# Picking Leo up from the vet's



## Reese and Miley (Jun 24, 2010)

Just wanted to give a little update on Leo. I had been going back an forth on whether or not to neuter him- I'd planned on doing conformation with him originally so wasn't going to, but we've been dealing with so much marking and resource guarding from him that I was starting to question my decision to keep him intact. Then our vet "discovered" that Leo actually had one undescended testicle, so that made the decision for me! He's just woken up after his neuter-surgery went well and all his blood work looked good too. I'm leaving to get the little patient shortly to bring him home. Will we see an improvement in his dominance and marking right away, or is that just wishful thinking? His latest trick has been peeing on/in our shoes


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

when i got salem neutered, while he was at the vents i went over the entire house with an enzyme cleaner. I DID notice an immediate change, although he still marked more those first two weeks or so then he does now. He still marks once in awhile, and when we go places that have dogs, we wear belly bands since he has the habit. But i did notice a difference, just remember it can take two week or more for teh testosterone to leave so give him time


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

Huh, I somehow missed this thread. I'm not sure how soon you'll see an improvement on dominance/marking, but I would think it shouldn't take too long. Hopefully no more peeing on your shoes very soon! hehe. Let us know how it goes. I'm glad all went smoothly with his neuter, Katy.


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## amyalina25 (Jan 10, 2011)

(((hugs))) for Leo x


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

Hope Leo's feeling well. I thought that Rico's leg lifting would stop if I had his neuter done early , he was almost 5 months when he had the surgery. He always lifts his leg to wee.... He was never big into marking though.


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## Reese and Miley (Jun 24, 2010)

intuition said:


> when i got salem neutered, while he was at the vets i went over the entire house with an enzyme cleaner. I DID notice an immediate change, although he still marked more those first two weeks or so then he does now. He still marks once in awhile, and when we go places that have dogs, we wear belly bands since he has the habit. But i did notice a difference, just remember it can take two week or more for teh testosterone to leave so give him time


Thank you, I should have asked at the vets but didnt. I hope we will see some changes within a few weeks. Im going to go over all our carpeting with our shampooer, hopefully the last time for a while!



foggy said:


> Huh, I somehow missed this thread. I'm not sure how soon you'll see an improvement on dominance/marking, but I would think it shouldn't take too long. Hopefully no more peeing on your shoes very soon! hehe. Let us know how it goes. I'm glad all went smoothly with his neuter, Katy.


Thanks Paula! I hope so too, we have shoes on the windowsills and all sorts of random places to keep them off the ground and pee free 



amyalina25 said:


> (((hugs))) for Leo x


Thank you Amy!



rubia said:


> Hope Leo's feeling well. I thought that Rico's leg lifting would stop if I had his neuter done early , he was almost 5 months when he had the surgery. He always lifts his leg to wee.... He was never big into marking though.


Thank you, he seems to be healing nicely so far, just getting a little impatient with being stuck in his pen. Lucky! Reese has always lifted his leg to pee too, and he was neutered before we got him at 3 months (no idea why so early). He never marked though. I wish Id gotten Leo in sooner, I was really hoping to show him so I kept going back and forth before we knew he had an undescended testicle. I hope I havent done it too late!


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Glad Leo is doing well!!! Did you let his breeder know he had an undescended testicle? I ask because they can be hereditary.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Dominance isn't something necessarily associated with testosterone. Fortunately since he is young, you SHOULD see a reduction in marking in 1-2 months. As far as dominance goes, someone may just need to let him know who's boss. Even though they are small dogs, any sort of physical assertion they get over you (growling over a treat or bone, for instance) is a form of teaching them to resist. You can get some freaking stubborn puppies from EXTREMELY young ages. I do NOT let my puppies tell me "no" EVER. So stop letting him tell you no. If he tries to growl when you take away food or a bone, show him who's boss. Only you can decide the "right" approach to that...and yes the behaviors may decrease due to lack of testosterone, but...they may not.


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## Reese and Miley (Jun 24, 2010)

Brodysmom said:


> Glad Leo is doing well!!! Did you let his breeder know he had an undescended testicle? I ask because they can be hereditary.


Thanks Tracy! Yes Im in regular contact with his breeder, and did let him know about his little problem  



flippedstars said:


> Dominance isn't something necessarily associated with testosterone. Fortunately since he is young, you SHOULD see a reduction in marking in 1-2 months. As far as dominance goes, someone may just need to let him know who's boss. Even though they are small dogs, any sort of physical assertion they get over you (growling over a treat or bone, for instance) is a form of teaching them to resist. You can get some freaking stubborn puppies from EXTREMELY young ages. I do NOT let my puppies tell me "no" EVER. So stop letting him tell you no. If he tries to growl when you take away food or a bone, show him who's boss. Only you can decide the "right" approach to that...and yes the behaviors may decrease due to lack of testosterone, but...they may not.


Yes he IS stubborn! I guess Im probably not doing the right thing, this is the first time Ive had this problem with a dog. He growls at the other dogs if hes crated and they walk by, same with his pen, like he is guarding it. He growls when hes eating, has a chewie or toy or is getting a drink and they get to close. Generally its directed at the other dogs, but occasionally at us. Ive tried sitting with him while he is eating or chewing on something and keeping my hand close, usually he just growls, one time he tried to bite me. Ive never backed off when he does it, and now if I put my hand by him he backs off, drops the chew or stops eating, and lays down. Which I think is good? But obviously I want him to be able to chew on a bully stick without a bunch of growling, not stop him from chewing it at all. He also shakes and seems nervous while hes growling, like he is trying to be dominant but isnt confident? Im hoping lower testosterone will make training him out of these behaviors easier. 95% of the time hes great, but I know this problem will only get bigger if we dont fix it.


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