Castrate or not? (and updated puppy pictures)

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TurtleToo

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Dexter is about 6 months old now, getting bigger and stronger by the day. He is starting to show an 'interest' in some of the kids' bigger teddies but is easily distracted and knows he isn't allowed.

So the big question, do we have him castrated or leave him be? He won't be allowed to stray, and if he gets rude when out walking or shows any obsessive interest then he definitely will be done. For now, he's great and has a lovely personality, and I certainly wouldn't have any plans to have him done for the next 6 months or so anyway, I want him to be fully grown first. My boy collie hasn't been done, he's almost 3 and hasn't shown any inclination towards girls, and shows no aggression towards other males, as long as he's happy I have no intentions of having him done either.

With my involvement in rescue I'm left repeating myself and begging people to have their dogs neutered, male or female, just to cut down the risk of accidents. Both my girls are done (couldn't be dealing with seasons) so no chance there, and Dexter will never be out on his own so he won't be wandering off and torturing the neighbours' dogs, if he does show inclination though and looks to get out alone so he can wander, he will be castrated, I wouldn't want him to be frustrated.

Is it so wrong of me to not want to fix what isn't broken, and just to leave him as he is provided he isn't frustrated or causing any problems? I feel like a hypocrite telling others to get their boys done!

And then of course there are the health advantages or disadvantages to think about, so much contradictory advice on the internet.

And another couple of pictures, while we can still call him a baby :o
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Sorry if pictures are huge!
Breed guesses are welcome as usual :)
 
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Husky/GSD?

Every dog is different. I never thought I'd neuter my two youngsters it I did, despite being madly against it originally. Only you can decide, it stopped mine humping everything in sight. It didn't change the characters but it made walks nicer for me and them!
 
Working GSD x or Malinois cross something as before!!

If he's that cross, I would actually consider getting him done as he is liable to push his luck through adolescence into adulthood.

My workingline isn't, because I want the pushiness - if you don't want it, I would have him done. He's gonna be big and he's gonna be very strong willed. With due respect, he isn't a collie.

He tried to hump a cushion at about five months, I really got after him, and he never did it again.
He was terribly sweet, a poppet with all other dogs up until 18 mths when he started to mature and he can be a bit rude with other males if they square up to him. These breeds change dramatically from puppyhood to adulthood IME.
 
I had my male Dobe done between 18months and 2 yrs, he had started to cock his leg in the house and shown an interest in girls. It never changed his character, his head or hind quarters didnt shrink and he smelt less doggy. You say you would never let him run off but if your dog gets a whiff of a bitch in season then you wont stop him and then there is the real risk of him being knocked down or causing an accident. Another worry is being stolen for breeding by undesirables. As another positive being neutered meant he was cheaper to insure.


Forgot to say he is gorgeous, a pure guess is GSD/Rottie with a hint of something else
 
We are expecting him to be pushier than the collies, we had a GSD (show line) before (sadly lost him to CDRM at 13) but he was a dear, never once pushed his luck and was very uninterested in girls. He won't be off the lead around in season bitches, so he won't have the chance to run and not come back! We don't walk offlead around other dogs as we have fields surrounding the house and they are kept on lead in parks, etc. He will be doing agility/obedience but in season bitches don't go to shows and to be honest I would hope he'd have enough respect for me that he wouldn't take off after a bitch when he was supposed to be 'working' at a show.

He's 19" to the should at the moment, not all that big, but will certainly keep in mind that he's likely to get pushier as he gets older just due to his breeding (whatever that is). Thanks for all the opinions so far :)
 
I would always get a male castrated unless you are planning to breed. You say he will never be on his own...but I don't think many people "intentionally" let their dogs get away from them. He could escape, run off when off the lead or be stolen. I don't think you can promise that he will never get away from you. If he is off the lead and smells a bitch in heat then he could just be off, or on the other hand an escaped bitch comes to you!

Good that he isn't showing any signs of frustration but these could still come, also there are the health benefits of reduced risk of prostate and testicular cancer.

My parents collie is not done (not my choice!!) for a couple of years he was fine, but then the aggression issues started. He is now 11 years old and has an enlarged prostate. I wish my parents had him done years ago, although we have managed to deal with his issues and he is a brilliant dog in every other way...he is just very dog aggressive :(
 
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:( sorry it makes me cross when someone says they have had the bitches done but dont want to get the boys done. the op for girls is much more intrusive and is a major op. dogs less so....how on earth is it right for the dogs in rescue and not for yours? why wait till they actually start humping or straying..... i have 2 bitches who are done and only yesterday a so called border terrier(owner said it was but it didnt look like any border terrier ive seen) who was entire was continually trying to hump one of mine, she kept telling him off and i asked the owner to take him away as i dont want my dog learning to attacik others. the owner eventually managed to catch the thing and put it on the lead and i did mention that it would be a good idea to have him neutered........i was outwardly polite but was seething inside!!!
 
One of my girls was done as a condition of the rescue, one was done because we didn't want to have to restrict her activities when she went into season (agility, obedience, offlead work in general). If either of the boys decided they were going to pester other dogs, they would be in the vets tomorrow getting done, no ifs or buts about it.
 
A not very nice husband of a friend of mine is convinced that all women want to chop the knacks off their dogs. But I do not understand why you wouldnt. They are so much nicer once nipped. Just like geldings rather than stallions. Why if you're not breeding the next wonder horse/dog would you put yourself and the animal through the stress of hormones/fulfilling the urge?
 
I'd say nuts off too!! My ovcharka is getting his noodles off when the weather warms up, he's 1 and a half so has finished most of his growing now, all my other dogs are nutless and always have been, it's so much easier and you don't have to constantly worry what if they do get out by accident! My bitches have all been done too except our little 9mnth old terrier who had her first season a couple of months ago so is being done next month.
 
madmav said:
A not very nice husband of a friend of mine is convinced that all women want to chop the knacks off their dogs. But I do not understand why you wouldnt. They are so much nicer once nipped. Just like geldings rather than stallions. Why if you're not breeding the next wonder horse/dog would you put yourself and the animal through the stress of hormones/fulfilling the urge?
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I agree and it does seem to be a man thing too, a lot of men just over empathise I think, a lot of farmers I know wont neuter their dogs but happily neuter their pigs,sheep or cattle so whats the difference. Im sure if entire dogs went around the house spraying like a tom cat they would have a rethink.
 
We have a year old lab with a wonderful pedigree, lots of FTCH. He will not breed and will be de-nutted when he's about 18 months old. We've had some nasty comments from local gamekeepers about neutering a good bloodline but there are so many labs waiting for homes that I cannot justify leaving him entire. He doesn't hump at all but it will make him an even nicer dog than he is now.
 
All male dogs I've had have been done. They have all been wonderful, no problems, and stopped the issues with wandering that we had.

OP follow your own advice - get him done to avoid a what if. Nobody has a dog that is 100% well behaved and under control for all its life - it only takes that one time and there are more unplanned puppies in the world.. You're not fixing something that ain't broke, its not like removing a lung or something..

Other than that, he is gorgeous.x
 
Yes castrate them, we got out 2 done a few months ago, they are calmer and less anxious do not escape from the garden, however beware of the painkiller Remadyl in some dogs it has not very nice effects, Barney( bearded collie) spent 2 days at the vet on a drip after having it, however our cockapoo was fine.
 
splashgirl45 said:
:( i have 2 bitches who are done and only yesterday a so called border terrier(owner said it was but it didnt look like any border terrier ive seen) who was entire was continually trying to hump one of mine, she kept telling him off and i asked the owner to take him away as i dont want my dog learning to attacik others. the owner eventually managed to catch the thing and put it on the lead and i did mention that it would be a good idea to have him neutered........i was outwardly polite but was seething inside!!!
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this is quite a good point. My terrier bitch was done about 2 years ago when she came from the rescue kennels but a friend has a JRT which she refuses to get done as "he would have lovely puppies". every time it sees my bitch its continually trying to hump her which upsets my bitch no end as he really will not take no for an answer.
 
CazD said:
this is quite a good point. My terrier bitch was done about 2 years ago when she came from the rescue kennels but a friend has a JRT which she refuses to get done as "he would have lovely puppies". every time it sees my bitch its continually trying to hump her which upsets my bitch no end as he really will not take no for an answer.
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what upset me was that my bitch who loves all other dogs and is very playful started to snap andsnarl at this little terrier. i was really surprised how she changed as ive never seen her like that before and dont want to again. ive had her from a puppy and have successfully socialised her with other dogs ,she is 6 now.... if your bitch is getting really upset it might be worth telling your friend not to bring her dog or make her keep it on the lead so it can be stopped from humping her.....im afraid i would probably fall out with a friend if they didnt respect that my dog was upset.....the dog would prob also feel my boot if it was in my house!!!!!!
 
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