Hello All,

Just wanted to know the overall opinion as to what the benefits are with having a dog neutered (Hope I've spelt that right!). I've only ever owned bitches before and I'm due to get my first dog puppy (Large Munsterlander) in the New Year. It is very painful and does it change the dogs temperment very much?
I've heard people say in the past that it can calm a feisty dog down. Most dogs I've ever met or looked after have had all their bits and bobs intact, so are boths testicles taken away (sorry to be so graphic).
It will be the only pet.

Thanks in advance.

Zoe (UK)

the guide dogs are all neutered-its supposed to make a big difference in attitude- yes both testicles are removed but i believe some vets are leaving the sacks to make it look more normal,

Canine Castration is a well balanced & informative site dealing with pros and cons of altering your dog. It also discusses the myths vs. reality of this procedure.
It doesn't hurt the dog because he is anesthetized during the operation.
hth
toodles

For what reason do you want the dog neutered?
IMO If you are a responsible owner then it should not be necessary, IMO opinion neutering and speying should be only done for medical reasons and not just to benefit the owner, after all would you make your partner have the snip to change his temprement or stop him straying??

Thank you for your speedy response.
Longdog - I don't want to get my dog neutered - I was just merely asking what owners thoughts were on this subject as I have only ever had bitches, but thank you for your opinion.

Regards,

Zoe (UK)

Personally i think both dogs and bitches should be neutered unless they're definately going to be bred from. There are enough unwanted dogs in the world already without adding the risk of more :( You can be as responsible as is humanly possible and accidents still happen!!
My mum had a wnoderful border collie when i was younger. He was perfect - beautifully trained and responsive, never had any problems with recall. Until he just decided one day that the lab bitch 50 metres away from us in the park was the love of his life!!!
We did help with the cost of the puppies [yes he did have his wicked way with her], and luckily we were able to help find lovely homes for all of them, but the whole situation could've easily been avoided if he'd [or the bitch had] been neutered!
i don't think it detracts from the dog's character at all, and in my experience it hasn't really changed "problem dog" behaviour, that's down to training. But i do think it's a medical issue too - there are LOTS of problems un neutered dogs can suffer from that neutered ones are very highly unlikely to get...

Annette

IMO you should be able to look after a dog or bitch that is intact. I would only castrate if it was for health reasons as the only certain effect is that the dog will not be able to sire puppies, and that can be achieved by vasectomy. or develop illness in the removed glands. If you feel you must castrate then I would suggest that it is left until the dogs is fully mature in the case of a large dog about 2 to 2 1/2 years, by which time he will be over his teenage bit and you will probably decide not to anyway. I did it once and have spent the last 12 years regreating it and would never do it again.
Ja:)kie

Hi Jackie and Anette,

Very two different opinions there :) .I guess I will just have to wait and see.
Jackie - just a thought - can a dog get very frustrated though if still intact and never be allowed to do the do?? :)
Why did you regret doing it? - I must admit I have read several articles and I am swaying to having the dog neutered - but still not convinced totally.

Zoe

Well, our last dog [mastiff cross] was extremely frustrated before we had him done. He was unhappy because he was never allowed to do anything about it. Two months after he was neutered he was a different dog, happy normal 20 month old. i suppose it would depend on the dog, but if there was a nearby bitch in season that they couldn't get to i would think that would frustrate them!!

Hi ,
I have a bitch, I wanted to know what age is the best age to get her done. i am having trouble with her biting everything re carpet, wallpaper i wondered if this has anything to do with her due on heat at the end of november. she is 1 year old.

>>can a dog get very frustrated though if still intact and never be allowed to do the do??

In most instances it is a case of *what they haven't had, they don't miss* ;-)

I keep *intact* males together and have never had a problem, if that's any help.

In my opinion I total believe in having male and female's fixed. Since I'm know longer breeding now they are fixed and no problem with the males I have in my house anymore (except one). Since it is a pet you want there is nothing wrong with fixing an animal. I would not want to put up with an intact bitch if I just wanted a pet. If you spay before the first heat, the risk is minimal, mammary tumors and other reproductive hormone related diseases are avoided for life. The same with a male things are avoided (if he smells a bitch in heat I have noticed a difference with my intacked male to my fixed males). It is more riskier as they get older to fix. I fixed my male and female pup at 5 months of age and it has not changed them in any way. I would not want to have a chance at having an accidental pregnancy or my male accidentally getting a bitch pregnant (thats probable why we have all those questions on here about MYbitch is going to have puppies what do I do). If the dog was fixed in the first place that accident would not of happened. I would not compare my dogs to humans because they are not, they are my furbabies. This is just my personal opinion.

Hi Dollface,

I do agree with you, it will be a pet only, and I have no intentions to breed.
I live next to woods and field in quite a residential area and it is dog city - couldn't imagine what I'd do if
my dog got a bitch pregnant!! I'm sure I know what I'm going to do now!

Thanks for your opinion :)

Kind regards,

Zoe

:) I fixed my wolf/rott at a year old and he is a very well mannered dog. In my opinion I think it is alot easier to fix a dog before he gets older and safer and plus then they never know what they are missing. My one was 5 months I don't see a difference not even with my bitch she was 5 months to. I think it is totally up to an individual on what they are willing to deal with. I would much rather know that people are fixing my pups (pets) instead of having accidental and cross breed pregnancies.

There is still no getting round the fact that neutering an animal (or human, the last Chinese Eunych died only a decade ago) does alter the body functions other than reproduction. some of these effects may be minor.

I have two spayed bitches so am not anti neutering, but they were mature adults. Even so the fenitals hve shrunk to the size of an 8 week pups, and in overweight bitches this infantile vulva can cause problems, also with bitches who never developed in the firt place. The genitalia of a castrated male when castrated as a young pup is infantile compared to an adult. These are just the obvious physical sigtns, the effects on the body chemistry are more complex.

Any woman that has had a hysterectomy will know that the removal of her reproduct9ive organs has an effect on her health an welbeing. Some women find little change, others need HRT.

Zoe, having the dog done made no difference to my g/s dog, infact it probably made him more crazy.

DEBBIE :)

Neutering a dog has many advantages in regards to temperament and behavior, as well as health.

Neutered are less inclined to exhibit dominant behavior such as mounting towards other dogs (especially males). Males that are not neutered are more predisposed to wander around the neighborhood in search of a mate. Furthemore, neutered males exhibit less "marking of territory." Most importantly, neutering a male aids in controlling the population of stray dogs that roam the streets without a human to love and call his/her own. Remember, every year millions of dogs get euthanized due to the ever growing problem of stray dogs.

Neutering you male, however, will NOT (in most cases) make your dog less destructive, better with children, fat or obese, and/or less hyper or calmer.

Additionally, neutering males eliminates the possibily of testicular cancer, as well as other potential ailments.

If your going to have a bitch in the household you might want to consider having your dog neutered though. You'd be surprised just how innovative and determined a male can be to mate a female that's in heat.

p.s. the only substantial rationale i can think of to not neuter your male is if your intending on breeding him. However, if your not i suggest you have him neutered because neutered dogs (in my experience) are easier to deal with. Plus, like you mentioned before, you don't want your dog impregnating anyone elses bitch. ESPECIALLY if they are related. Closely related dogs who mate tend to give birth to unstable pups due to the restricted gene pool.

Hope I answered your question as adequately as possible. If i left anything out i'm sure someone else will remember to include it.

Rob

Thank you Rob,

Everyone has been really helpful. I was talking to my partner last night re neutering and he was absolutely opposed to the idea. He commented that it only seemed to be females who suggested neutering a dog (Anyone would think I was asking him to cut his off!!!). So now I'm going to print out your response. Thankyou Rob! (I hope that is short for Robert :)).

Regards,

Zoe

Just to let you know...my hubby is all for neutering male dogs too if needed/necessary/desired. He's laughed at his coworkers for getting all worked up about it :rolleyes: He is secure enough in his masculinity to not identify his sexuality with a dog :D :D :D (his words, not mine ;) )

hi all, when I was a kid, we had 5 gsd's and 2 yorkies, all bitches!! all spayed as a matter of course, at 6 months which was the advise given then. My dogs I have had since I left home, Bonnie a staff was spayed at 1 year old she was a rescue, my hubby's dog Max staffie/lab neutered at 6 months by Battersea Dogs home when he rehomed him, but sadly both no longer with us:( My Golden who I lost to a brain tumor aged 2, I had spayed three months after her first season, as was the recommended advice at the time, by a. my vet and b. most the doggy mags and books etc. My hubby's working cocker he had neutered at 10 months old, cos Sunny had come into season and he was the most determined little Bu***r you ever did see, we were going to put him in kennels but then, as we had no intentions of breeding from Sunny , we felt it was the right thing to do for us, as we (a) definitely didn't want any unwanted pregnancies and (b) weighed up the pros and cons and advice at that time, we still obviously had to keep them separate;) My Springer, Decoy I had neutered at 9 months, again cos I felt it the right thing to do at the time, however, now I am not so sure with Decoy. I now feel he was not mature enough at the time, my vet said they usually neuter dogs at 6 months old and he was fine, but something niggles me with him, can't put my finger on it, just does - and I wish I had of waited longer to consider it - I could be wrong and he would have turned out the same ( I know he is only 15 months but he is so immature in his looks etc) and maybe nothing to do with the neutering! so with Cookiemonster gsd/collie who is now 7 months I just don't know what to do - he is no trouble, sexually speaking, doesn't mount anything etc etc, he is not aggressive, It is so second nature for most who have had dogs over the years that if you are not a breeder/shower that you neuter as a matter of course, and it always used to be at 6 months for both dog and bitch!! now it seems we know more but I am still confused on this issue!!! as always:) My hubby's face was rather ashen when we took his little prince to the vet - but then I sent him off to be done as well, so they are two of a kind :D julie:)

Hi,

Sorry MuddyDogs that last 'Excellent' reply wasn't at your post but the one before.
(Still trying to work out how you can see which answer goes with which post .

I will discuss with my vet when I get my pup - 6 weeks and counting :D.

Regards,

Zoe

Excellent - Extra ammo :)

Hi ,
When we got Murphy we were advised -'have him done ' It calms them down ,they're not aggresssive ,stops them 'humping everything '
We didn't have him 'done ' he's 13 months now and he's as bouncy and giddy as the next kipper -but at 13 months aren't they all ?
He's not aggressive at all,
and he's only performed 'the manouvre' (hubby's turn of phrase) a couple of times and has stopped immediatley when told ( thank god :D )
Whether any of this would be different I don't know !
We did see a change in him at about 6/7 months -he became a bit ( well a lot really ) more headstrong ,more defiant ,more independant but then aren't all teenagers :D
He's not aggressive to other dogs just completley beside himself to get to them to play
I don't know if he would have been different had we had him 'done '
but for now we are happy with the way he is ( most days ;) )
Liz :)

I have a sneaking suspicion that with many dogs..their problems with "the maneuver" (Cute, Liz ;) ) is caused by the owner's initial response. If the owner laughs or ineffectively shoos the dog away, it starts becoming a habit.

Whereas if it's taken seriously and the dog is discouraged from the first attempt, he's much less likely continue with the behavior as he gets older.
--Notice I said "Many", not "All"!!!!! :P :) Of course there are dogs that are determined to 'hump' no matter what, just like there are dogs that never ever do this behavior throughout their lives ;) :D It just depends :rolleyes:

As there are a few ladies on here on the moment.....can a dog sense when we are in season :)
It's only that when I've visited my friends dog - he becomes naughty only on these occasions (trying to hump me/continually trying to nip me and wanting to sit right on top of me almost on my head) he's a Cav KCS- coincidence??

I don't know about dogs but our Iguana used to attack me whenever it was that 'time'. It wasn't too bad to start with but when he'd got to 5ft long it was just scary as he would run at the glass at the front of his vivarium and kept getting concussed :(

We had to give him to some friends in the end as he got uncontrollable whilst I was pregnant :(

Fiona
x x x

ROFL at the image of a concussed lizard!!!!! :D :D :D
Oh, the poor dumb animal! :( :)

On the other matter, Zoe. Personally, I think dogs/bitches do know. It's not suprising or shocking, imo. They're more sensitive to smell/body language than we are. It's the only time that I wake up with Samma lying nicely against my very sore back and being a very effective heating pad. :) :( :)

Well you've either got it or you havn't :D :D
Murphy is slightly more attentive to my 'nethers'at these times ,but being a Dobe its hard to tell as crotch sniffing and bottom barging are all in a days work for him :D
Liz:)

LOL LOL Oh my God you lot are sooooooooo funny :D :D :D

No problem! Glad to have helped you in your decision! (and yes rob is short for robert)

Take care...keep in touch!

ps...thats hilarious about the iguana....shoulda taped it and sent it to one of those funniest animals shows lol

Rob