what does a male dog do when it is of age, but is not nuetered or sprayed?????

Act like a dog.  Unlike humans dogs only mate when there is an in season bitch, and once mature most are pretty unsexual, other than coking their leg especially where other males have done so.

certain intact male dogs can be very agressive toward other males and many of the ones i see don't bother to see if a dog is in heat many will try to hump on other males or bitches that are not in heat,,i run a training kennel and we do not take intact males for training ..i tell people i am not interested in fighting mother nature

Article: Reasons to neuter male dogs
by Pete Wedderburn BVM&S CertVR MRCVS
Max is a boisterous Golden Labrador - he is typical of his breed, and he is overflowing with good nature. His tail only stops wagging when he is asleep - and he is loved by everyone. He is a year and a half old, and he came in today for his booster vaccination.

He seemed pleased to see me, and he immediately started to sniff my trouser legs, perhaps picking up the scent of other patients who had been by my side earlier during the clinic. I did not mind this - I am always happier to have patients who are relaxed and happy to see me, rather than nervous or afraid.

As Max quietly nuzzled my legs, I talked to Mrs Stewart and her ten year old son. They told me that Max had matured into a lovely dog, and that they were delighted with him. He had no health problems, and he loved his food. They asked me about worming him, and I described the latest recommendations about the correct frequency and type of wormer to use.

Since Max was a big dog, I examined him on the ground, and all was well. Normal heart, clean eyes and ears, dazzling white teeth, glossy coat with healthy skin. I checked his temperature and weighed him. He was a perfect specimen of his type. I gave him his vaccine with a single, painless injection, and it was all over before he realised anything had happened.

At least, I thought it was all over. My final discussion with the Stewarts was about the possibility of Max needing to be neutered. I explained that the three main reasons for neutering a male dog were straying, aggression to other dogs, and undesirable sexual behaviour. Neutering (or castration) lessens the severity of all of these types of behaviour.

As I talked, Max seemed to be getting more intense about sniffing my trouser legs. I didn't mind his nuzzling, and I patted his head reassuringly. Mrs Stewart had just told me that Max did stray occasionally, and he did not seem to like other dogs.

I was about to ask about 'undesirable sexual behaviour', when I was almost knocked over. Max's inquisitive friendliness had been suddenly transformed into enthusiastic passion for my leg. He stood up onto his two back legs, and he clung around my upper leg with his two front legs. He grabbed me so tightly that I couldn't escape. Mrs Stewart's son began to giggle. As I tried to wrestle him off, Max clung on tightly to my leg, and everybody in the room started to laugh.

Between us we managed to drag Max off my leg, but the remaining three minutes of the consultation were chaotic. The Stewart boy had become hysterical with laughter. Mrs Stewart did her best to keep a straight face. Max had become obsessed with lust for my trouser leg, and whenever the leash around his neck relaxed, he leapt across the room and lunged at my leg with passion.

I was trying to seriously explain that Max was demonstrating classical signs of male sexual behaviour, and that if he was neutered, he would stop behaving like this. It was difficult to keep a straight face, as the big dog repeatedly tried to mount my knee.

Eventually, the comical side of the encounter got the better of all of us, and by the time Max and the Stewarts left the room, we were all laughing loudly. In between the smiles, Mrs Stewart assured me that she would fix a date for his operation before she left the premises. I could only agree with the wisdom of her decision!

Source: Spay Week Ireland - www.spayweekireland.ie

That is fairly typical adolescent behaviour, but most dogs greo out of it as do their human counterparts.

The vast majority of intact males of my aquaintance are not a problem with inappropriate sexual behaviour, though the male on male aggresion is aparent in those where this is common for the breed.  I know other males that are stud dogs yet live happily with male kennel mates.

I have one that I bred sitting here going bacck home to his male freind and baby daughter.  Another the sire of my bitch lives peacefully with his Grandson and prior to their deaths was the youngest of 3 entire males two of whom had been used at stud.

In breeds like Golden Retrievers (there are no Golden Labs) I know many breeders who keep intact stud dogs and bitches livign harmoniously together.

Adolscence can be a pain regardless of sexual urges.

I think the vet should have seen the warning signs and explained to the owners that properly trained their dog would soon learn not to be so rude!

I know of several neutered males who still try to hump other dogs/people/furniture etc so castration does not always 'cure' this behaviour.

I wouldn't have great confidence in a vet who doesn't know there's no such thing as a Golden Labrador! :D Proper training would cure that problem more cheaply and easily than surgery.

Hi Kelly,

>i run a training kennel and we do not take intact males for training

I can't quite believe the above statement and am unsure if you're being serious or not   

If you are serious, I don't think it says much about your self-confidence as a trainer if you can't or don't cope with entire males    I wouldn't dream of passing myself off as a "trainer" but have successfully raised and trained entire males to be perfectly obedient, well mannered and sociable dogs without the need for any monumental battle with Mother Nature!  Personally I find males to be more co-operative and willing to please than bitches hence usually easier if anything ;) and I've always lived with both.

Regards, Teri :)

With all due respect, Kelly, a trainer who can't train an entire dog can't be very good.

In what way do you mean? Mine act like other dogs or bitches. They don't hump, they don't roam, they don't fight ... the only difference between them and my spayed bitches is that they cock their legs instead of squatting.

I know of several neutered males that are a nasty piece of work and the intact males just ignore them and don't want any hassle.  I can't believe that someone trains dogs and doesn't allow intact dogs to go!! 

Neither of my boys hump things nor have nasty natures, far from it, Lastar is one of the most unassuming males that I've ever met.

I've just made myself very depressed by working out that I've owned male dogs more or less continuously for nearly 45 yrs (mind you, I was a mere babe in arms with my first :D ). In the days before routine neutering of either sex, it was simply more convenient to own a dog. I get even more depressed to see more & more people using neutering as a replacement for training a dog and then being surprised when it doesn't have the desired effect. Most young males try it on but they are quickly & easily taught that it's not acceptable. I would never go to a training class that wouldn't accept entire males. Words fail me over that little gem!!!!

I just cannot believe that you posted that, Kelly!    Most of your posts to date have been an interesting, occasionally somewhat different viewpoint, but this one had me gasping.

I drum into all my puppy people and friends that they must go to training classes - whatever would they think if they encountered someone who told them they MUST neuter their dog before it can be trained by you...........

We have three intact males, two of whom are experienced with stud work, the other an entire adolescent.   They run and work with intact bitches (obviously not when the bitches are in season)  and I can honestly say I've never encountered the problems that you say come with the territory.

The biggest problem was our re-homed neutered dog, but he has settled down well now.

And no - their is no such animal as a Golden Labrador - change your vet!!!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Funny you should say that JG!  Mine sound just like yours - do you think we've missed our vocation as professional trainers?  ;) 

regards, Teri

(although my girls ain't spayed ;)

Dogs are easy! It's the people that are 'okkard'! ;) :D

(Perhaps if we did lots of 'rank reduction' stuff they'd behave how people seem to expect them to! ;))

I have 9 dogs, out of which 6 are male. :D Of them, 4 are entire. I have always found entire male dogs MUCH easier to train than bitches. :)  Everyone has their own preferences here of course, but certainly both sexes can be trained equally sccessfully.

Marianne

I had an entire male for 15 years without any problem whatsoever ;-)
I think that sometimes neautering can have an adverse effect on the males personality. I have heard of people who have neutered a dog to rectify behaviour issues and it has made them worse not better!!

most vets will not give a dog the chop until 6 months old sp does that mean dog pup should not be trianied until then, i am shocked that you think that entire male are that bad.