Okay, I think I might have asked about this before, but I'm not sure of the answers I got. Here's my story:

My family owns a total of four dogs. The oldest is a GSD/Collie cross male, he is about 10 years old. The second is a GSD/Rottie cross male, about 5 years old. These two males are always together and live outside. The oldest was dominate when the younger was just a pup. But now the pup has taken over and is now very dominate over the older dog. He is very aggressive towards other dogs that happen across our yard and does not like strangers coming to our house and he certainly will not allow them to get in unless we are home and send our approval to allow the guest into our home. Plainly, these two mixed breed males are kind of "guard dogs" and have very strong guarding insticts.

The other two dogs are my two purebred Siberian Huskies. Kieron is a 2 year old spayed female. The second is a 9 month old male, Houdini. He is a complete male.

Here is my problem:

The young mixed breed male is very male-to-male aggressive and will growl when Houdini passes by. There have been occasions when I have had to yell out at the mixed breed dog because he sneeks up to the hill where Houdini is. I'm afraid he is going to pick a fight with my little Houdini.

If those two fight, Houdini would probably be the loser as he is so submissive. But the mixed breed male is so determined, I'm afraid that he will try to fight Houdini and will keep fighting even after Houdini submits and says he is the boss. Houdini could be seriously hurt.

My only solution is to neuter Houdini so that the young mixed breed male won't feel so threatened. But having read on neutering, many of you believe that neutering should only be done if there is a medical problem.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I don't know if I should get Houdini neutered and try to save him from having a fight with the outside dogs or if I should just let him stay un-neutered and risk the outside dogs sneeking up to him, fighting him, and possibly seriously hurting him.

The reason I think neutering might help is because Houdini won't smell like a threatening male to the outside dog. Hopefully this will satisfy the mixed breed male and he won't try to fight Houdini anymore.

What do you all think I should do? I hope I made myself clear on what is going on here. I just don't want Houdini to get hurt. I do not plan on breeding him or showing him. He is just a pet and a best friend. Please, any advice is very welcome!

-Tara

Think it may be worth your trying a couple of tardak (sp) courses on the younger X breed, to see it castrating him would work. If it does it could solve a number of problems. It could be that the outside dogs see the yard as theirs and rather than dog on dog aggression and as you suggest it is territorial or could be both. To castrate the young Sibe would be a pity and also may not cure the problem if it is territorial although in both cases the drop in testosterone should improve matters.

Why do they have to get near him any way? i wouldnt let any of my males run out together and never have done which means no problems.

I would be cautious about Tardak. It can in some cases reduce inhibition so make dogs more aggressive. I believe it suppresses testosterone by giving a dose of progesterone - so it is not the same as castration.

Janet

Never the less it has a similar effect be it good or bad, don't know how it is obtained and I would suggest that you talk the matter over with your vet. If you do decide to castrate the young Sibe, then please leave it as long as you can.

PS: It may not be of any interest as it is not conclusive but my family and I have been using Tardak for what seems like over 20 years and never had any problem of increased aggression with any of our breeds. We have with ACP, and that is sometimes used to calm things down or rather was but is little used now.

ACP =  Ace Promazine, this sedative is not suitable for Boxers.
As can cause problems due to adverse reactions.

Can cause problems in all sorts of breeds as can most sedative, don't think vets will hand it out now but at one time you could just go and ask for it. Have known people use it to groom out knotts and for it be used on dogs when bitches are in season. My advice would be to find another way and I would never be happy with the use of sedatives when something else can fill the bill.