[Carolyn (OP)]

Benji is a little mentally challenged.  He's agressive, bites and hikes everywhere!  Last night, I let him out and my 13 pound dog decided to go after a 400 pound black bear.  I walked outside to see why he was barking and he was trying desperately to get to an enormous black bear.  Fortunately there was a fence separating them and I was able to snatch him up before the bear destroyed the fence and had Benjamin as an appetizer.  We have to keep him under lock and key, otherwise he will try to attack much larger animals.  He's been nearly eaten twice by much larger dogs, and has cost me a small fortune in veterinary bills.

He has an appointment Tuesday to be neutered.  Will this calm him down, make him less aggressive, stop his hiking and generally make him a little more intelligent.....or is this just wishful thinking on my part?

[Karen W.]

I have always noticed a mellower behavior after wards, but some say not!

[RD]

After he is neutered he will come back from the vet two stones lighter [], unless you're getting him "Neuticles" (implants)...

Man Wins Award for Creating Fake Dog Testicles
Thursday, October 06, 2005

Gregg Miller mortgaged his home and maxed out his credit cards to mass produce his invention — prosthetic testicles for neutered dogs.

What started 10 years ago with an experiment on an unwitting Rottweiler named Max has turned into a thriving mail-order business. And on Thursday night Miller's efforts earned him a dubious yet strangely coveted honor: the Ig Nobel Prize for medicine.

"Considering my parents thought I was an idiot when I was a kid, this is a great honor," he said. "I wish they were alive to see it."

The Ig Nobels, given at Harvard University by Annals of Improbable Research magazine, celebrate the humorous, creative and odd side of science.

Miller has sold more than 150,000 of his Neuticles, more than doubling his $500,000 investment. The silicone implants come in different sizes, shapes, weights and degrees of firmness.

Although the Ig Nobels are not exactly prestigious, many recipients are, like Miller, happy to win.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,171511,00.html

[Evie]

Neutering is often said to decrease aggression in male dogs, but you can also train him out of this behavior. It takes hard work, and you have to be very strict with him (be the alpha of the pack) but there are a lot of good resources out there for curbing aggression (books, videos, classes). I suggest using a reward-based system.

[Don_1]

Neutering probably will calm him down to some degree, but as Evie said, training is the best course of action, and you must establish yourself as top dog. Your pooch needs to know his place in the pack.

[lyner]

You might piss him off a bit.
I would be livid!

[RD]

Possible slogans for Mr Miller's invention...  []

"Neuticles: they're the dog's b*ll*cks". 

"Fido will still look like one of the lads, with his silicone go-nads".

"Make him look like god intended, with testicles which have descended".

[Carolyn (OP)]

Thanks RD, I think we're going to pass on the fake testicles.  We might reconsider if he decides to start behaving properly. []

[Carolyn (OP)]

Thanks Evie & Don.  I agree with you regarding the training.  I've tried it, and still try it, but unfortunately it doesn't work when only 1 person in the family follows through.

[Carolyn (OP)]

You might piss him off a bit.
I would be livid!

He had the procedure today and also had the little tracking thingy implanted as well.  He is way beyond being a bit pissed off.  He has to wear an elizabethan collar and he is not a happy camper.  I'm not sure he'll ever forgive me.

[Don_1]

Thanks Evie & Don.  I agree with you regarding the training.  I've tried it, and still try it, but unfortunately it doesn't work when only 1 person in the family follows through.

Not helpfull. EVERYONE concerned with the dog MUST follow YOU (the top dog), otherwise the dog will become confused, which can lead to more problems. It's really not much different from teaching a child. If one parent say's no & the other say's yes..... Well it's easy to work out what would happen. A child would be labeled 'disfunctional', a dog could be labeled 'dangerous'. For the sake of your dog, you must get the family to pull in the same direction.

[Carolyn (OP)]

I'm exasperated and at my wits end!

Neutering has evidently done nothing to calm him.

Tonight Benji bit Nicholas several times and broke the skin in a few places.  Nic's ready to strangle him!

[Don_1]

Is the dog perceiving any fear from members of your family?

You must all be stern with your dog to ensure he knows his rightful place within the 'pack'. Show him no fear, show him who's boss. When he does wrong, shout and even smack him (not hard, just enough to let him know he is being chastised) this is what would happen to him if he were in a pack of dogs, barked & growled at and even nipped by his superiors.

But of equal, if not greater importance, praise, pat & stroke him when he is being good. Reward him when he does as he is told in the same way and even with a tit-bit occasionally. Dogs do like to be made a fuss of. I do not agree with the over prescribing of tit-bits since the dog may become too used to receiving them when doing as told and become confused when they are not administered for doing as told. Tit-bits are fine in moderation, but the dogs health must be taken into account.

You do not want to go down the the road of muzzling him while in the home, but I would certainly suggest you do so while he is out in the midst of the public, for their safety and your peace of mind, not to mention law suits.

A good way to let him know who is the boss is to make him sit before giving him his food. If he gets up before the feeding bowl is placed, retract and make him sit again. This is something ALL your family should take in turn to show him that he is at the bottom of the pecking order within the pack (family). Access to 'the kill' is the most definite show of the pecking order. Never give him tit-bits while you are eating, this will send him a signal that he is on a par with you. Give him his food after you have eaten.

When you take him out for walks, keep him on a short lead. Make him walk by your side at your pace, do not let him set the pace. Any pulling by him must be countered with a short sharp jerk on the lead and the command to heel. Again, when he walks properly with no pulling, give him praise. I do not necessarily approve of choker chains, especially on small dogs. A full harness is better as it does not put undue pressure on any one part of the body.

Having taken on a dog , it is you and your family who need to adapt to a 'pack' mentality in order to send your dog the right signals.

If all of this fails, you & he need to go to training lessons.

Good luck.