Acting really strange...

[keael]

I have a male (Jasper) who's about a year and a half. I adopted him from the animal shelter, so there's no way of knowing for sure, but I believe he's half Rott. We've had him now for 9 months. I live with him, a female lab mix, and a male lab mix. We have the back house and share the backyard with the front house which has a female pomeranian who is currently in heat. The two of them barely know each other and are kept seperate all of the time. Jasper is best described as active, obedient, a vocal communicator, and tends to be a more aggressive/dominant alpha male. Recently, his behavior seems rather strange. He is much more aggressive. He is constantly crying to go outside. When it's time to come back in, I find him sitting by the front house's back door whimpering, and he almost refuses to come back inside. I pretty much have chalked all of this recent behaviour up to his hormones while the other dog is in heat, but he isn't eating very much. I feed all of the dogs at the same time, but attach a leash to seperate the two males. He seems so preoccupied with what the other male dog is doing, that he hardly eats at all. He's so aggetated, to the point where he shakes from adrenelin. Jasper has always been more of the slim muscular type dog, and I'm afraid he is getting thinner already. Is it normal for a male dog to show a lack of interest in food when a female in heat is around? I have not noticed any behaviour change in my other male dog, although I personally take him in the back yard with a lease when he needs to do his business. So he hasn't had as much exposure. My female seems fine health wise as well. I'd appreciate any advice. I'm just a worried mommy.

[Mick Trainer]

Yes this can be quite normal for a male, especially if it is his first time around the bitch. They all react a bit differently. He will be looking at the other male as competition so will be very occupied with what he is doing. All you can do it keep him seperated as much as possible from the bitch and ride it out.

Mick.

[Judi W]

Is he intact? If so, then his behavior is normal. If they share the yard she is leaving her calling card all over every time she goes out.

You must be careful also, that in his frustration he doesn't start a fight with the other male.

[alexav]

Since he is from a shelter and you don't know his background, I am certainly hoping that he's neutered. If not, he needs to be, and ASAFP.
Yes, some neutered males will be miserable when there's a smelly bitch around but it shouldn't be so pronounced.

You may also want to consider talking with the owners of the Pom. Could they take her out front to do her business? Is there a reason she is intact? Is she being shown? Perhaps they need a little information on the benefits of spaying her?

Ahhh, the joys of dealing with mother nature. ...and human nature.

[Judi W]

I would not recommend that a bitch in season be taken out front as then you can count on every at-large dog camping out in the front yard. Not a pleasant idea. At least in the back there is only one dog pitching a fit, and he should be neutered if he is not.

[waschull]

Experience with rescues:

I have had rescue males that continued this type of behavior after being neutered. Although it sounds like your male was only around a year old when neutered, if he had breedng experience prior to being neutered, this type of response is particualrly slow to dissappear.

Shaking, not eating, aggression, obbsessive sniffing are all common if there is a bitch in heat around.

[Judi W]

I don't find where it is stated that the dog is neutered.

[Mick Trainer]

I have just assumed that he is neutered as he was a rescue.

Mick.

[keael]

Thank you for responding with your info. It helps relieve some of my worries. Jasper is not neutered. I got him from a small shelter who does not preform the operation themselves. I got him at the same time I got the female dog. Knowing one of them must be fixed, I decided to spay the female. I realize that a female's operations is more risky than the male's, but since they live inside with me, the mess of her in heat again and again nugged me to fix her instead. In regards of neutering my male, there are many opinions on both sides of the matter. A pro to do it is that he'd calm down considerably, but I'm still hesitant on taking the risk. What exactly are the pros and cons of neutering?

[Judi W]

With a mixed breed shelter dog, there are no cons. Neutering is a very safe procedure and it will increase the chances of a long term congenial relationship within your dog pack. You are seeing the stress that an intact male goes through in the presence of a bitch in heat so I don't understand the hesitation. Neutering is fairly inexpensive as well. Since you do not have your own private home and yard to insure his lack of exposure to intact bitches, it becomes even more obvious. The steady frustration can also contribute to prostrate inflamation as well as the not eating, agitation and as I cautioned, an attack on the other male out of that frustration is a real possibility.

[Carina43]

You can do a search on neutering here and you'll come up with lots of discussion! I would definitely do it, there really is no reason NOT to do so. Much of the pro/con debate centers around the "proper" time to neuter, especially since some places are doing periatric spay/neuters now. Jasper's development won't be stunted in any way (if that is a concern) at his age, but he'll experience much less frustration.

[mmgy]

Better to neuter now, when he's young and healthy, than when he's 9 1/2 and not so healthy. One of the biggest mistakes I've made in dog ownership.

It's an easy procedure, much easier on the body than spaying, and he'll be fine by evening.

The risks of prostate and testicular problems is a huge reason to do it now.

M2

[alexav]

There is a reason people call the proceedure "getting your dog fixed". They truly are broken, and need to be "fixed".:D