Hello, wonder if anyone can help. My 10 year old Bichon had a perianal hernia op and was neutered at the same time a couple of months ago. He always loved his walks. Now, although he still gets excited when you ask him if he wants to go for a walk, once outside he seems to lose confidence. Some days he will walk a little way others he just wants to run home - and I mean run. Has anyone else experienced this or has anyone any thoughts on what could be wrong? It's quite upsetting to see and also I don't want him to gain weight through lack of exercise!

Many thanks.

Jay

It may be due to a lack of confidence after being neutered, once testosterone levels have dropped it's not unusual for a previously confident dog to become worried or unsure, although this does seem to be quite an extreme reaction if it is.

it's not unusual for a previously confident dog to become worried or unsure

That was my first thought but it seemed too extreme then I wondered about pain but the dog will run home so I am not sure. Could always ask the vet for a course of HRT to see if that improved things enough to get him out and about.

Was the dog very confident before being neutered? I have heard of this type of behaviour in a dog who was timid who was then neutered taking away all of his testosterone and making him much worse.

Maybe something happened at the vets to scare him and he only feels safe in his own home.

Thanks for all the replies so quickly. I don't think anything happened at the vet as he has been back since the op and was quite relaxed the whole time he was there. We wondered if it was a confidence thing but weren't sure how that would come about. I don't think he is in pain as he does play around the house (for a little while) and we can prod him about with no reaction. We also wondered if, during his recuperation, he has just decided he likes the lazy lifestyle - obviously for his health this is not a good idea! He was very confident before the operation and was always desperate to get out and about, it's just a shame he has lost his appetite for walks. I will take him to the vet and get them to check him over just to make sure there is nothing we are missing. As I said it's strange that he still gets excited at the thought of his walks but when he is outside he just wants home again. Thanks again for all the suggestions, greatly appreciate you all taking the time to reply.

Jay

Jay, from what you are saying I think it may be the result of lack of hormones and as time goes no it may become more noticeable ask you vet for a course of male hormone replacement tables and see if that helps, will take a few weeks to do so.

The other thing that may have happened is that some castrated males smell to other males like in-season females and can be jumped on by them, this usually takes more that 2 months to develope but it may be that a dog has treated him thus and scared him.

Couldbe lackof hormone could also very easily be that you have played into feeling sorry for him after hisop and whilst he was on lead exercise onlyyou have inadvertently  rewarded the negative behaviour. Have seen this quite commonly and always after neutering and usually always male dogs. Owner I know created aggression by giving too much sympathy to a dog after neutering, and when he growled they all backed off thinking he was feeling a bit rough,that progressed very quickly to everytime anyone went near him he growled and in the evening if the humans moved around the room he growled. Humans had felt sorry for him and rewarded bad behaviour, obviously dog had had issues to start with but neutering highlighted it coupled with owners feeling that castration was a last resort almost, despite it not being so.

If he's happy to go for the walk then would lead me to think somehow negative behaviour has been rewarded. Got an owner in group at the mo who's happily creating a nervous pup by thinking allthe pulling back avoidance behaviour is all down to the pup being nervous. It's not it's just they pay ssooooo much attention to it the pup is getting the wrong message.he's fine so longas they don't have hold of the lead!!

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Just to prove me wrong....he went for his usual walk last night!!!! Acting like he was 10 months instead of 10 years, happily meeting people and other dogs?!!! Who knows what is going on in his brain. I take your point happyhoundgirl that perhaps we have been a little too sympathetic - I think because he had the 2 ops at the same time we felt worse and maybe over compensated - I think he has realised that he likes the lazy lifestyle and has decided only to go for a walk when he feels like it! I hope thats all it is! Anyhoo, thanks once again everyone, I really appreciate the advice. It is good to be able to talk over problems with our dogs with like minded people.

Jay