, hasn't been attacked by another dog, no health problems, no diet changes, no upset on the home front, still respects me as the alpha, still sweet as can be with people and most dogs.

    It HAS to be a case of hormones kicking in, even though he is neutered and definitely an adult. His adrenalin is so high during these incidents that he doesn't even hear me or react to my intervention. If this is biological, I can't imagine a way I can correct this.

    Help me find my sweet Johann again!
    Thanks so much!
    Ellen

Accepted Answer

I believe this is more a matter of dominance than hormones. If your dog is neutered then there is no way it can be a testosterone rush. (unless your dog had a retained testicle that wasn't removed).

I would stay out of dog parks altogether, I don't believe they are a very good idea.
I suggest you read this article on Dog Parks.

How often do you have this dog vaccinated? Showing sudden aggression, changes of personality like this are often linked to the rabies vaccine. You can google this for more information. Most of the dogs in this country are way over vaccinated and many health issues are linked to the vaccines. Whenever there is a sudden change in behavior like this I believe it warrants a check up with a COMPETENT veterinarian who is trained in alternative therapies. A traditional allopathic vet that pumps animals full of vaccines is not going to even acknowledge that this is a possibility. They don't want to endanger their "bread & butter" in many cases.

We have a list of vets that has been compiled by our customers and you can see it here. We are providing this list as a service; please do your own research into any health care provider you choose for your dogs.

I'd also take the time and evaluate how you are living with your dog and the level of leadership you are offering your dog at all times. My dogs would never be allowed to be in a position to fight with another dog because I'm the leader at all times.

You might like to review our Groundwork program.

I would direct you to the search function in the upper left corner of the website for any additional questions you may have. If you type in your key words it will guide you to articles, Q & A's and posts on our forum.

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Cindy