I have a wonderful unaltered 2-year-old male GSD who has great prey and protection drive. He is a good family pet, which loves my family (I have two small children); however he is very protective of my family and me. It is starting to be a hassle, I have to watch him all the time when people come over and when we go for walks. When I have other children come over I have to crate him because I don’t want to take a chance of getting a child bitten due to his over-protectiveness. I will not show him or breed him so I am thinking of neutering him, but my question is will neutering him at this age really temper his protectiveness? He is well trained and controllable. If anyone has experience in neutering their male dogs and finding a personality difference between the two states (neutered vs unneutered) I am interested in hearing about it. Otherwise he is a good dog.

thanks

I don't think neutering him will have anything to do with his protective drives. We have males on our K9 unit that were neutered due to health reasons or injuries and they are just as good as the intact males. Training is the issue on who he bites and what not. You can never have too much training in this area. My dog is very protective of me, however, neighbor hood kids come by all the time to play with him. Should someone, even a kid show the slightest threat to me, he will change is attitude, but I still have control over it. He'll let two kids fight among themselve, but not with me. Just keep on training...and do what you feel is best for your dog and family.

As a means of changing already established behaviours, neutering is largely a waste of time. Remember, one of the major selling points of neutering is that it does *not* alter behaviour. In some cases it can have value as part of a larger retraining programme, but in and of itself, naah and definitely not for a mature dog. But it won't hurt...and there's always the peace of mind of not worrying about unintended breedings. Definitely consider it on those grounds.

But on to your problem. Can't tell off the Net, but an over-protective dog is more likely a nervy dog that's learned aggression as a means of dealing with its insecurity (fear-aggression) rather than a confident, sound dog. The fact that he's responsive to your commands in no way contradicts this. You're right to be concerned and I'd say find a good dog trainer with experience in working with aggressive dogs so you can first, understand the problem and second, learn how to manage it.

Best of luck,

Dei.

Ah to neuter or not to neuter that is the questions, doeth one changeth thine dogs attitude or tis nobler to keep his balls? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I personally feel if you aren't going to show him or breed him I would have him neutered, just because he won't be out there chasing bitches in heat, and should be less likely to run. Also I have found that most neutered males get along with other male dogs better, but that is just an opinion not a fact. But once it's done there is no getting them back, and no the dog doesn't care if they are missing-they have replacements now and I think that is the craziest thing I have heard. I would work on socialising him better (excuse the spelling) get him around little kids more, and try to make sure that there is no one screaming, so he doesn't feel his family is threatened. I agree with Dei on the whole nerve thing. My boy is still intact and the only time he "hairs up" is when my daughter screams and runs from other kids, or if they come charging my daughter/us or the fence between the properties with something in their hands-something he sees as being threatening. If your dog feels you are threatened he will protect. He needs to be taught what is a threat and what isn't through better obedience, better socialization and then you get a better dog.

My current dog went through a phase like that thing and I think there are periods where the young adults can be a bit squirrely. I, too, agree that it is lack of, not excess, confidence that is probably involved.

Never had the issue with young children, but did with adults and if you can get through it with adults and older kids it may transfer to younger kids (but I would be very very careful here -- 6-8 year old boys are the number one bite victims!)

Armed with pounds and pounds of hotdogs I had everyone and I mean EVERYONE treat the dog. I made this dog so NONAGRESSIVE (but confident and friendly with people) that it is downright funny. He still does alarm bark when appropriate. I would rather risk having a stolen TV than a mutilated kid! (and I know you are being responsible by putting him up)

ALSO ALARM - be sure none of the kids teases him while he is crated . I did not understand why another dog of mine growled at ONE of my daughters friends until I caught him teasing the dog one day with a stick -- this boy had been bitten by several other dogs that got out after he teased them...........

Originally posted by Anna Kelly:
I have a wonderful unaltered 2-year-old male GSD who has great prey and protection drive. He is a good family pet, which loves my family (I have two small children); however he is very protective of my family and me. It is starting to be a hassle, I have to watch him all the time when people come over and when we go for walks. When I have other children come over I have to crate him because I don’t want to take a chance of getting a child bitten due to his over-protectiveness. I will not show him or breed him so I am thinking of neutering him, but my question is will neutering him at this age really temper his protectiveness? He is well trained and controllable. If anyone has experience in neutering their male dogs and finding a personality difference between the two states (neutered vs unneutered) I am interested in hearing about it. Otherwise he is a good dog.

thanks

I appreciate the feed back, I have always thought of my dog being confident but by the comments posted on the board made me look at the situation differently, I will look into the possibly that he may have a lack of confidence on his part which could be driven by fear aggression. I agree that more training and socialization will improve the situation, thus I will continue to do so. Please keep the feedback coming it is appreciated….

anna**

Anna wrote I have to watch him all the time when people come over and when we go for walks. When I have other children come over I have to crate him because I don’t want to take a chance of getting a child bitten due to his over-protectiveness.

Join the crowd it not so much of a hassel as it is your responcibilty. To quote a popular movie " Great power, demands Great responsbility".

While walking if my dog flare up (because usually they don't, I watch the guy or guys) there maybe something up. Of course I restrain him with a verbal but, I trust his call sometimes. So we need a little more info or why he flares up or how. To determine if this is a bad thing or something that you need to train away.

Even a strong condfident dog even if socailized, will be aggressive toward new strange people or kids that push your kids. The dog and kids around him needs to have limitations set and I think crating the dog may not be a bad move for any dog around strange children. Theres away to introduce new people to a dog, they should not ba able to just barg in and say hello. People call me before they come to my house, and they knock and look around and acknowledge the dogs when they enter.
This is the way it should be, in world at least.

Why take the risk, the dog should be able to be out and play with your kids and the kids he know, supervised. But with visitors that would be a ill advised, kids can play rough with each other and the dog. Some kids don't know who to respect a dog and give him his space, and some kids when your child tell them don't push me because it will make Fido upset, will push just to test it.

Its not always the dogs fault, its never the innocent or not innocent child?? It's the parent/pet owner's job. You are doing the right thing keep him away from strange kids and strangers, keep training him and the kids that are around him.

Kids need training too, some far more then others.
I have a Grandson that I would not trust with my dogs or any animal.

I don't think neutering him stop this action now.
Just my unofficail opinion. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Don,

Thanks for your input.
Don wrote:
“While walking if my dog flare up (because usually they don't, I watch the guy or guys) there maybe something up. Of course I restrain him with a verbal but I trust his call sometimes. So we need a little more info or why he flares up or how. To determine if this is a bad thing or something that you need to train away.”

When we go for walks he is for the most part on the leash, except on fire roads up in the hills by my house. If I see someone approaching I will put him on the leash and sometimes he is affected by flaring-up and sometimes he is not, however during this entire time my female is unaffected by approaching strangers.

My children are two girls ages 4 and 6 and their friends are also girls of the same age. I have an enclosed kennel-run area where I keep my dogs, my unaltered male and spayed female. The female doesn’t seem to be affected by anyone and she remains calm either in the closed area or in the backyard with company. If someone approaches the kennel-run area at a casual pace he starts barking while she just sits still. Even if the person is not having direct eye contact the male barks (at this point I will crate him). When I am away from home I need to put an anti-bark collar on him because he continues to bark if he hears noise.

I agree, I don’t ever want to take a chance with a child getting bitten; it is not worth it to me and for the sake of my dog’s life. A dog MUST BEHAVE around children whether it is the a child’s inability to interact with a dog or not, If I have any doubts of my dogs temperament to handle a situation I will not take the chance and thus crate him, whether he is at fault or the child.

My male is high drive and a good protector and I constantly am working with him. It is a hassle only because with him I have to be on my toes whereas my female is the opposite. He is constantly “ON” whether it be in the house, backyard or in our vehicles. Thus with training hopefully it can be tempered, or if getting neutered?….can temper this behavior. By the consensus of this board his age and established behaviors, neutering will not make a difference.

Just my opinion, feedbacks are always welcome…
Anna**

Anna wrote
If someone approaches the kennel-run area at a casual pace he starts barking while she just sits still. Even if the person is not having direct eye contact the male barks (at this point I will crate him). When I am away from home I need to put an anti-bark collar on him because he continues to bark if he hears noise.
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Don's reply
If someone? Who is this someone? Is this anyone or the family? Is it the kids or their friends is it a strange child/person? This makes a difference, if someone walks toward his kennel and he doesn't know them, its normal for a sharp dog to stand and start barking. Comparing him to your female is common, but each dog has a different personality just like people. They will react differently.

If he knows them, lets say family members, kids friends or friends that visit offend, he may have a problem or you need to introduce him properly, if its people outside the family. If its family member this is a real problem.

My female and male don't react a like, in fact they react simliar to your dogs (if its a stranger), my male will flare up at uninvite guess and warn me until I say its "Ok". The female will some times just sit there unless the person is coming behind me. Sometimes the if its a stranger away from home coming toward me my female flares up and the males goes to head them off, not making a sound but he's posturing and advancing unless I verbally stop him. If its someone they know and I'm facing them as the person advance there is no barking maybe go out and sniff them and walk back with them.

So are these people that the dog knows? Are they strangers? It makes a difference from a sharp dog and mean dog with problems or what ever other diagnosis is define later by the board.

When you are away from home, its normal for a dog to really start protecting his territory. My dogs bark a lot when I'm at home and when I'm away.

Sometimes he barks at strangers, and there other times that he doesn't, kinda shows that it not a nerve thing. In my opinion, because he not jumping at everybody and everything, he is making a determination of who he feels is threatening. The female is just sitting there, if that is the responce you want, it sounds like you may need to start training a "be quite/enough" or "its ok" command. Which lets the dog know that you acknowledge and sees intuder and for now its "ok".

Either way you seem to have a hand on it, keep doing what you are doing until you train him the way you want him. After you answer this I have some suggestions. That are unofficail and may or may not help, I'm not a expert.

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