Any advice greatly appreciated. We are the proud owners of 2 year old un neutered male lab. He’s exceptionally friendly with humans and most dogs but he has recently become aggressive towards other dogs who he meets. They tend to be in tact males. I feel I will have to get him snipped but don’t want to if there are other solutions. His recall is also deteriorating! Any help of advice greatly appreciated Cat (aka Deefer’s Mum)
I understand that neutering typically has little effect on Labs behavior, so it is unlikely to help. Is he aggressive off lead or only on lead?
Hi Cat, welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear you are having some trouble with a few of his interactions. To me this sounds like something that might be best dealt with through a few 1-2-1 sessions with a behaviorist. Pick one that uses positive reinforcement training only, as some of the more traditional methods can exacerbate aggression issues. Most vets have contact details for local people so it's worth having a chat with your practice to see if there is someone they recommend. As Ski-Patroller has said, aggression issues don't normally seem to be improved by neutering. One study even showed that they were more aggressive when neutered, not less. And in fact many people now advise avoiding neutering their dogs for medical reasons. You can read more about the latest research here. Do let us know how you get along!
