To castrate or not??

M

Mlini

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 August 2011
Messages
629
Visit site
My puppy is coming upto 6 months now so will be allowed the op. I always planned to get him 'done' just so that there are no accidents, I don't plan to breed from him - he is a crossbreed. But my YO has a pedigree bitch on the yard that will not be neutered, because they want to breed from her in the future. And there are a couple of other bitches owned by another livery that are there regularly. I think it is sensible for me to castrate him in this situation but others seem to have a different opinion and think that it should be the bitches owner that keeps her away when she is in season. I have also been told that his personality might change if I take away his manhood! :confused: Not sure if this is true or not??

Just interested to hear your opinions on the matter
 
It will not change his personality, I have a million dogs:p, not one has changed since castration:rolleyes:
Re the bitch thing, sure they should be responsible (but most folk are not) if you don't want him possibly fathering pups then snip him, depending on size there is no rush at this age, if he is larger wait till a year if he is small/medium and you want him done sooner rather than later then 9 months on.
I castrate for health benefits, there is no reason otherwise I would need to do mine, I believe it is better for their health in the long term and risks associated with cancers.
 
If possible allow him to get most of his growth done or at least be competent at leg lifting before castration.
Early neutering does affect growth & development and having a male dog peeing up his front is not nice. (especially if white,feathered front legs).

It is advisable to keep in season bitches away from any opportunity for a male to approach. If they are allowed out & about there is always the chance of a roaming male getting to her.

Personality -doesn't make much difference, can make them soppier if anything.
 
I had my Dobe done at 18months-2yrs and it hasnt made a scrap of difference to him. He no longer scent marks in the house, some people on here said it makes them feminine but if you could see my boy he is all male. I had him done not only from a health point but to stop him straying if there was any in season bitches about. Also he would not stolen by puppy farmers looking for an entire male to impregnate their bitches.
 
My two were just done (one is very dog aggressive, the other a dreadful pest to my older male dog). Never thought I'd do it, but it's resolved the humping, other was only done Friday.

If he's in contact within neutered bitches, maybe, although my older dog has never realised what girls are and isn't cut, never needed to be.

Think long and hard, give him til he's full grown to do it. Mine were two last month. Neither has ever cocked a leg so I couldn't wait for that!
 
If the dog belongs to the YO, I don't think she should be the one to keep her bitch out the way. It is her place?

I had Harley done 6 weeks ago. Hasn't changed his personality one bit (he's 3 in Sept)
 
We had our whippet boy done not so long ago. The goal was to get between 18 months and 2 years but we ended up going for it at a year old as he was pestering our older bitch a lot.

He sailed through the op and recovery (in fact probably felt a little too well too soon afterwards :rolleyes:), hasn't humped our girl once and there's not the slightest hint of any difference in his personality. He's just as daft now as he was before :D
 
Pickle was done at 7 months, young but he was virtually fully grown and very precocious, had been cocking his leg since about 3 months and humping Evie and the cats constantly. He recovered very fast after the op (was trying to run round the back of the chairs the same evening ) and his character hasn't changed at all.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Pickle was done at 7 months, young but he was virtually fully grown and very precocious, had been cocking his leg since about 3 months and humping Evie and the cats constantly. He recovered very fast after the op (was trying to run round the back of the chairs the same evening ) and his character hasn't changed at all.
Click to expand...

Has the humping stopped? I'm amazed that Bear stopped so quickly when he was a right pest!
 
I got my whippet done when he was about a year old, as we had him and his sister from the same litter so obviously didn't want any accidents..! He used to pee on his front legs, but has now learnt to cock his leg.
He is a bit gay now though, never even looks twice at an in season bitch, and he is a real softy! :)
 
My OH flatly refused to have our old EBT done because his grandfather who used to breed and show fox terriers, said it would kill the dogs personality. It was the source of several arguments until the day he found a lump on the dogs testicle. He was castrated the following day and the two new puppies were done at a year, and although I saw a glimmer of defiance in his eye, he could never again use the excuse that it would change the dogs personality, although sometimes I wish it had:D
 
Castrating doesn't change their personalities! It does make life easier for you and the dog as he won't be thinking about reproducing and stressing himself out with a bitch in season! I'd wait for your dog to mature a bit before castrating (things to look out for is when he's starting to get challenging, recall goes out the window or cocking his leg). But most dogs cope just fine with castration.
 
Interesting how many of you site the cocking of the leg to wee properly, Toby was not done until he was 18 months old, was cocking his leg etc, but he prefers to do 'bitch wees' as he did when he was entire.
 
I had our JR done at 6 months, he was already cocking his leg, never had any inclination to hump anything ! He's been a great dog, nearly 11 now, very obedient, never runs off, daft as a brush :)
 
Get him done FULL STOP!!You shouldn't need to ask on here,once he's mated with a bitch,you will have trouble from now on,as he will disappear after a bitch in heat. get him done before he knows what it is all about.
 
I have a 4 year old Staffy x Ridgeback that is still complete and keep thinking about getting him done. He was a rescue of sorts and his old owner let him father a litter of puppies, but I've never had a problem with his recall even around bitches in season.

I do agree that in most circumstances they should all be neutered however timing is something that will vary greatly for everyones circumstances.
 
:confused: what is it with people that find neutering of dogs so terrible but are happy for bitches to be done.?????

the procedure for a dog is less of an op than it is for a bitch so i dont know what the problem is..

i have 2 crossbreed bitches and both have been spayed and their characters are exactly the same.... there are so many unwanted dogs and puppies out there which would lessen if more family pets were neutered ....sorry this really winds me up...
 
Well I am in the minority that doesn't want or see the need to neuter,but I have good reasons some to do with the breed of dog I have.

In your position however and faced with the situation of having to take him to the yard where there are many females I would probably consider it.

Funny enough I had a chat with my vet about it today as was asking about the possibility of a vasectomy rather than castration (I have no desire to breed from him,but do not want the hormone effects of castration),he's the only vet at my practice that doesn't advocate neutering as a matter of course,said if me and the dog weren't bothered then he sees no reason to do it.He mentioned the health risks but said they are small and shouldn't be the deciding factor if I had other good reasons not to do it.Such a refreshing change than the usual chop em off attitude!!

Anyway I guess the answer is it shouldn't affect your dog too much,but you should only do it if you feel there is good reason and it will benefit yours and the dogs quality of life.In your case it does sound like it might make life easier but you might want to wait a bit longer yet 6 months is very young,and I think the general thoughts these days re to wait until at least a year old if not 18 months.
 
I would absolutely have non-breeding females or ex-breeding females neutered having almost lost a bitch to pyometra (she had been bred twice).

Have one male done, one entire. The older dog has a lot of problems, including in his nether regions, which will never need to be passed on. Have no intention of breeding the younger one, our location and circumstances mean he will never have free access to females in heat. If he doesn't turn out the way I hope in terms of competition, he will be neutered.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top