Hi sorry if this is a dumb question but is it possible to show castrated males or do they have to be entire? - thanks

Castrated males can be shown as long as the KC has been informed. However all breed standards require males to have "two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum", so a castrated male will always be at a disadvantage in that respect!

I got my vet to write a letter to say that my boy had been entire before he was castrated, and put that with my permission to show letter, which I'd give to the steward when I went in the ring. 

My castrated boy won a CC from veteran at a club show :) 

I have a letter for my castrated Yankee who I only take to open shows once in a blue moon - I've never been asked for it though. I mostly just take him to companion shows, I imagine a fair few of dogs there will be castrated.

Thanks all for your replies also I wondered if castration would affect the coat on a heavy coated breed. I have heard that it can make the coat grow funny!!

Coats can change but in my experiance if you look after the coat then it doesn't notice that much.  When we had our girl speyed I would spend hours keeping her coat correct and spent a fortune on products for when bathing and grooming and her coat was always lovely for a show :)

Firstly yes castrated males can be shown but never seem to be placed highly at champ shows but for open shows it makes little or no difference

Secondly the coat on our males can become dry and not so shiny after being done (shorthaired breed) but we give more oils in their diet and the coat comes up lovely again.  So really depends on the breed you have, maybe have a quick ask around at your next show as their are bound to be breeders with castrated dogs as well as entire ones

Emma

i have a neuted male newf who's coat changed a little.
It is a very thick coat and does take a lot of effort to keep him looking good.
i also show him at open shows and show the letter to the steward before entering the ring so the judge knows he/she doesnt have to check his bits.
Placing does depend on who's judgeing and he's sometimes place over entire dogs although not very often but he is a real showman when " in the mood ".
I dont however take him to champ shows yet but i may do when he becomes a vet at seven.

Embrassing today. My lad is very small on the male bits - and the judge asked if he had two.  She looked harder and raised her eyebrows.  I think it was so cold they had receeded to almost nil but they were there - not really sure how I stood on that yet in 2+ years of showing him I have never been asked that and it is very cold at Ardingly in the winter.

Poor chap, is nothing sacred! LOL.

Yes neutering can change the coat a lot at least in my spaniel breeds. In the case of my Yankee he had a pathetic wispy coat and the thickening up that will ruin a correct coat has actually improved his no end, though I hasten to add that wasn't why he was neutered!

I just wanted to ask in relation to this, i show my dog and should i ever decide i want him castrated and continue to show him what does the letter have to cover?
I always thought that you could only show a castrated dog if he had to be done for medical reasons only, not because we as humans want him done.
Can anyone clarify on this??

I am just interested in this and what the score is.

Sue - not 100% sure on this - if you castrate cos you want then then I believe you can show - not sure what the letters need to say.  Re: medical reasons I think it depends on the reason - say only one testicle then you could not use that as a reason to show - that's my understanding anyway.

Although I think castrated males do not do well in the ring - judges will mark them down for some reason?  Doesn't help that the breed standards still include two testicles does it!

Hope your lovely boy is being as lovely as ever.

Rach
x

No you can castrate for any reason and still show, I have a letter for George, can't remember what it says though. And no reason why you can't show him at companion / open shows, he won't do much at a Champ show though.

Right - didn't know that.

Not that I would show Charlie as he only had one (still got it) never had the other!

Of course George wouldn't have done much at a champ show or indeed an open show before being castrated either, lol!

Rachel, again no reason why you can't show him at a companion show!

Thanks Lucy - we don't get to many companion shows nowadays with showing, handling and soon to be agility comps just no time!

I did take him to one once and he got a 2nd place :)  Don't think it was his thing really - he is much happier looking for rabbits in the fields and watching birds (feathered variety LOL).

Sounds like my George, he has even gone RBIS at a comp show much to my shock, but he much prefers getting filthy out hillwalking with my OH. :-)