# Neutering a weak-nerved dog.



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Anyone have experience in neutering a male with weak nerves? 

Heard people say that it could make him worse, and others say better.

I have no experience in getting a male with a bad temperament fixed.

Opinions/experiences?


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I have a very weak nerved dog a rat terrier /corgi cross. He has always been shy but after being neuterd he seems to have goten worse he was fixed at around 8 months he will be 3 in september. He is scared of things that don't bother the other dogs. And lord help if you turn on a vacume clener. Nobody likes it but he will act like the devil him self came to drag him to he** himself


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## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

ChristenHolden said:


> I have a very weak nerved dog a rat terrier /corgi cross. He has always been shy but after being neuterd he seems to have goten worse he was fixed at around 8 months he will be 3 in september. He is scared of things that don't bother the other dogs. And lord help if you turn on a vacume clener. Nobody likes it but he will act like the devil him self came to drag him to he** himself


Hahaha, Do you watch Supernatural? When the Hounds of **** come for Dean. It's scary because you can't SEE them but they rip you to shreds and haul you off... creepy!


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Oh no, I'm a Supernatural fanatic... The **** hounds freak me out lol when the demon brought his own to fight off the others.. Invisible dogfight.. 





Well I got off topic... hehe



The general answer has been that neutering a male, esp. a weak-nerved, fear aggressive one, makes them even worse...


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## FuryanGoddess (Dec 26, 2009)

OMG, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Supernatural, Even write my own Fanfics.. yep... I'm a Dean lover *sigh* Castiel is a close second! 

That was funny w the big dogs. Did you see Dean's face.. he was like "OH **** not again!"

As to the original question, I got nothing... sorry...  I'm sure someone will have some answers BUT if you want to chat about SN though PM's I'm all for that mwhahahah


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

IMO- Weak nerves are weak nerves. As to whether or not neutering helps or hinders I think will probably depend on the individual dog's personality and how the weak nerves manifest. I think what changes it is maturity, it's sort of hard to say neutering made me my dog worse or better because there's really no way to compare to how your dog would have been un-neutered. 

My thought would be to neuter a weak nerved dog. I don't think you can cahnge the nerves and the hormones might make the dog more combative...I can think of one weak nerved dog I know I shudder to think how dangerous he could be as a 3 year old. Cause testosterone can give them just enough confidence to make them dangerous...


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

See, that's where I'm torn, JK. He is about as confident as a squirrel. He has never bitten, but I any pretty sure he would if someone were running away from him, obviously scared.

Actually gave me a scare yesterday, and a neighbor, who knows he's got problems, leaned over the fence to him. Before I could give a command he'd jumped up to her face barking, had the chance to bite but didn't.

He's only one right now and is improving, if I have his focus we can walk right by people, stand next to them and even talk, IF they don't stare at him, or try to get his attention, or try to touch him.

And I think here maybe he'd be more placid with less testosterone... Or, would be be more fearful and even less confident?


I don't know what would have happened if he'd ended up with a normal pet owner... *I* can handle him. When we are walking he has his prong and a very sturdy stillwater collar on and two leashes, we won't have any accidents... He's not out alone in the yard, and when I'm not home he's safely crated. When I have guests (aside from two that he likes) he's crated.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Echo had hereditary shyness from his father's side - was about as bad as they get including the fear biting reaction (he never connected). 

I had him neutered at 9 months for fear if he did accidently sire a litter it would be dreadful to have more dogs with a temperament as bad as his wandering around. Did it help? Hinder? That's something I'll never know since his temperament was so terrible when he was neutered.

FWIW with a lot of hard work, hundreds of hours of obedience, slowly teaching him that the world isn't really a bad place, he ended up pretty normal. He earned his AKC novice and open titles and had all the utility exercises down pat EXCEPT for the go out ... he never could do that one. 

Anyway, when he was older people were shocked when I told them about his poor temperament when he was younger ... he acted perfectly normal when people patted him, gave him treats, ran past him, etc.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

Zisso has weak nerves and I can not say that getting him neutered made him worse. I got him when he was 16 months old and had the procedure done a month later. I think he was fine before getting neutered and he is fine now as long as I am not the one doing the introducing to other dogs. He is still weak nerved-fireworks(I DREAD the 4th of July for his sake), etc, but I also think he is getting better about loud noises thanks to a house being built out back. My fear of introducing him to other dogs is a huge problem tho. 

When I got Nadia spayed she did not change either. She was spayed at 17 months and is still just as nippy with strangers as she was prior.


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