Struggling with a decision!

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Parkranger

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So my lodger has moved in and the dogs are getting on really well with each other.

My lodger was going to have her bitch spade and I was planning to get my new boy done so we booked them in for tomorrow! Problem is I'm really having second thoughts! He isn't agressive, I've only seen him try and hump a handful of times and his recall is getting better. I'm loathed to put him through an op that he doesn't seem to need. The bitch was going to be done anyway so that would stop any cockerdors coming along!

He also has the best personality in any dog I've ever had or met and I wouldn't want to ruin that by having his bits off!

Opinions please?

PS - after lots of research, it appears that his breeder had clumbers aswell - we think he may be part clumber which would explain his massive paws and the fact that he's the size of a springer!
 
Completely sympathise with you - we still haven't had Archie done (he is just 3) for all the same reasons, even our vet was suprised he still has them as he is so placid. We walked him last weekend at my parents and met an in-season bitch off the lead and he showed no interest at all :D

The general consensus when i asked on here was yes chop them off as he will never need them!
 
I wouldn't worry that castrating him will in some way change his personality. He'll still be the same lovely boy but without the whinging, anxious, piddling up everything in sight behaviour when a local bitch is season. :D
 
mmmmm, this is the problem isn't it!!!

If we're out on a walk and there's an in season bitch and I say 'leave' he'll leave, end of! He did try and hump his housemates head but we didn't have the heart to tell him he was at the wrong end (although being male he was probably at the right end!!)
 
Have 'em off. It only takes a moment for puppies to result, and then you would be in a mess! The pup that comes into work was done a couple of months ago and his personality has not changed at all - his owner just has peace of mind now. And he doesn't leave mysterious stains when he sits on your lap...:eek:
 
My boy isn't a pup though he's nearly two! I guess i'm very worried after having Jack done and nearly losing him as he picked up something at the vets and was very ill after the op.....I couldn't bear losing Archie as he's completely wormed his way into my heart!
 
I would still get him done. It shouldn't take away his character at all, and don't forget there are health benefits. Just becaue he isn't showing interest in the girls at the moment doesn't mean the penny won't drop at some point.:D
 
Parkranger said:
My boy isn't a pup though he's nearly two! I guess i'm very worried after having Jack done and nearly losing him as he picked up something at the vets and was very ill after the op.....I couldn't bear losing Archie as he's completely wormed his way into my heart!
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One freak experience should not stop you. Castration is a small op, very simple and commonplace, and takes them no time to bounce back from it. Henry was cut late too and is still fab - and had no issues with yanking me about by the lead so hard my back ached for three straight days a couple of days after having it done either.

I'm sorry, but if you are not planning on breeding (responsibly and properly) IMO it is very irresponsible not to neuter - the consequences can be awful, as Cayla can tell us and did a couple of months ago :( I would not wish to risk being the cause of that, myself.
 
Parkranger said:
My boy isn't a pup though he's nearly two! I guess I'm very worried after having Jack done and nearly losing him as he picked up something at the vets and was very ill after the op.....I couldn't bear losing Archie as he's completely wormed his way into my heart!
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Up until sometime in the early eighties as I recall it, it was actually a law in Sweden against castrating/spaying dogs/bitches, unless there was medical or psychological reasons for doing it. Also, in Sweden, I don't know how it is in the UK, the insurance companies doesn't help with paying for a castration/spaying, unless there is medical reasons for doing it, so that is another reason for why most Swedish dogs and bitches are not castrated/spayed.

In a way I think that makes it easier, everyone presumes that other dogs/bitches have all the "gadgets" needed, so the overwhelming majority of dog/bitch owners knows that they have to be careful.


I'm all for e.g. chopping the testicles off dogs that have irresponsible owners, even if they don't have any medical or psychological problems and obviously, a bitch that has been spayed cannot get pyometra.
I'm not against castrating/spaying a dog/bitch, even if the main reason for having it done, is to make the owner's life easier.

But, as you mention, an operation is an operation, most humans and animals can undergo lots of operations but some can't, e.g. I had a neighbour who, perhaps something like 15 years ago, went in for a small operation and died because of a reaction to the G.A. and one of my late cats, needed more than three days to become more her usual self again, after she had been spayed.
On the other hand, e.g. one of my late bitches, needed to have two or three teeth removed when she was over 14 years old, we knew that her liver wasn't working at its best any more, but we took the chance and some hours after the operation she was her usual self again.


I also don't see any point in denying that castration/spaying often, but not always, does make them calmer nor that both my vets and my books, advices that a castrated/sterilized dog/bitch, should get one third less food, to avoid gaining weight.

These things can be seen as either positive or negative, but perhaps usually a little bit of both. E.g. needs less food = cheaper to own, needs a really expensive diet food to not gain weight = more expensive to own. It's just a matter of weighing for and against.

:)
 
Do it!

If you are not breeding its irresponsible not to.

You may be able to tell him to leave it now until that one time he runs off to a in season bitch and then you are in trouble.

Neutering also wipes out the risk of a number of cancers.

To be honest its not worth taking the risk for a pair for nuts.

Be the responsible owner.
 
My dog still has his age 3. No incidents with running off to find in season bitches, he's calm if there are in season bitches around (colleague has one which is in season every 3 months). No unwanted humping either.

He's probably going to keep them until he's 6, at which point off they come (OH's opinion on when the cancer risks increase in the breed we have). That said, if he becomes difficult because of them, off they will come.

We have bred from him a couple of times now, no change in behaviour (other than being less bothered by the smell of in season bitch at OH's work). He's tested and pedigree, but we don't advertise him - the matings will come from people who've seen and liked him - as he has a fantastic temperament, will walk all day for a week, but is happy enough the rest of the time, including days if we're both unable to walk him due to illness or something.

If you've already got doubts, I'd leave it for a bit, as there is a slight risk in any GA (apparently the first is always the most never wracking), unless he's likely to escape and run off.

France seems to have a lot of loose dogs, some of which are clearly entire, so I guess that responsible bitch owners are just careful... Even if a bitch does get caught, so long as the bitch owner is aware of it, there is a drug that works well according to the vets I know (Alizon?)
 
Castrate him - if he is not going to be bred from there is no need to keep them. He may suddenly realise what they are for and then he will have no recall at all!! It is a small operation and a commonplace one - yes there is always a risk with an anaesthetic but a risk worth taking IMO.
 
I'd have them off too, he's never going to be a Dad or get the chance to get jiggy, so why put him through feeling rather frustrated whenever there is a bitch in season in the county!?

He could still be a pure Cocker, one of the pups from my Mum's litter grew huge, out of two averagely size Cockers. Working Cockers don't have much of a standard, you can get tiny ones and giant ones. If he is a Clumber X Show Cocker than you would have one hell of a stubborn dog on your hands!! :D
 
FinnishLapphund said:
I also don't see any point in denying that castration/spaying often, but not always, does make them calmer nor that both my vets and my books, advices that a castrated/sterilized dog/bitch, should get one third less food, to avoid gaining weight.
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When we got Otto castrated I desperately hoped it would cause him to gain weight and calm down, unfortunately it didn't and the mad runt still needs twice as much food and exercise as normal dogs :mad: :D
 
Henry was a fat bloater before he was castrated, now I am worried he looks a bit too skinny... all to do with food and exercise IME:D
 
kirstyhen said:
When we got Otto castrated I desperately hoped it would cause him to gain weight and calm down, unfortunately it didn't and the mad runt still needs twice as much food and exercise as normal dogs :mad: :D
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Exactly!

And from all the research i have done it is no where near to the extreme you are talking about FL.

It is a tiny amount of dogs that put on weight and its only because there hormones are not running their body on full power all the time. A small cut down in food is all that it would take for the small number of dogs who put weight on.
 
I am just a flibberty as you are hum, but *** em off and do it quick :D

FWIW Roles hasn't put any weight on and it didnt change him at all :D

I too had a horror experience with my old dog (left it til he was 8!!! Fool I was) his nuts swelled up like an avocado, same colour too...poor lamb, but I still got Roles done.
 
Kitsune said:
ps that said W O P of all things lol
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LOL! W O P is a derogatory term. Just not meant in that way.

I would have him castrated... the dog that is.

Castration did not change my dog at all...He still gets excited...:mad:

Nevertheless I would always have dogs castrated if not intending to breed or show.
 
katielou_houston said:
And from all the research i have done it is no where near to the extreme you are talking about FL.

It is a tiny amount of dogs that put on weight and its only because there hormones are not running their body on full power all the time. A small cut down in food is all that it would take for the small number of dogs who put weight on.
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I only quoted what I've heard (from my vet) and read in books, if I had heard or read something else, I would have said so instead, but as it is, I have been taught that you should cut down one third of their food, as a general rule.

About my example in the end, it was only meant as an example, if you don't need to cut down on your dogs food, then obviously it will be the same, just as if your dog needs to eat less food, it will be cheaper to own, but just as it is with how many people say that pets always saves the big accidents to the weekends, when the vet costs more etc., I suppose I remember the three times when I needed to change to a more expensive diet food, more than the, hm, the zero times when it hasn't happened.
 
He'll be fine, but I do know what its like, lots of floor pacing waiting for the phone to ring. Let us know when he's back home, hope he doesn't blame you too much for the loss of his bits.:)
 
kirstyhen said:
He could still be a pure Cocker, one of the pups from my Mum's litter grew huge, out of two averagely size Cockers. Working Cockers don't have much of a standard, you can get tiny ones and giant ones. If he is a Clumber X Show Cocker than you would have one hell of a stubborn dog on your hands!! :D
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He's defo not full cocker........it's not a size thing he looks like a clumber and people keep asking me if that's his breeding.....he is a stubborn sod too!
 
Parkranger said:
He's defo not full cocker........it's not a size thing he looks like a clumber and people keep asking me if that's his breeding.....he is a stubborn sod too!
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He reminds me a bit of Henry, who is also right up to size - how tall is he? Henry just squeaks in under the breed standard. I think if he was a darker colour he might look really quite Henry-like:) Someone did ask me once if Henry was a "cocker-poodle thing" (:mad:) so I wouldn't worry much about what people say;)

Cockers are famous for being stubborn, I think it's just a spaniel thing:D
 
It's the massive paws, the way he runs, the fact he looks like a basset hound (heehee) and his colouring and coat - all (apparenlty) very clumberesque. I guess, who cares though.....I love him to bits!
 
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