I've just been reading this blog about a dog trainer's trials and tribulations keeping an entire male. We have had entire males in the past and never had a problem (labradors and spaniels). I may keep reading the blog since I'll have another one in the next year :D

http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogger/12965

I have an entire male (labrador) and have no problems at all with him and never have done. We have a neutered male that pees up EVERYTHING in sight! My choice would be to keep a male entire unless there was a medical need for neutering but I know lots of others who disagree.

It is my usual practice to have 4 intact males and I have never had a problem ever. Does not say much for the trainers ability is my way of thinking as intact dogs almost invariably turn into gentlemen a pure pleasure to live with.

I'd agree with you Nova. I haven't lived with an entire male (bar my other half and i can't say all that much for his house manners haha) for about 3/4 years but all of our males were absolute pleasures. In fact,it's down to them that I'm so hooked on dogs (not that i don't adore our female dogs) but the males are just the ultimate cuddly, lovebugs :)

Haven't had the chance to read the blog but I kept 2 entire males and never had any trouble. One attempt from one of them to wee up my leg at about 13 months old, he got a verbal blasting and never did it again, never marked in the house even with Ellie in season. A little bit of keenness and inappropriate humping of other people's neutered males in the park, but only occasionally.

I have three entire males aged 4 1/2, 4 and just over 2 1/2. They are happiest when they are together, they love their little club. I occasionally bring a spayed bitch in for the day or overnight and they treat her like royalty. No fighting, no biting, no jealousy.

Currently have one entire male, never had any indoor leg cocking or humping of me. He used to live with an entire Lab who never displayed these issues an both boys got on really well together. Prior to that Lab was another and another, all entire males and never any issues. The only dog who is a pain the back side is my sisters JRT entire male who leg cocks in the house and is a nasty piece of work!!

We have 5 entire males and 6 entire females in the house (flatcoats and working cockers).    No peeing, marking or anything ever.     Couldn't live with this number indoors if they did.    Nothing special we've done, but they just seem to be a nicely balanced happy pack.  All the dogs except the cocker have been used at stud at some stage.      

But 2 visiting male goldens came straight in and marked straight away - I was actually a bit shocked!!

Jo

I've kept entire males and never had any problems...except once and it was the whole bunch entire and otherwise..we moved house and the dogs came straight in and cocked their legs ...I was very shocked but that was the first and last time !

> we moved house and the dogs came straight in and cocked their legs

Common problem - almost every male I've brought into the house both here and back at my Dad's cocker their legs, it's a new environment thing.  Didn't matter if they were entire or otherwise - when Linc arrived he was cocking his leg for 3 days and he's neutered!

>My choice would be to keep a male entire unless there was a medical need for neutering but I know lots of others who disagree.

I won't!  :-)   Couldn't agree more.

Shouldn't think you'd have any problems even if you had a whole house full of entire male greyhounds Inka :-)

>

Same here, I'd prefer to keep males entire unless there was a medical need for neutering.
As a considerably new dog owner though, I still remember the pressure from vets to neuter dogs because of problems that can develop. Thankfully I was considering to show him so was never persuaded. I remember feeling quite guilty about not wanting my dog neutered because of the pressure I felt from the nurse every time he went for his puppy checks.

I've had entire males since 1961!
it's a new environment thing
I agree - but I've had more embarrassing moments with my bitches and other people's carpets than my dogs - unless there's a houseplant on the floor!

Oban is intact, unusual here in Canada for a pet dog, and he doesn't mark and has never humped anything other than his Poppa Bear.  There was a stage though where he did have to learn which vertical surfaces were peeable (;)) and which were not.  Ie., trees yes, OK, human legs, no.  This wasn't any different in my mind than the stage he went through where he had to learn which horizontal surfaces were OK.  Ie., grass yes, living room rug no.  I wonder if intact dog owners didn't just accept they have two stages to potty training whereas girl dogs only have one if it wouldn't all go easier.  My grand example of one.  :)

Never had any of my GRs castrated -  I never felt it necessary and have never had any problems of them marking anywhere or humping other dogs.
The only humping that my current GR does occassionally is his friend who was castrated when he was about 10 weeks old so I imagine that he has a female smell.   Sherlock doesnt always hump him - just now and again especially when the weather is wet.   They are both 5 years old and have known one another almost all their lives.
I have noticed that quite a few of the dogs that we meet that have been done, seem to be a bit bland in personality

All else being equal, I think so much depends on the individual dog as well as the breed. I do believe that some breeds' intact boys are very much less tolerant of other intact males. I also agree with Nikita though that once you can get them past all the adolescent/young male strutting and fireworks, most do grow into gentleman. Problem is some intact boys can become such horrors for a while leering and flashing and looking for trouble or sex or both all the time, that it's hard to see light at the end of the tunnel.