Re: [pyrnet] Male aggression anad neutering

["Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@attbi.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Delmage" <mary@ericnagler.com>

I remember how taken
aback Rowan was when he came into the whelping room the morning after
Belle's pups were born. <<

You are very fortunate that she did not come up out of the box and try to
kill him, and possibly trample a few pups in the process.  Bitches have been
known to do this.  They don't automatically just love the dogs they love
before the pups were born.  Especially not adult males.

<<Any advice as to the best time to neuter Bear?>>

NOW.  You could and should have done it much earlier.  You vet is wrong
about the growth issue.  Actually early neuters (2-4 mos) grow taller than
do later neuters.

<<Will neutering him reduce/stop  the growly behaviour between him and
Rowan?>>

Quite possibly not, now that it has begun.  I would not count on a change
although I would definitely neuter Bear and probably Rowan also.

<<Is this growly behaviour anything to worry about anyway?>>

Absolutely!!  Growly behavior usually escalates into fighting behavior and,
in general, once two Pyrs have had a serious fight, they can NEVER be
together safely again.  Actually, it is probably reasonably rare to be able
to keep two adult males together, altered or not.  I know of 6 males that
have died as the result of a fight with another male.  In several cases, one
or both of these dogs was neutered.  Be prepared for the fact that you may
need to permanently separate these dogs.

<<Would spaying Belle be enough to reduce the friction between the two
males?>>

I wouldn't count on that either since these fights are not about sex, they
are about who owns the territory.  Still spaying her is a good idea.

<<Will neutering Bear make a difference to his guardian instincts?>>

Not likely.  I have placed a lot of full time guardian males and vitually
every one of them is neutered-- many by 8 or 9 weeks old.  And they are very
good at what they do.  Guarding has little to do with testostrone.  If it
did the bitches would not be as good at it as they are.  Many sheepmen
prefer the girls as guardians.

Linda