It's Monty's Mum here again with another question.  Should I have Monty castrated?  What are the pros and cons?  Will it change his temprament?  I know it may seem like a strange question, but he's my first Scottie!  Thanks alot

I have 3 castrated boys and 1 intact boy.  My intact boy behaves no differently than his 'brothers'.  I firmly believe that temperament is molded through socialization and training, not castration.  :)

Hi Gibson,  Thanks for your thoughts.  If you don't mind me asking, what made you have 3 'done' and 1 not?

I live in the US and spaying/neutering is shoved down our throats.  Rock was my first puppy and he was altered at 7 months (6 years ago).  Gibson is a rescue and as such was neutered and Dudley was neutered when he was found. 

After reading sites such as this and specific neutering sites, both pro and con, I decided not to neuter Meatball.  Sort of my own personal animal experiment. I was very interested to know if all of the things we're told here were truth or myth.  Neutering solves behavioral problems, prevents cancer, curbs humping, etc.  What I've read is that neutering may increase instance of certain cancer and the cancer that it prevents doesn't have a high instance of appearing in unaltered dogs. 

Meatball has been raised the same as my other dogs, socialized the same, trained the same (basically), and such.  He's a very good dog, has no behavioral issues and humps less than my one neutered boy.  ;)

Here, in the states, we're considered unresponsible pet owners if we do not alter our dogs.  I've had dogs on my own now for 7 years...I've had one escape in that time (knock wood) because the front door blew open.  I have zero worries that Meatball will impregnate a bitch in heat or take off down the street.  We don't go to dog parks, he doesn't run off lead out of the fenced yard, he's been taught not to jump fences or dig under them...so...

I had one rescue/adoptee altered at approximately 2 yoa.  The only thing it did was shrink his nipples back down to normal size.  After working with him for 2 years, he was still aggressive at times and eventually had to be put down.  Neutering did NOTHING for his behavioral issues nor did 2 years of training, unfortunately.

A bit longer than you probable wanted.  ;)

Your reply was really interesting, thank you for taking the time to explain.  I think that the last year that I have spent with Monty has paved the way for his temprament and behaviour.  He was rescued by us from a puppy farm and it has taken the whole year to make him feel totally safe and secure.  I would not want to alter him in any way, and that's why I wanted the advice.  I personally think he's fine as he is, and am a great believer in 'if it ain't broke, then don't fix it!' Thanks for the explanation.:rolleyes: p.s great names!

"Neutering did NOTHING for his behavioral issues"

I don't know anyone who's said that castration will solve behavioural problems   However, it is widely believed that once a dog has been castrated and the hormones settled down any hormonal related behavioural problems will be much easier to 'iron out'/control but of course coupled with the right training :)

Pro-neutering websites along with various veterinarians.

-Spaying and neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions.
-Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered.
-Spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to bite.
-Neutering makes pets less likely to get into fights.
-Many aggression problems will be avoided with early neutering.

These behaviors can be linked to hormones or not.  Depends which side you're on.  Pro-neutering/spaying advocates would be able to say that fighting, biting, etc. is a sign of sexual frustration while those that believe altering should be a personal decision (not an automatic surgery) would say that these behaviors aren't necessarily linked to hormones at all.  As with any issue, facts and statistics can be altered or skewed to support whichever side you choose.

"As with any issue, facts and statistics can be altered or skewed to support whichever side you choose."

I personally don't believe there are sides - merely advantages and disadvantages

I am what you would call pro-neutering but am under no illusion that it is "the method that will alleviate all behavioural problems" with dogs - this takes training!

"altering should be a personal decision (not an automatic surgery)"

I don't believe that neutering of any dogs is or should be classed as "an automatic surgery" at all.  It is a personal decision definately :)

However, there are many irresponsible owners out there who should have their dogs neutered (i.e. spayed or castrated) to save from a) unwanted pregnancy of their bitch cos they don't keep it properly controlled especially throughout its seasons b) unwanted impregnating by their dog to someone elses unspayed bitch because neither of the dog owners keep them adequately controlled c) unwanted attention from their dog to intact bitches of 'responsible owners' who keep their bitches controlled.

Given...but since the OP asked for pros/cons to neutering I don't think I want to venture into the responsible vs. irresponsible arguement to deeply.  ;)

"Given...but since the OP asked for pros/cons to neutering I don't think I want to venture into the responsible vs. irresponsible arguement to deeply."

Which is exactly why I kept it short and sweet and merely in response to your post ;)

>We dont go to dog parks, he doesnt run off lead out of the fenced yard,<

Why not?

Has your dog never experienced running and exploring off lead out of his own yard??

Because I live in the States and in my city, and those surrounding mine, there are strict leash laws.  There is a very nice park in my area with a 6 mile trail, however, the dogs are not permitted off trail nor off leash.  I don't have $250 to pay for the resulting violation.  The park down the road from my home also has a nice wooded area with trails throughout, though, again, their are signs posted and dogs must be leashed 'at all times'.  The closest 'dog park' (in which dogs ARE permitted off lead) is 3 hours from my home and has a membership fee.  As much as I love my dog, I'm not paying $60 so he can run off lead for an hour...if I lived closer, I'd pay the fee and we'd go every day.  It's unfortunate as I've been to England and witnessed dogs running about freely with each other...it's just not the same where I live.

That is so sad.  I know that occasionally we may have a problem with the odd dog or owner, but I for one really enjoy and value our freedoms to alow our dogs off lead in most public parks and common land.

Yes it is.  I really enjoy being over there and seeing the differences in the freedoms the dogs have compared to here.  :)

But having said that the laws that are in place here (e.g. picking up after your dog, keeping some dogs muzzled etc) aren't inforced very well at all.  Also there are so many people who let their dogs off lead who quite frankly shouldn't and there is very little in the way of stopping them from doing so :rolleyes:

I had Ozzy, my CKCS castrated last year and he hasn't changed at all.....well apart from when Tilly is in season and won't leave HIM alone !!

"I had Ozzy, my CKCS castrated last year and he hasn't changed at all.....well apart from when Tilly is in season and won't leave HIM alone !!"

Yes bitches can be humpers can't they!  We had an entire male and spayed female previously and the female sometimes humped our poor boy, though he would have a little go back every now and again :rolleyes:

Well I've had a complete turnaround on castration, something I was definitely planning to subject Nips to. However, after reading a deal of advice on here over the months and having a jolly good think, I decided I would include us out of it altogether. 

I honestly think that if things 'aint broke then they don't need fixing and I've got an 8 month old pup with a delightful nature who is maturing into a thoroughly nice dog. Therefore I've decided to leave his nads as nature intended them. Especially since he seems so tremendously fond of them! ;) 

>>Especially since he seems so tremendously fond of them! ;-)

Idõ is pretty fond of his too, any excuse to 'clean' them :D 

My youngest, Pteppic is keeping hold of  his nuts until or if there is an issue.

So far he is 1 year old (today, happy birthday Pteppic), and he shows NO signs of even beginning to become sexually mature. No humping, no leg cocking no interest in smells, nothing. He still behaves very much like a puppy, full of play, attention span of a gnat etc.

Neutering has its pro's and its cons. The ONLY things you can guarantee from neutering a male dog, is that he cannot get testicular cancer (as he has no testicles) and he cannot get a bitch pregnant.

After that, well, he MAY become more chilled otu to live wtih, he MAY be less inclined to wander, he MAY not wish to mount and tie with a bitch, (and one of my castrated boys most definately DOES wish to, and can)...

Of course, he MAY become fearful and nervous, he MAY smell like a girl and end up being humped by every dog around, he MAY suffer painful complications of surgery, he MAY become hard to keep weight off and he MAY develop a fluffy hard to manage coat. Done before puberty he WILL grow taller than his entire litter mates (growth plates take longer to close in neutered males), nad he MAY take much much longer to mature.

Tricky stuff, and im now of the 'if it aint broke..' school of thought.

Em

[quote Done before puberty he WILL grow taller than his entire litter mates (growth plates take longer to close in neutered males), nad he MAY take much much longer to mature.]

Not had this in ANY of my nuetered males done at 6 months of age, they have grown same size as the others and matured at the same rate as the others. So i don't think you can say they WILL.

[Quote Of course, he MAY become fearful and nervous, he MAY smell like a girl and end up being humped by every dog around, he MAY suffer painful complications of surgery, he MAY become hard to keep weight off and he MAY develop a fluffy hard to manage coat.]
  Not had any of these either in young or older nuetered males

The growth plates will take longer to close so teh neuter will grow larger thanit otherwise might, anf the bone density is likely to be less, but it amy not be enough for you to notice merely in height as it will be a percentage.

What it does effect is the chest development etc, whcih can be more of an issue in slow maturing breeds.

So Brainless, if you were to have a large breed dog castrated would you wait until it was say between 2 - 3yrs for that reason?

That woudl be the advice to wait until ti was physically mature.
Certainly themales of my breedign that were castrated as full adults look and act like male dogs (cock their legs etc), but the ones doen at 6 months just don't look like adults they are a
that gauch looking in betweeny stage, puppy heads on usually fat bodies (the breed tends to over weight at the best of times if yoru not strict).