HI

WE HAVE A 11 MONTH RIDGEBACK WHO HAS BEEN A REALLY WELL BEHAVED PUPPY BUT WHO IS VERY TIMID PUP.

SINCE WE HAD HIM CASTRATED A FEW WEEKS AGO HE HAS TURNED INTO A COMPLETLEY DIFFERENT DOG WHILE HE IS OUT.

BEFORE HE WAS DONE HE WOULD PLAY WE MOST DOGS AND VERY RARELY GET INTO ANY BOTHER, BUT NOW HE IS REALLY AGGRESIVE WITH OTHER DOGS AND MORE ALOUF WITH STANGERS. IM HOPING THIS IS JUST TO DO WITH HIS AGE OR COULD IT BE TO DO WITH THE CASTRATION.

WE ARE BEING FIRM WITH HIM AS IT SEEMS THAT MAYBE HE IS JUST TRYING TO FORCE HIS AURTHORITY.

I'm afraid this isn't unheard-of when a timid dog is castrated. :( The testosterone he was producing when he was entire was giving him enough courage to tolerate the presence of other dogs. Now that's gone and it's made him more fearful, so he tries to get rid of them. You may have to consider lifelong testosterone replacement for him.

JG is right, castration wasn't a good idea, and if he is timid, you should not be firm with him but help him, and he definitely isn't trying to "force his authority".

He's not just trying to "force his authority".

Like others have said:  When you have a timid puppy, and you castrate him, you remove one of his main sources of confidence - testosterone.  So he will feel even more afraid than before, and when the fear reaches a certain degree, he will feel the need to retaliate to protect himself from perceived threats.  Castration is probably the worst thing you could have done, especially mid-adolescence, at 11 months.  

out of interest when would the "right time" be?

I think, if you're going to do it at all, after adolescence is past.  Which varies depending on the breed, but for large breeds isn't until 18+ months.

I'm getting a little nervous now.  My vets have advised Earl (Rhodesian Ridgeback) be castrated at around a year old, it will be a bigger op than normal as one of his testicles hasn't descended (yet)!!!  As his breed wouldn't mature until around 18 months do you think I should ask them to hold fire until then; or do you know if this would cause problems with the undescended testicle?

Why do they want to remove the descended testicle ? Only the retained one may/can  possibly become cancerous so there would be no need to remove the other &   it doesn't have the same effect as a "rig"in horses

As long as the retained testicle is monitored there is no need to remove it early on

Thanks Moonmaiden.  I think I'll make an appointment to see the senior vet at our practice to discuss the options.  Earls seen a couple of his junior vets and they both said castrate at 12 months, no-one mentioned just removing the retained testicle, let alone monitoring it.  As far as they were concerned they weren't going to see Earl again until I phone to make his castration appt.  I just assumed that they'd have to remove both - obviously a wrong assumption on my part, but they certainly didn't suggest anything else.

Will call them tomorrow.

Hm a bit typical I'm afraid.

When I took Rjj for his final vax & chipping the gorgeous but rather young spanish vet, started to book him in for castration as he only had one testicle Rjj at that time was 15 weeks old I told him not to bother as he had two descended when I got him & as he was teething his b*lls would be up & down like a yoyo until he had all his teeth. My own vet was  stood outside the examination room trying not to laugh & eventually he came in & told the young vet not to try to tell me about puppies testicles !! as I probably knew more about them than he did :D

We've had two young GSDs(both under 6 months)at our training club who have been booked for castration at 6 months & I quote"To stop them wandering, humping & becoming aggressive as all entire GSD males are aggressive by the time the are 9 months old":rolleyes:They both go to a new practice which is run by a "TV"celeb vet & he also does castration & spaying under 4 months old !!!!! He is basically a horse vet making money out of niave & gullible pet owners. I have taken him to task over the "All entire male GSD" statement & his explanation he had been attacked by one entire male 8 month old GSD in his surgery & in his considered opinion this was typical behaviour of the breed !!!!!! Need I say more !

Castration is a vast topic with good arguements from both sides, it is a mindfield of debate and you will find many pros and cons.

It looks very likely as JG and Goldmali have suggested that his lack of testosterone has caused this change in his behaviour, you may also find that he could gain weight as some dogs do after castration so keep an eye on that too.

Vets are very keen nowadays to castrate early so don't beat yourself up about it, no doubt you were advised to do this early though ideally if castration is on the cards it is really best to wait until a dog is fully mature when his body, hormones etc, have settled, some dogs are unaffected, some stay puppylike, and some can become afraid and unsure as yours seems to be showing.

It can take 6 months to a year for a dogs body to settle after castration, so begin again as a pup, socialise gently and build up his confidence, he is like a whole new dog now and will need gentle handling.

It's not a disaster, you just need to treat him a little differently until his confidence and assurances are built back up, no-one knows which dogs will be affected in this way.

If he has only just been castrated then he will still be fertile and have the normal hormones for a little while yet, so his behaviour may not be down to the castration.
Castration does not stop everything over night.

My step mother has only recently ahd a hysterectomy, and despite taking HRT has noticed major changes with hormones within two weeks.

JG, I have not heard of testosterone replacement before, is this commonplace and what effect would it have on the dog? My springer turned exactly the same once castrated, but these days he directs his aggression towards uncastrated males (He was attacked by several entire males before castration and he seems fearful), would it help or hinder this problem? Would it bring back the dogs desire to roam etc?

I've only come across one person who's used testosterone replacement for her dog, and she no longer posts on here. It's a question you'd need to ask a vet. As to whether it'd make a dog want to roam - I suppose it'd depend if he was a roamer before castration - it's not a given! But there's no doubt fear aggression makes a dog's (and owner's!) life difficult.

bevb, I don't agree that that still being fertile, as in, still having some sperm in what remains of the vas, is the same as still having hormones. When the testes are removed hormone production stops obviously, and as testosterone is produced continuously, under normal circumstances, it will only take a day or two before the effects of non prduction will be felt.

Dawn R.

I also had a dog castrated several years ago now, he was a year old.  This was before I was aware of the fact that testosterone boosts a dog's confidence, and of course at dog training club, and also the vet's, it was the done thing - if you weren't using the dog for breeding, have him castrated.  Well, my dog became increasingly aggressive with other males as time went on, and even started attacking them.  Since then I have had two other dogs, but I wouldn't even consider having them castrated, unless it was for medical reasons.
Anyway, whatever the reason your dog is behaving differently, just make sure he is under control around other dogs - you won't be able to train your dog to like other dogs if that's how he feels, though hopefully over time you will be able to train some level of tolerance.

I had almost the exact same scenario four n a bit years ago... only my dog was 18 months old (but still not anywhere near a mature adult)....

Now he is approaching 6 years old and he is manageable, he can be distracted from other dogs with his ball.

He can still NEVER be totally trusted around other males - bitches are not a problem.

Please read up on fear aggression and get the help of a good behaviourist NOW, they will show you how to help him and prevent things getting any worse.

Unlike you, i had NO idea why my previously happy, tolerant boy had suddenly turned into a nasty little bully who would pin other dogs down and scare the life out of them teh second he met them. So i had to figure it out for myself, before i knew anything about dog behaviour at all (spose in a way thats a good thing or i wouldnt know what i do now!)...

I have to say though i get SO angry when people categorically state that there are no bad side effects to neutering, there are and ill be living with them for another ten years or so.

Em

Very difficult scenario. IMHO I'd suggest that any dog who is perhaps going to be castrated should be assessed for temperament and character. If the dog is at all timid, or not happy socially with other dogs I'd tend to leave well alone. The best candidate for castration is probably the very macho male dog :D who picks fights and just won't let the girls alone (maybe).

Overall I'd suggest that dogs who are already timid are the ones who will have the problem, but this may not always be the case.

Middleton, it may be that in time your boy will adjust, I would advise to stop being firm with him as this is not a problem that will be helped by this and may be made worse. I'd suggest help from a behaviourist in this instance, someone who will perhaps walk with you and give you advice about your RR :) Do be careful who you choose to help you though, avoid franchises etc, try www.apdt.co.uk (experience levels will vary) www.apbc.org.uk www.ukrcb.co.uk

A few articles:

<a class='url' href='http://www.apbc.org.uk/article4.htm'>http://www.apbc.org.uk/article4.htm</a>

<a class='url' href='http://search.lycos.co.uk/searchFrame/searchframe.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gsdhelpline.com%2Fcastration.htm&query=dog%2Bcastration&SITE=uk&cat=loc&qstr=query%3Ddog%2520castration%26cat%3Dloc%26lyca%3DTIUK%26matchmode%3Dand%26mtemp%3Dmain%26etemp'>http://search.lycos.co.uk/searchFrame/searchframe.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gsdhelpline.com%2Fcastration.htm&query=dog%2Bcastration&SITE=uk&cat=loc&qstr=query%3Ddog%2520castration%26cat%3Dloc%26lyca%3DTIUK%26matchmode%3Dand%26mtemp%3Dmain%26etemp</a>

Lindsay
x