Increase in Male Aggression with New Female in the House???

[cpayne]

My 2 year old intact male has become a butthead since the addition of an intact female puppy to our family. She is now 7 months old and about the time she stopped obviously smelling like a puppy, his aggressiveness started to increase. He's always been "tough," but manageable. Have any of you ever experienced this? As beautiful as he is, if there is not good reason to think he is going to "return to normal"... I may consider neutering him.

My breeder says he's 2, and is just going through a "phase." She also says it's a wives tale that neutering a dog decreases their aggressiveness. I don't know about the first statement... but I'm pretty sure that losing his balls will decrease his aggressiveness... especially if it's the result of having an intact female around.

I need your thoughts and advice... thanks!

[TrishB]

If you aren't showing him or going to breed him (and if he's getting aggressive, I'd suggest you don't) - neuter him! There's no sense in him 'accidentally learning' what the girls are all about.

He may just be asserting himself to ensure his position at the top of the bottom - over the female. Now that he's finally got someone that he's 'over', he may have more ideas about 'moving up'.

I don't think neutering will completely correct the problem, but it will alleviate some of the 'edge' he's currently experiencing.

[cpayne]

Hi Trish... and thank you for your response.

The frustrating part is I have been showing him and he is 2 points away from finishing (he turns 2 on the 8th of this month). He has also attracted a great deal of attention from the Rottie community here because he is a very typey, beautiful dog with AWESOME movement.

I truly want to find a way to decrease this behavior... but if that is not possible, I absolutely will ensure he never breeds (it's sad though... he is such an awesome boy to the family... he's just really tough in situations away from home).

It sounds as though you do not believe that neutering him will resolve the problem, correct? BTW, he is heavily envolved in obedience and herding training... we're working toward our CD and HS. He lives in a very "active" home.

Thanks again for your response. :)

[Judi W]

Well, as he was aggressive before, you must consider that you have now given him even more reason (a bitch that he believes is his own to protect). So, no surprises there. You'll likely have to make a decision. Get very serious about training, and not just stack and bait, but about his total behavior or accept the fact that you've given him a prize to protect and something even more to strut about. Lots of work involved especially with an intact bitch in the hh......

Sorry, no magic bullets here.

[TrishB]

No, I don't believe neutering him would soley solve the problem. However I do believe it would be a part of the solution.

Contact a good trainer in your area, have them do an evaluation of your dogs, in your home. Then be sure to work closely with them to improve your boys behaviour.

There is a definate possibility that you'll still need to neuter him. It will be a combination of things, along with determination, patience and consistency that will correct it.

[rottnvegas]

I don't think that obedience training is the issue as Trishb wrote as this dog is prepared to pass the cd test. The dog also obviously is trained to perform in the conformation ring so I think something else must be done. Cpayne, you do know that as soon as you neuter your dog you are out of the running as far as your CH hopes go. I would say that your dog is starting to mature right about now. He is starting to come in to his own and doesn't quite know how to deal with this fine young female. If you watch them closely you will probably find he is making mating gestures towards her but at her age she is going to be very unreceptive. I think you should just hold off with the scissors right now and keep a close eye on them. I have a feeling your breeder is right, this is just a phase. :) Good luck and keep us updated.

[mccoy]

Chris,

I am by no means any kind of expert
but I can tell you from personnal
experience it will help the "BUTTHEAD"
part of being intact.

My Husband and I rescued a male and
female Rott about a month ago when we
got them we had already made appointments to have them fixed, when
we went to S.C to pick them up the
woman told us the 9 m/o female was
begining her first season.

The male at first paid no attention he
is 1-2 y/o but as time progressed and
her season did he became a major
"Butthead" and this meant crating in
seperate rooms, crying constantly and
driving us crazy.

When we took them to be fixed they
wouldn't do her they said the chances
of complications was to great so she
was rescheduled but he was neutered
that day. He never even gave her a
sniff after coming home that night.

My Husband said he blamed her for all
his trouble that day...lol...he's now
back to himself and has lost that
"BUTTHEAD" problem.:D

[rottnvegas]

mccoy, did you not read her post? Her dog is a show dog and neutering will take the dog off the circuit.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by rottnvegas
I don't think that obedience training is the issue as Trishb wrote as this dog is prepared to pass the cd test.

Just a correction, I did not say that obedience training would solve the problem. I said that she should have a trainer come into the home and evaluate the dogs. The behaviour is presenting itself in the home, so that is where it should be evaluated.

Posted by TrishB
Contact a good trainer in your area, have them do an evaluation of your dogs, in your home. Then be sure to work closely with them to improve your boys behaviour.

At that time, the trainer would be able to give them some techniques of how to deal with her boy's new found 'power'.

Obedience is a must, but it is not the silver bullet people seem to look for. Obedience is the bases for the dogs behaviour while they are with you, for establishing that bond that you two will build upon for the life of the dog.

An evaluation will offer specific aid in the areas where they will need it. A professionals evaluation of a situation is always best. You need to have the "3rd person perspective"; they'll often view things that we were too close to see. ;)

Best of luck with your boy! :)

[Judi W]

I am another that does not believe that neutering solves aggression, it simply means the dog can't reproduce. I also believe that the boys can learn to behave like gentlemen. It takes rolling up your sleeves and being prepared to correct for the thought rather than waiting for the juices to start flowing. Once that happens it is too late. What happens is that it is too tempting to say to one's self, "he's just looking".......... ;) but actually, you do correct for the "looking" when you in your heart know that the looking is precurser to the thought and action. He's been out and about enough that he'll get the idea. And yes, it is in many respects obedience training. It is training him to understand "don't even think about it".......

[mccoy]

rottvegas,

Yes! I did read the post was I wrong
when he stated:

So you think that neutering him will not solve the problem?

I know he is a show dog, I was just
giving my experience with this. Mine
wasn't showing aggression he just was
acting like he had forgotten everything
he had learned in OB.

When a female is in season most males
do have a urge to test themselves and
what training they have. I am not one
to tell someone to have their dogs
fixed that is their choice.:)

Like I said before IMO he is just testing he has never been breed and
is having urges/feelings he has never
had before. My male was the same way!
And Chris was the one talking of neutering am I wrong? He was the one
who asked the question??

[TrishB]

The point is that his aggression has increased since the introduction of the female. That needs to be addressed ASAP. If the additional evaluation and training by the trainer does not help, neutering may be a definate avenue to remove that 'edge'.

Try what you can with the trainer, but do know that neutering may be a card that you may have to play. There are often many components to a complete solution.

[KattOK]

My nosey question ...

Intact male, intact female. Are you planning on showing them both, breeding them, or what? IMO his being a 'butthead' is only just a precursor to what lays ahead.

[cpayne]

"He" needs 2 more points to finish and "she" is his half sister and is just starting her trek toward her championship. They will not be allowed to breed each other and it is highly unlikely that he will be allowed to breed at all.

After listening to everyone's comments and talking further with our obedience trainer and breeder... I plan to finish him, OFA him, collect him and, if training and a little time doesn't resolve anything... neuter him. Then we'll just focus on his working titles and enjoy our life together.

Thank you all for your comments and please continue to share. I am not going to do anything rash and appreciate any additional information to consider.

[CanadianRotts]

Originally posted by cpayne
After listening to everyone's comments and talking further with our obedience trainer and breeder... I plan to finish him, OFA him, collect him and, if training and a little time doesn't resolve anything... neuter him. Then we'll just focus on his working titles and enjoy our life together.

Welcome to ownership of a male Rottweiler! :D

It sounds like you have the perfect showdog. :p I love LOTS of temperament in a show/Specials' Rottweiler, but you have the best of both worlds...a MALE with with great temperament.
I do not know your dog, but it sounds like you have a an excellent dog on your hands, and my only suggestion would be to TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN! In that order. :)

Just one word of caution though, even if you do decide to COLLECT him, he will know what it is all about. Once introduced to it...that's it. Trust me, it WON'T work. ;)

To me, it sounds like your boy is going through a normal stage of adolescence/teen years...I would expect every Rottweiler at some point to go through a butthead stage. It's comes with the territory and the breed makeup.

Good Luck with those last 2-points!!!