ferreterni 29 Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 does anyone here have any experience in this. I have been told that getting my 3 and a half year old jrt bitch spayed may take away her want to fight with the other dogs, all bitches of different types. She is always fighty when she in season and coming out of it, and it is getting worse with age, as she has 2 seasons a year at the minute its hard work. Has come to the point that she may have to get rehomed if I cant fix it. Was told this may help, wondering if it was worth a go. Any experience? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redmoor 0 Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 In bitches neutering them for aggression problems doesnt generally work..when a bitch comes into season, although she may not be pregnant, her hormones stay heightened for the period of time that she would be pregnant..ie 63 days..unless you can very carefully choose that small window of time when she is completely non-hormonal, then spaying may not help. Unlike with male dogs, where castration really does help with aggression problems, it tends on the whole not to make a huge difference with bitches. If you are planning on having her spayed anyway..go for mid-way between the seasons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Thanks, if I was to get her spayed after this season, and before her next, would it then help to reduce the problem? Before hormones started in again? Know it's not the same as male aggression, but will try anything rather than rehome the dog. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Eamon.Mc Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 I'm no expert but I think it's testerone that is the hormone that can add to a dogs aggression and not the female hormone estrogen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Thought that myself, until someone pointed out that she was only bad around season times. just a bit yappy at other times. Thought that maybe there was a link, and if she was spayed and never in season then the problem might lift. Sounds logical. but don't know if it would play that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scottishlass 57 Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 it might help but i had my bitch spayed after i had a litter of pups of her and she still fights Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 (edited) yeah i dont think it will matter at this point.... maybe if you'd had her spayed the first year? seems like the longer you wait the worse it gets. my jack russell bitch wasnt spayed for the three years i had her. i had to give her away(long story) then got her back because she ripped the face off a labrador...... it was after the fight that the people got her spayed.. and they still couldnt control her.. she was six years of age when they had it done. that little mutt still thinks she's ten feet tall and bullet proof... i dont trust her around any other dog... Edited August 13, 2008 by BlueCoyote Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 This one is good with the lurcher, but has a thing against the collie. I have a terrier cross that she normally leaves alone but when they do start they start. From all I have read I don't think I can do much with her. I knew the litter sister of my bitch and she had a similar temperament, so it must just be in the strain of them. She is 100% with me but tries to push my wife around, and we caught her yesterday trying to take a toy of my toddler. So I don't want to take any chances, and can't pen her, so think it's re homing time. Thanks for all the advise. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 my terrier always got along with the boys but never the girls.... getting her spayed didnt cure her wanting to fight.... the second week she was back home with me she escaped out of the house, and jumped on both my bulldogs.... THAT cured her wanting to fight. i dont know how she survived but her little near death experience has given her a new opinion on life. she's still reactive to bigger dogs, she'll growl at them if they get too close but she doesnt try to challenge them like before. i dont think its got much to do with the hormones (though they dont help matters) i think its more to do with the dogs gameness and how dominant they think they are. that explains her trying to steal from the baby and getting bossy with your wife. the moment they see someone shy away when they growl the worse they'll get and they'll keep it up. its a power trip i think..... maybe i'm wrong but thats what i've noticed. i wouldnt wait for it to get to that point. she respects you because you're probably the alpha male.... and for some reason she thinks she's the alpha female. if she is used to people "running away" when she lifts her lip then .. well.. she IS alpha.... there's ways to fix that, but depends how much time you're willing to spend on her.. but yes getting her spayed would probably be a good start, but its no more a cure than letting a bitch have a litter of pups "so she'll calm down" .... or "be more protective" .. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Maybe borrow your bulldogs for an hour then to fix it haha It's not so much that my wife backs away in fear, more she's not paying the dog that much attention, like my wife will be heading towards the fridge and the dog will lift her head, the wife gets what she wanted from fridge then walks away again. Not really thinking about what happened and the dog thinks it won. Dog at other times is the softest friendliest thing you could imagine, but if food is around its a problem then. Wifes friends 2 year old was in the house looking out back door at dogs, and food bowl is outside door, wee jrt standing with hackles up. Really can't take a chance. And it is not an easy choice, this dog was our first dog and a big part of the family, but any trouble in the yard and its her that started it. Something serious is eventually going to happen, and it's just as likely she could get killed. Won't take chance of the nipper being caught up in something. Best I can do is find her a good working home and hope someone will give her the life she deserves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 my concern would be for the kids.. mine has growled before - but that situation was actually kinda funny.... but since then i've taken precautions so she never feels trapped.. and i never ever leave her alone with them. i've seen what she can do to a rabbit, my male bulldog still has a scar on his nose, and that labrador will probably always have a scar across her muzzle... no way in hell would i risk that on my kids. in the end you can only do what you think is best. your kids are always more important. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 hard as it is, i'm rehoming her. just making sure it's a good home. My daughter is sitting on my knee now and I know I couldn't take the risk. Thanks for all the advise Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest WILF Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 hard as it is, i'm rehoming her. just making sure it's a good home. My daughter is sitting on my knee now and I know I couldn't take the risk.Thanks for all the advise Undestand with kids that you cant risk it.........thats a common sense decision allthough if there is a chance she may come into contact with kids at the new home then IMHO it would be best to PTS. Did you try giving the dog a sound thrashing when it showed aggression? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ferreterni 29 Posted August 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 The dog isn't agrressive with people, just tries to be dominate over those she can be, she is really friendly as a rule. I am more worried that if my nipper was in the garden or toddling through the yard something would happen. The last fight happened in the yard was over 2 new ferrets I got, the terrier cross was looking at them and the jrt had a leave em alone they are mine attitude and it kicked off. It was in the process of seperating them that my terrier cross got injured and this is the main reason I am worried because I know my wife couldn't seperate them, and my daughter could get caught in the middle of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 thats what got my terrier kicked out and sent back to me..... according to those people she was always picking the fight with their lab - for three years? - but they didnt see a REAL problem until the husband reached in to pry them apart and the jrt tried to take his thumb off...... that, to me, is a risk you willingly take while separating two fighting dogs... but they saw it as a sign that "she's vicious! she cant stay here!" they were going to rehome her via the pound and didnt give me enough credit for being able to control her.... and then they found out i had bulldogs.... i got her back though. we only had the one incident and like i said above... she's never with the others dogs and never alone with my kids. as a puppy i can remember her trying the whole "mine" attitude thing with people and animals. she used to guard her crate from other dogs... i stopped that right away! i have sometimes wondered if i shouldnt rehome her for the same reasons you're doing it.... if she ever did go off with the kids around the damage would be great.... but so far, since she's gotten the routine down, she's been fine and dandy. i hope you can get her a good home where she's the only dog, or at least the only female dog.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.