My 8 month old pup's breeder has expressed an interest in using him as a stud dog some time in the future and wondered how i felt about it.  I would be very interested to hear from others who have been in a similar situation.  My dog is currently extremely dog friendly  - loves anyone and everyone.  I realise that currently he is probably not sexually mature but i'm hoping that because i have been very careful to socalize him from day one (after jabs obviously) that he wont turn into an aggressive adult male.  I've had male dogs in my family all my life with no problems however these were wire haired dachunds and never used as a stud dogs.  My pup is a large breed and as i am a novice owner with large breeds I dont want to open myself up to problems unnecessarily.  On the other side of the coin, he is beautiful and, when he choses to behave (!!) doing well at shows.  His breeder is extremely experienced and would obviously supervise everything but at the end of the day it is me and the OH who have to live with him!!  I think he is quite a dominant character but in a very friendly way.  I would expect other dogs reactions to him to change a bit anyway over the next few months as he is growing out of puppy immunity - but i am concerned it may make this worse or make  him very humpy around bitches, marking his teritory in the house, wanting fights etc etc  Please bare with me if i'm being naive but i have no experience of this sort of thing.  Any responses gratefully received.

Hi

As you are already well aware, this breed is very different from Dachshunds and Winton's relationship with other dogs will change as he reaches maturity. 

It could go either way if you did decide to use him at stud.  It might not make much difference or it might make an enormous difference and make him difficult with other males.  Luckily, none of my boys that I've used at stud have every marked in my house or tried to hump bitches that weren't in season but a couple of them have become a lot less tolerant of other entire male dogs.

HTH - but probably not much!!
Carina

I was warned that my boy's personality might change once he had mated, but if anything we find him a lot more chilled out. He also seems more obedient. Absolutely no "marking" in the house, not overtly sexual (tho apparently mine is not a highly sexed breed anyway) and still the same old cuddle-monster. He was a maiden and was mated for the first time when he was 30months old if that makes any difference???

Have you read the thread at the top of this board yet?  I think that deal with a lot of the issues for you.

Thanks yes i read that thread - just wondered what other people have experienced. Guess every dog is different and you wont know til you try but unfortunately then its too late.  Is it a case of once a stud dog, always a stud dog - behaviour wise?  i.e. if you allowed your dog to be used at stud and it adversely affected his behaviour - would you expect his behaviour to revert if he was subsequently neutered .  Just read and reread what i've just typed and it sounds a bit harsh - playing god!  One minute i'll late you mate, then i'll remove your 'urge' just because i dont like the consequences!   Also when i say revert i dont mean will neuteuring be like a magic potion where one minute the dog is agressive, the next minute he loves everyone again, obviously training would play a large part in conjunction but would it help if your dog did become a real sex pest!

It's far from uncommon for castrated dogs to mate and tie with bitches - more likely if they've been used at stud. The urge doesn't go - merely the fertility.

I wouldn't dream of asking to use a puppy that I'd bred who now lived happily in a pet home.  I would be too concerned that his personality would change and make life difficult for his owners.  In most breeds there are sufficient health tested, winning stud dogs available to not risk a happy pet. :)

A male I bred actually improved after being used at stud as now eh knows when a bitch is ready so doesn't bitch over bitches that have just started or finished their seasons ans isn't randy with ones that aren't, but eh wasn't used until 6 1/2 years old.

As for his attitude to other males that didn't change at all.  At shows like most males of my breed he likes to strut and pretend he is butch, but he can travel happily with entire males and continues to live happily with his 4 year old entire nephew, even though his entire daughter lives there too.

it didnt change my stud dog and he lived with another dog,with 3 bitchs that came into season.
he be the one to tell when the girl where coming into season,
he never went off his food never howled or barked never went looking for a bitch.
he knows when a bitch was ready for mating.
when went to stud the other dog when for the drive to and once rush mated a bitch straight back with harley

is son chase as never gone to stud but he tell me again when the girl are coming into season and when they are realy too..

Looks like it's OK to use a pet dog at stud then! :)

It has never changed any of our males in over 30 years of having dogs, they've all stayed exactly the same as they were before.  Maybe we've been very lucky but speaking to others no change is more likely that a lot of problems.

I'm talking one of my "pet" owners into getting him hipscored and eye tested because I think he'll be of great benefit to the breed.

I believe the Op's dogs is being shown and is showing a lot of promise.  I would hope that if I want to use a dog I have sold into a showing home would consider letting me use it at some point which appears to be what this breeder would like to do.

The only males of my breeding that have been used at stud have been CC winners or champions, another champion Male was never used, though I think his owners might have liked him to be (he's 7 now so unlikely to be), but there were no compatible bitches whose owners wanted to use him..

My lines are veryyyyyyy slow to mature, which I like.  Was told when my boy was 12 months to "let him have a bitch it will help him mature more quickly" :rolleyes:
I waited until he matured and was old enough for health screening and then used him, and he didn't change a bit, thankfully :) 
I wonder if he was used before maturity if it would have changed him, but there was no way I was gonna find out, or indeed would with future dogs

Very few dogs in my breed get a chance to be used young unless it is a breeder who keeps both sexes and has a compatible bitch to try him on (but eh woudl of course be well over a year old to abe hip scored and eye tested).

Most other dogs get used once they have shaped up into good looking adults if they tie in with what a bitch owner is lookign for.

If it was a one off in my honest opinion I wouldn't. If it is likely he will be " kept" as a stud dog I use the word loosely then fair enough.

I have used 2 dogs at stud both had to be watched for leg cocking and one although had the most beautiful nature had to be kept on a lead at all times outside walking if other dogs were around.

I think you will find being honest more dogs change than dont. Some are lucky some are not. you have to decide if you personally want to take the chance.

I think the breed can make a huge difference.

Like most of the reponses on here, my experiences have been positive. My boys that have been used at stud have stayed soppy, loving dogs - possibly even better natured than before. They didn't hassle other bitches and were no more likely to run away or attack other dogs either, they often stayed in hotels, b&bs etc and  never ever lifted their legs anywhere. This is a large hound breed though, I don't know what breed you have but think that some working breeds may be different?

My breed is also a large hound.  Thank you all really do appreciate the responses.  One final question - does age of loss of virginity (for want of a better term!!) affect behaviour.  I.e if dog of say 2 who was generally good natured around other entire males and was then used, is he likely to change any more or less than if pup of say 9-12 months. Does that makes any sense?!  It really does seem that its down to chance/luck and possibly breed too.  Certainly not something to go into lightly.  I think more discussion with breeder is required.  Also, just a thought, is it likely that behaviour is carried genetically at all - i.e if Father, Grandfather etc are male friendly then good chance of pup being ok and vice versa?

It does seem that if a dog isn't used until after that first awful surge of puberty and need to act macho stage has passed and the dog has grown into a well balanced adult then the changes are likely not to be profound if any.  Perhaps using a young male still going through the throes of adolescence may prevent or delay that normal calming and settling that most males go through.