...sniff my dog SO much? I have a castrated 3 year old male and I have noticed for a while now that other dogs constantly sniff his...er...manhood. I'm sure this constant sniffing he encounters everyday is the reason he has very little tolerance of other dogs now and will snap at them if they persist too long. Its not just a quick 'hello' sniff, they put their heads right under there and sniff him for ages. He will stand it for a minute before he tells them off. The annoying thing is every dog seems to run straight by my other VERY happy, go lucky dog that would welcome interection from these dogs...oh no, they never give her a second look, its always straight to Alfie! It is starting to ruin our walks as I hate that he gets nasty with dogs that are only sniffing and it makes him look so bad. Most of the dogs are walked off lead around the woods and so is Alfie as he really wants nothing to do with other dogs and would never run up to them so I don't see why he should be the one kept on a lead everyday. I call him back and put him on when I see a dog approaching to which he is very good at, but it doesn't stop other dogs running up to him. Yesterday I resorted to making Alfie jump up onto a picnic table to get him out of the way of a young staffie that just would not listen to Alfie telling it off. I was worried he would really go for it as it kept following him trying to sniff at him. All the while the staffie owner was trying her best to catch it but it was a fast little thing.

I'm not really sure what I'm asking...I suppose if anyone could explain why he seems so irresistable to other dogs! Is there anything I can do to stop it? I don't recall it ever happening before he was castrated at 18 months (he has castrated because of an undescended testicle)

Thanks, Shannon

He might have an infection (infection can smell very 'interesting' to other dogs) or, less likely if they're not trying to hump him, he now smells more feminine than masculine. I'd take him to the vet and see if a course of antibiotics will solve the problem.

The majority of castrated males will at some time start to smell like a female in season, so all other dogs will be interested particularly males. You can get male hormones tablets from the vet that will cure the problem and make your dog less attractive and help restore his confidence and presence as a male.

one of mine is more interested in castrated male dogs than he is bitches (he is an experienced stud dog) its so frustrating when we go for walks, I end up putting him on a lead when I see other dogs just in case its a bitch or castrated male as he is a nightmare to get back.  I am always happy for other dogs to tell him off, I think its the only way he will learn, human intervention just doesnt work.  My friends 11 year old dog is castrated, he is top dog in her house and was only castrated in the last couple of years so is still top dog, unfortunatley Alf didnt see him this way, we were forever dragging him away from her dogs backend, the other week her boy pinned him to the ground and gave him a real telling off - Alfie hasnt been near him since ;)

I thought it was just mine that was really attractive to every other dog (or bitch) we meet!! Mason is 6 months old, playful but really calm and considerate around other dogs. It seems as though we cant walk a few metres in the park or woods without him being mounted. I understand when you say it ruins your walks because it really does! The other morning a german sheperd mounted him from behind while a terrier of some description mounted his head :s luckily, like i said, he is very calm but i can see him getting annoyed with it as he gets older.
I understand he is cute but not that cute :)
Hope it eases off abit for you!

I am thinking that at 6 months your dog is not castrated so it may be a UTI or an anal gland problem and perhaps a visit to the vet would be a good idea.

Most castrated dogs start to smell to other dogs like inseason bitches it is one of the problems that follows castration but an intact one should not attract this sort of attention so I would check your boy out.

Well I have just got back from the vets with Alfie and she has asked for a urine sample to rule out any infection (although she said there were no signs of an infection at all) I asked if it could be some sort of hormone imbalance since his castration and the vet just laughed and said 'oh, thats a new one,' I felt very silly for daring to suggest it. It was a vet I hadn't had before but she was a more mature lady so was hoping she might have come across something like this before. She basically said it can only be either an infection or just 'dominance'  from other dogs and for that she can refer me to a behaviourist. All I know for sure is that Alfie gives off some very, very enticing smell that attracts other dogs, it is getting ridiculous now and I am now finding is easier to avoid places where lots of people walk and just stick to deserted fields where we won't bump into anyone.

Nova, can you tell me anything more about the male hormone tablets that could help him smell more normal to other dogs??

This is so interesting! I have a intact male and he was sooooo interested and excited around this castrated dog I once walked with him. I can no longer walk them together because my dog just sniffs his bits and tries to hump him. I thought it was my dog just being dominant. BUT there were other dogs trying to do the same with the castrated dog, even a female. This all makes more sense...

For some bizarre reason it has always been castrated males that have ever gone for my intact dogs - one reason I am not a fan of castration.

Shannon, it's a great shame that your vet was rude enough to pooh pooh your mention of hormones.  Very out of order in my book.  Vets are so much in a rush to persuade owners to neuter, they won't admit to testosterone (or lack of it) problems.  If the attitude continues, how about changing vets to one more willing to disuss givng Alfie a hormone boost? 

Hi Jean, I would love to find a vet that would be willing to look into it a little further but I don't really know where to go, I barely know which vet we are going to get in the practice we are currently at nevermind finding a random new vet in the hope they will have a more open mind about it, does anyone have any suggestions about how to locate a vet that has more experience in this type of thing? I would be willing to try anywhere as Alfie is so nervous around other dogs...there was an incident in the vets waiting room where two HUGE malamutes where sinffing at him (as the owner was at the desk and not paying much attention) well Alfie snapped at one of them and looked so terrified as he felt so threatened in the corner of the small waiting room. The silly owner didn't make much effort to pull them away so Alfie was snarling pressed against my legs until I had to ask him to move away, its horrible experiences like this that make walks so unenjoyable.

I just know that the urine sample will come back clear and that will be the end of that as far as our vet is concerned. She said she had never heard that a dog could develop a hormone imbalance just due to castration as something like a tumour or infection needs to cause it. I'm sure vets must groan on the inside everytime a client mentions 'internet research' on a certain subject but there was no need to laugh at me. I'm feeling like it was a complete waste of time.

My cocker is absolutley interested in Charlie a male staffie thats castrated follows him around with his nose in his rear until Charlie has had enough and warns him off, does not do this to any other dog. Jake our BC is castrated and Whistler has never showed any interest in him at all. Some dogs must just smell different.

Of course there is a hormone imbalance after castration, duh, dogs were designed to have testosterone at normal levels.

It seems to be dogs castrated early that have the most problems with being attractive to other males.

This vet must live in a different planet; of course removing part of the dog's hormonal system has an effect on the dog. People, male and female who lose or have their reproductive organs removed are given HRT does this vet think this is just a palliative. And yes, the loss of a normal coat texture is one of the most noticed effects but there are loads of others, one of the most common reported being the emitting of a female smell that attracts other dogs and bitches often causing aggression amongst groups of dogs some of which are neutered.

well I agree with pp's. My entire dogs find some castrated dogs irresistible to sniff and I have to drag them off. I am in the camp that agrees that some castrated dogs do smell like bitches. Vets are sooooo pro neuter that they will always disagree with any negative side effects of castration.

> other dogs constantly sniff his...er...manhood.

Our first dogue was castrated by the rescue people we got him from and our entire male is always trying to lick his remaining bits. Have to say, he doesn't mind though :-)

But I do feel sorry for him, poor boy, he only has to look at a plate of dinner and put on weight. He is given literally half what we give our entire male, and considerably less than our bitches and he's still very well covered. I wouldn't neuter either sex from choice unless I had a pressing medical reason (like you did) to do it.

he only has to look at a plate of dinner and put on weight
Could this be due to him not fretting over females and pack hierarchy?  Maybe he's not so stressed now and 'does well' with his food because of this?  Elkhounds are 'good doers' but are also known to be pretty  adaptable and  laid back despite the fact that they can, and will, hunt/walk/run all day in extreme conditions. 
I digress, what I'm trying to say/get you to think about is that, like humans, dogs can get pretty stressed [Type A personalities] and, when this is reduced through castration, it can reduce the amount of food needed  and if nthe food given is not reduced this can lead to weight gain.

> what I'm trying to say/get you to think about

Our neutered dogue has a pretty laid back personality; for example, he settled in here very easily as a rescue dog and is happy and friendly with everyone he meets, both human and canine. He even likes cats :-) We do keep his weight under control by, as you say, reducing his food. But - he is still hungry and will pester for food at every opportunity. I think that's a shame.

I strongly believe that neutering a healthy dog is unnatural and not something I personally would do from choice. But each to their own. And if health problems make neutering necessary then that's a different matter.

I know what you mean about feeling sorry for them pestering for food I have had a similar problem with my elkhound [hence the blurb abut the breed].  I've learned that by adding lots of veggies and water/home made stock I can fill her up much more.  She's not yet neuterred by the way but will have her done before she's 5/6 for health reasons mostly, but also so I don't have to keep her in twice a year.
I was just trying to suggest that maybe a male may be happier, less fretful and use less energy without s*x on the 'mind' all the time. 
I do think that dogs, male or female, if neutered too young can give off confusing scents to other dogs - only one of the problems of early neutering. Not saying this is so in this case but if he's come from rescue it's possible. 

Forgot to say - I'm only trying to help deal with an issue that can't be changed - ie the dog is already castrated so let's look at positive ways to help.

Thanks Heidi, the OP (Shannon) said her male was castrated at 18 months, ours was similar at just on 20 months. Not sure if that counts as being 'neutered too young'. Her problem is that of her Alfie being pestered by other dogs.

I think most of the other posters are bang-on when they replied along the lines typified by Brainless: 'Of course there is a hormone imbalance after castration, duh, dogs were designed to have testosterone at normal levels.'

Not sure what we can do to offer 'positive ways to help' help here - I don't have experience of using hormone tablets with males so can't say personally if they would do any good as regards being attractive to other dogs. It sounds as if Shannon's current vet is unwilling to go down that route but she may be able to find someone else in her area who would. Maybe by Googling Shannon? Many vets have websites these days and you can sometimes 'get a feel' for their ethos by taking a look at their sites.

As for our hungry boy: he does have veggies added to his evening meal as do all our dogues. I would hesitate to add any more in case it upsets his (wonderful) digestive system. All of ours are raw fed and I don't usually add stock but there is always fresh water available and he does drink quite a lot as it happens.

Thanks for trying to help though ;-) I will have a think about how else I could fill him up a bit better without causing him to expand!