Why is my 4 mo. old plott hound puppy so aggressive?

[kkaratsanos]

Do plott hounds tend to be territorial and prone to aggression?

I never even heard of a plott hound until 4 weeks ago. I took this little guy in after I was unable to successfully locate his owners.

He gets along well with my 2 yr old dog, but he is aggressive with other dogs he meets at the dog park. He will steal toys and then start fights with the dog(s) when they try to retrieve their toys (growling, showing teeth, trying to bite). It's more than just typical puppy behavior. He can be overly aggressive.

He is not neutered yet, as the vet advised against it at this age. He just started obedience training and I am told that he will probably come out of this stage, but I wonder . . .

From what I have been told and from what I have researched, these dogs are generally used for hunting and not kept as pets.

Does anyone have a plott hound that could share his/her experiences with me?

Thanks

[Karen]

He's going through his "obnoxious preteen" stage, perhaps. Obedience training NOW! and let your instructor know you are concerned with his aggression, and need to nip it in the bud right now!

Is he aggressive with you, or just with other dogs?

Bless you for taking him in! Hounds in general can be on the stubborn side - so much so that some people think they are stupid - far from it! They're often just smart enough to know what they can get away with!

[IRescue452]

I've never had a plott hound but I know a few, they come into the humane society I volunteer at surprisingly quite a bit. I would neuter him at this age. Its pretty outdated to wait until they are six months, maybe find a different vet just for this procedure. Since the first three months or so of his life he probably wasn't socialized well it will take some time for him to learn. This is actually one of the best hounds you can get for a companion and family pet as long as they are trained and socialized early. They are couragous and pups will have no problem teasing bigger dogs and getting themselves into trouble. The best way to tell temperment is through the parents, but train and socialize all you can and the pup should turn out. Maybe you should find a bigger dog at the park that is willing to gently but firmly put a pup in its place. Anyway, he's a teenager, good luck.