Mixed-breed Labrador Retriever is nervous around loud screaming and running children after hormone injections
I adopted a mixed-breed dog, part Labrador Retriever, about 1-year-old, neutered and house trained. I have had him almost a year. He was abused in the past, and he is aggressive toward two neighbors with small children. Of course, I'm concerned. He has now started taking hormone injections, hopefully to help curb this. He is nervous around loud screaming and running children. Please advise.
Once you are aware of your dog's propensity to be aggressive you have a legal and ethical obligation to prevent him from causing harm. Hormone injections, I assume female hormones, might work to reduce testosterone levels and resulting hormonally driven aggression. But both male and female dogs are capable of showing territorial, possession and dominance aggression. There is a strong possibility your dog's aggressive tendencies will remain unaffected by the hormone therapy, unless behavioral modification also is pursued. I would look carefully into the long term potential for side effects, and ask how long your vet intends to keep your dog on medication. Inquire as to whether or not the beneficial effects of the drug therapy would continue once the dog has stopped receiving treatment. Hormone injections likely would not improve your dog's confidence with or tolerance of noisy, active children.
Even if your dog's aggression levels seem reduced by the treatment, I would be very careful not to drop your guard. Allowing a person to approach and "test" his tolerance levels is taking a dangerous risk. No person should be used by an owner with crossed fingers as an experiment to see what the dog might do. If the dog did bite you could be sued for negligance, having failed to control a dog known to present a risk to people. This is where the best solution is total prevention. You must not take any chances, because not only might the neighbors be harmed, but your dog would then be at risk of losing his home if not his life.
Protect all involved by keeping your dog on a leash and muzzled with a humane cloth muzzle when in public. Be sure to speak with your neighbors to reassure them you are aware of the dog's propensity and want to be a responsible owner. Work to desensitize the dog, with the help of a professional trainer or behaviorist who uses kind, positive methods of reinforcement. If your dog has had a history of abuse it would be in his best interest to seek help rebuilding his confidence as well as reducing his overaggressiveness. Provided you are aware of his limitations and work to help him be under control in situations where his own self-control is questionable, you should be able to keep your dog and neighbors safe.
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