My Chihuahua/Min Pin mix is beginning to get a little more aggressive as time goes on. He recently turned 1yr old on May 11 and since then he has been growling and barking even at people he has seen everyday for 2 weeks. I don't mind him being protective but this seems like overkill compared to how he was before. Also, we recently moved and I've read that moving may cause a dog to mark up their new territory but I want to know if this is true even if the dog has been trained to go on pads or outside and was disciplined for going in The House? My dog has been using pads since he was 8 weeks old and since his "manhood" has descended, he has made it a point to go sprinkle in corners all over the house seemingly unaffected by the fact that he will be disciplined for it. It seems that when his "manhood" descended, he got a "new set of ball" (in a sense) and does what he wants to do regardless of what he was taught. He deliberately went in the bedroom and peed on the floor at the same time I was calling his name to go outside. He ignored me to continue peeing and only came when I put some bass and authority in my voice while calling his name. When I went in the room to put him in his crate for bed, I saw that he had done this, not once, but twice in the same area of the floor. I was so disappointed because he KNOWS not to go in the house. I tried to shrug it off as him not being "sure" because we are in a new environment that has carpet vs the wood floors we had before but a small part of me is saying he is doing it to "mark" his territory. I was wondering if neutering him will curb this behavior and help him be a little nicer toward family. I'm afraid he may accidentally bite one of my siblings or my parents or even my 4-year old niece who visits often. Aside from the benefits of neutering (reducing risks of cancer in testicles, etc.) will it help with his behavior and this "alpha complex" he seems to have developed? Please help.
The dogs I have had in the past were much more mellow after being neutered. I have never had a Min-pin or Chihauhau before but I think small dogs are a bit more fiesty than larger dogs. It sounds like you may have your hands full with this guy for quite sometime. He may get less agressive after being neutered but I don't think it will fix all the problems you are having. He may need some obedience training if the neutering doesn't help you out enough.
With my past experiences, my pets have become a lot calmer after being fixed however I have had some neighbors in the past who did not have the same luck. I would say its atleast worth the try.
I have also heard that they become a lot calmer. With regards him peeing in the house, perhaps there had been a dog that stayed there previously before you moved in and that he can still smell in the house. According to an article I read awhile ago, neutering will certainly help with aggression and the urinating problem.
Neitering will help, but if this has been going on for awhile, then the issue will continue as it has become ingrained in his mind. Neutering and behavioral modification training can curb these bad behaviors, but neither will work on their own.
I think it would help. My chihuahua acted in a similar fashion too. He was always trying to pick a fight with the neighbor's dog (the other dog was about four times his size) and barking nonstop at anyone who would come over even though they were a frequent visitor. But he calmed down a lot after getting neutered. He'd still bark at visitors but he'd settle down once he realizes that they mean no harm.
Neutering can help, but it doesn't always solve the problem. I would suggest starting with that, but also finding a trainer who can help you.