My pup is 10 wks old and has just had his 1st jab/check up at the vets,a healthy pup apart from his testicles haven't dropped yet.How long would you leave him before considering castration?if I can I want to avoid this if I can,as I want to show him.

Personally I'd wait at least 6 months. Did you tell his breeder you were looking for a show puppy?

I bred him,so I chose him,but my boys who I bought in before always had theirs

I would normally give up at 6 months or so. However I recently took one in to the vet for a booster, dog was 14 months old at the time. I pointed out to the vet he only had one testicle so would need neutering soon. (Toybreed so fine to neuter earlier than bigger breeds.) She asked if I'd have considered neutering if he'd had two -I said no, he'd have been shown then. This vet then said to play safe she'd leave it until at least 18 months as she personally has known a dog where it did take that long for the second testicle to drop, and she could feel the missing one nearby in my dog. I'm doubtful it will happen but have nothing to lose so am waiting a bit longer to play safe.

I wouldn't be worried at this age, can the vet feel them up in the abdomen?

A fellow dachsie breeder kept back a male to show and breed and at 6 months old the second one hadn't dropped so she arranged to place him in a pet home, she was bathing him the morning he was leaving and found there were 2 in the scrotum, the family were already on their way to collect him so she didn't have the heart to back out, she has asked they keep him intact and if he turns out when fully mature will use him at least once on her girls.

My breeder had one of her dogs not drop the second till almost 2 yrs old- think I'd wait for sure :-)

So at 6 months,if they haven't dropped,would you still enter for a show,or wait til you know what's what?

>she has asked they keep him intact and if he turns out when fully mature will use him at least once on her girls.

I'm not sure I'd want to use a dog that was so slow to descend.

I would definitely wait for  a year if it were a flatcoat.   They are notoriously slow sometimes.

Flabbergasted when a new owner took a pup in at 8 weeks, and he hadn't dropped - the vet was keen to have him in asap and frightened her with horror stories of cancer.     Of course testicular cancer may happen, but not until much later on.

Jo

Hmm this is a difficult one. He is 10 weeks and has none down right? I have heard of late droppers when one is already down but I've never heard of a dog that dropped late when he had none down.

I would feel happier if there was one already down but even that makes me twitchy with a potential show dog but with both the little beggars not putting in an appearance I think his chances are slim.

Has this ever appeared before in either moms or dads side do you know?

I wouldn't waste money entering a show till they were both safely and reliably down as they can go up and down initially.

I would be more hopeful if the vet could palpate them, they have to travel from somewhere up near the kidneys in early development and down through a gap into the scrotum before the gap closes over.

Our very first mini long pet dachsie back in the 70's only had one descended teste at 4 months old, we got the scare stories re cancer etc., when he went back for his annual vacs at 14 months old we saw the senior vet and mentioned the problem to him, on examination/palpation of his abdomen he told us there was no second one and to go away and forget about it, had we gone along with the first vet we would have put him through needless surgery on a wild goose chase. He was very timid with strangers and other dogs,I put it down to lack of testosterone as not had that problem with any dachsies since who have had a full set of "family jewels".

I wouldnt be castrating until he was at least 2.

I had one little boy who had no sign of his at 8 weeks old. He was sold as a pet and his new parents were not concerned that they had not yet arrived as he was never going to be shown.

His first testicle appeared when he was seven months old and his second appeared at 18 months old (the day he was due to be castrated)
I know this is the exception to the rule and I think both myself, his owners and the vet were amazed at its timely appearance.

Don't even worry about it for now and DON'T feel for it.  Forget about it for a while and hopefully they will appear!

When I picked him up for a hug this morning,and his belly was all scrunched up,it looked like his two sticking out,then when I put him down they were gone again,I'm being optimistic that they'll drop.

Not sure the size of your breed but if the pup can be picked up safely around the chest with the hind legs dangling someone else may well be able to see or if they stroke the area feel the tiny testicles. But ten weeks is very young and you would not want to castrate until the pup is fully mature (up to 2 and half years dependent on size)

At the present time I would take just one more look and then forget it until they appear or the dog is fully mature, you can if needed remove just the retained one (if this is the case) and leave the one that has descended that way it can be done earlier but I would be in no hurry as your dog needs the hormones to grow to a proper maturity. 

We have a 7 yr old who was cryptorchid, has severe problems with his front legs & underwent lots of investigations during his first few years. Shortly before he was two he'd had yet another GA so when the specialist rang to say there was no need at the time for surgery asked if he would castrate him to save another GA. They were found deep in his chest, would have preferred them left for longer but so much was going on. He has always remained very much a pup, joke he's Dorian Gray & has a picture stored away somewhere. Try not to worry 'easier said than done' but don't rush into surgery & leave for as long as possible.