Our 18 month old cocker keeps on running away, someone has told us that if we have him castrated, he may stop doing this - does anyone know if this is true?

If he thinks you still have his "Bits" then yes, he'll stay close to you to try and get 'em back! :D

Sorry guest but I just couldn't resist that!!!!

Seriously, if the reason for running off is to search out a bitch then it MAY just help but there is no guarantees. It would take around six months for the hormones to die away and by then he could have stopped running off anyway so you will never know if that was the answer!

Regards, John

If you don't intend to use him to breed from then yes it can be a good idea to have your dog castrated. In rescue every dog we have is castrated before rehoming ... and it causes no ill effect whatsoever in the dog ... and has many positives. Makes them more settled eventually if they have been used to roaming after bitches, prevents testicular cancer in later life, etc. I know there are many people who feel reluctant to do this to a 'male' dog ... but in my experience (which is with many rescue dogs .. including my own) it has no detrimental effect and many positive outcomes. The dog won't even realise what has happened.

Does he run away each time you take him out or only when there is a bitch in season around - how far does he go and how do you get him back again?

Christine

TH had a period of jumping over the garden fence and running away. She did get over it. Each time I caught her I locked her in the utility room and stood outside making a big fuss of Tinker and ignoring her for 20 minutes. She hated it. It might not work with dogs who aren't as sensitive as a clumber. ;)

Is he escaping from your house/garden or running away when out on a walk? If it's the walk, then maybe he needs more help on his recall work and walking on a long line would help.

Buster the killer foster labrador used to run away regularly and it was always when there was a bitch in heat in the village. We had him castrated and the vet gave him injections to calm his hormones in the mean time. It did work, but it didn't stop him humping his basket. :D

(Sadly running away was just one of his problems. A canine pyschologist could have made a career from him!)