Should I have my dog castrated?

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FairyLights

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I'm new to dog ownership, I have a JRT who has just turned 1. Is it best to have him castrated or leave him entire? I don't intend breeding from him. I've heard castrated dogs have a tendency to put on weight.
 
I don't have my current one done as he is an only dog, we don't walk places where there would be a load of females in season, he is kept securely and we live in the middle of nowhere so there would be no escapology/accidents or temptation from neighbouring dogs etc, he has never humped etc and I like the amount of oomph that he has so would not want to do anything to change that.

My last one had a load of health problems and could be a bit of an arse and was kept with his sister, so he was castrated. He was as skinny as a rake beforehand and remained skinny after the procedure (which took place at around 18 months as he was a large breed).

Do what suits yourself, the dog, your living arrangements etc!
 
Horsesforever1 said:
I'm new to dog ownership, I have a JRT who has just turned 1. Is it best to have him castrated or leave him entire? I don't intend breeding from him. I've heard castrated dogs have a tendency to put on weight.
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My JRT was castrated at 14 months old and he is fit as a fiddle, not a bit overweight. In fact, we have to feed him up as he's all muscle and bone. I have only ever noticed a change in bitches but it is just a shape change, not fat. A dog will only be fat if it is fed too much and exercised too little IMO.

My collie was castrated at 4 and same with him. No weight gain, no change in shape. The JRT is now almost 6 and the collie will be 9 this year!
 
All my boys are done and personally I think this was the best thing for them. I had no intention of breeding from them either and for me it means that they are generally more settled - less strung out with raging hormones when other dogs are around. I think that it makes them generally a bit easier as in we can meet other dogs and socialise without "boy" issues.
I honestly think regarding weight as long as he is fed sensibly and exercised well you'll have no issues. If anything my guys just calmed down a bit after the op and so probably are less inclined to hoon around and burn it off and I guess the hormones alter as well.
I have 3 castrated boys living with a speyed bitch and all are the perfect weight and very pleasant with each other.
 
My Lakeland fell terrier was done at 13 months. Very active and bouncy dog before and exactly the same personality after although he was never was a humper. He is now 3 years old and still lean and fit (he does flyball). I don't think it makes them fat if they are fed the right amount for the level of activity. I just wanted one less thing to worry about in terms of bitches in season although he is very well behaved and like you had no intention of breeding although i have been approached many times to do so at terrier shows.
 
I have done both .
My current dog is entire he was used a fair bit when young ( he's was a lovely type with a great nature ) he has a charming personality and has never been a bit of bother .
My others where all castrated because as family we had several dogs and it is easier .
There's no excuse for letting them get fat it's simply not necessary .
 
yes - my cocker was 6 months when he was done as he was an absolute pain in the arse.

my bitch was done after season 1 - my other was done before season

never an issue with any :)
 
My male Dobermann was done between 18months and 2yrs to allow him to mature, it has not changed him in appearance at all and he is not fat, he is as fit as a fiddle and has as much exercise as he always have.

In my book the pluses outweighed the negatives, he was less likely to stray looking for bitches and subsequently getting knocked down by cars,do'sn't cock his leg in the house, do'sn't have a doggy smell that so many entire dogs do, was less likely to get into fights with other entire dogs around bitches and was less likely to be stolen for breeding.

He is not a magnet for other entire dogs to hump or any of the other things that anti neutering people spout, he is a typical dog of his breed and would not welcome a burglar into our house either but then again neither would my speyed bitch.
 
Haven't had either of mine done. I thought about it, and would do it if we had any problems that would be solved by having them snipped but they are both male, both entire, there is no humping, no peeing in the house, and we don't know any bitches that might come into season; when my old dog (also entire) once met a husky bitch in season, he ignored her despite her desperate attempt to flirt with him! So for those reasons, I decided against it as it seems silly to pay for an op and them go through all of that for no benefit. If they were troublesome, I would, but they get on like a house on fire! Saved meself a few hundred quid too!

They do smell like dogs, not excessively but there's no denying that there's a doggy pong about them, which I think I have to accept given that they are big mutts in a small house!

So in short, OP, up to you and go ahead if it's right for you!
 
All my dogs are entire, no reason really. I have bitches, but they are well behaved around them and don't show any undesirable behaviour.
 
Mine's is done, no intention of breeding with him and it eliminates any 'accidents' and therefore the possibility of more dogs ending up in rescue.
He's never put on any weight, he's a large breed so he was 18mnths before he got done to avoid any joint porblems, it was also a requirement for the dog walker as a lot of the insurance's for dog walkers won't cover entire dogs being walked as part of the pack walks (this will depend on what your arrangements are if you would need to take this into consideration).
 
I have 2 spayed bitches and a castrated dog here, all are full of energy and super slim. I had hoped Freya would put a bit of weight on after being spayed but she hasn't altered at all.
 
Naryafluffy said:
........, it was also a requirement for the dog walker as a lot of the insurance's for dog walkers won't cover entire dogs being walked as part of the pack walks (this will depend on what your arrangements are if you would need to take this into consideration).
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Good Lord, now I've heard it all. I'm not doubting what you say N_f, but could you source for me, an insurance quote, one from a recognised insurance company, and post it, which says that cover is conditional upon the castration of male dogs? Truly, I would be grateful.

Alec.
 
We have always had ours done. I don't breed, and I like being able to go out walking with my dogs and not worrying that they are going to potentially encounter a female in season and cause an accident, so we have them done between a year to 18 months old. Only one of ours visibly gained weight, but he gained weight just looking at food, we always said.
 
We left our pointer entire as never showed any 'un-wanted' behaviour!

However if we ever have bitches, they are always spayed.
 
As well as the behavioural benefits, it eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. It's a significant risk in dogs mainly because of the warm and moist environment their physiology provides.
 
JillA said:
As well as the behavioural benefits, it eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. It's a significant risk in dogs mainly because of the warm and moist environment their physiology provides.
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Incorrect. Whilst the risk of testicular cancer is reduced, their is a significant increase in the risk of other cancers, bearing in mind that all males, and of every species, are designed to be entire.

Furthermore, the reason why males of just about every mammalian species have their testicles dangling outside of the body, is to avoid the warm and moist environment which seems to trouble you.

Alec.
 
We have never had our male dogs done. We do get our inside bitches spayed ASAP, can't be doing with blood in the house. Kennelled bitches no bother as you know where they are 24/7! The bitches have never put on weight, except I have to admit my old lurcher, since she went lame, is a porker now in spite of being on no food at all (barely).
 
mine had to be done (retained testicle) but it did knacker his coat (setter). The next dog, who'll also be male, will not be done. I am very rural and if next dog has the nature of the current one then keeping him entire won't be an issue for me. My last vets weren't rabidly pro neutering and I spoke at length about it with them.
 
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