Boys will be Boys

It seems lately, that I have had several dogs come to training that have all their "Parts n Pieces" meaning that the dogs have not been spayed or neutered.

All in all, I believe waiting to have your dog altered is a good thing. Keeping their hormones for as long as possible is critical for growth and well being. As you make this important decision to spay or neuter, remember this may best be done when a dog is a dog and not a puppy; hitting at least the 1 year old stage of life or older.

That being said, having an intact dog will present challenges in regards to management of your puppy as he or she grows into being an adolescent.

In regards to boys, one major challenge is peeing. If given the chance, your young male will want to leave his "Mark on the World".....literally! I recommend curbing this behavior. Allowing your young puppy the freedom to pee on every object he comes across can build a terrible habit. Not much will be safe if your pup decides to leave his calling card wherever he may choose. At this time of year, be sure to guard your Christmas tree!  Keep a leash on your puppy.

Other challenges will be because of Testosterone; Roaming, Mounting and possible Dominance/Aggression. But really, I don't think of this as a dominance problem but rather an energy problem. Hormones will be surging through your pup just like a teenage boy. Sometimes your adolescent pup will want to prove or protect himself when facing new situations. Standing up for himself or retreating will be choices he'll face and you will need to be there to guide him through successfully.

Acting aggressively towards other dogs or people may be from hormones or frustration may be the cause but also immaturity will play its role. Keep a good watch on your boy puppy; don't let him stray from home and no matter what, there will be "No Humping Allowed" on dogs, human legs or pillows!

Lastly, young male dogs will play rough and just like "Boys Wrestling", you may need to stop it before someone gets hurt. There is nothing wrong with keeping your dog's "Parts n Pieces" just be sure you are prepared to manage the Terrible Teenage Period and then you can enjoy their Adulthood.


Out of the DogHouse LLC websitewww.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070