agressive shih tzu

Question
Hi, I have a 4 year old shih tzu who I love dearly, but he can turn very agressive in a second.  you can be just petting him, and he will just grab your hand and bite. Also he will bite when you put your leg towards him.  I was wondering if neutering him will stop some of this aggression.  Thanks

Answer
No, it is doubtful that neutering will help with this. He has learned that he can get his way by being aggressive and bullying his way through life. He thinks HE is the alpha one and you are his doormat.

He really needs to be in on-going obedience classes and you need to practice "Nothing in Life is Free" with him. http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

But due to your dog's aggressiveness, I would first contact an animal behaviorist and see if he can help you with this. You should be able to get the name of a good one from your veterinarian. Also there are some drugs that can help with this. This is something that is best handled through a working relationship between you, your vet, and an animal behaviorist.

Speaking of which, aggression can be cause by hypothyroidism; you might discuss this possibility with your vet and maybe have your dog tested. http://www.doganswers.com/Thyroid.htm

Karen