Having my aussie fixed

Question
Dear shelly, I have an aussie that will be 2 yrs old in November and we have not decidead wether to get her fixed or not.She is barking more at strangers and even at people she knows.  She is also becoming more protective. The men of the house are over seas. Does  she think she needs  to be the protector?  If she was fixed would she still carry on like this? Should we make a decision on wether to get her fixed?  I don't want to hAve to keep her on a chain at all times but I'm afraid she is going to bite someone.Help. Do you suggest any type of electronic collar to stop this behavior? Thank you for taking the time to read this I'll be anxiously awaiting a response.
Karen  

Answer
I always recommend that anyone with a companion animal have them spayed or neutered for convenience and to prevent unwanted breedings. Spaying your bitch may help with some of her behavioral issues, but not all of them.

If you bring you dog inside, making her a part of the family all the time, I bet you will see a big improvement in her attitude. Aussies don't like to be apart from their owners and no dog likes being left on a chain in the yard.

Her barking is a response to environmental stimuli (such as hearing kids yelling and playing, seeing a cat) and to invasions to what she sees as her territory. Some dogs bark because they are distressed at being left alone, whether loose in a fenced yard or chained. By bringing her inside to live indoors, you are eliminating both possible causes. She won't be able to see the stimuli that caused her to bark and if she will be less stressed by being close to her family pack members.


Placing an electronic anti-bark collar on her is unlikely to be successful in the long run. Dogs learn when the collar is on and when it is off, they also learn to bark regardless of the correction the collar is making. It is better to fix the cause of the barking then to correct it afterwards.

I think you'll find bringing the dog inside and interating with it frequently works much better than any other method.