To neuter or not

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I know this has probably been done to death but I’m after people’s experiences of having (male) dogs neutered.

Dog is 3 years old and currently intact. I wasn’t planning on neutering him, not planning on breeding either.

Dog can be a bit nervy but over the last 6 months or so seems to be more confident. My main reason for thinking about neutering is he’s being annoying around bitches at training (I’m fairly sure they aren’t in season/coming in/out), crying and wanting to sniff their bums etc. He is always wanting to sniff the floor etc too, obviously I don’t let him but it’s annoying! He lives with an intact bitch and never pesters her. This is a fairly new thing since his confidence has increased.

I would go for the implant first if I went through with it. I’m wondering if the implant would break the cycle so to speak

 

[CorvusCorax]

The older I get, the less I agree with removing a part of the dog's anatomy because of what is often a training issue.

Try the implant first if it's really bad.

 

[rextherobber]

I'm the opposite point of view to CorvusCorax, I'm fully in favour of whipping the balls off of anything male !

 

[Barton Bounty]

I'm the opposite point of view to CorvusCorax, I'm fully in favour of whipping the balls off of anything male !

Good god, that sounds severe

 

[SusieT]

I'd just castrate him.

 

[Caol Ila]

The older I get, the less I agree with removing a part of the dog's anatomy because of what is often a training issue.

I'm the opposite point of view to CorvusCorax, I'm fully in favour of whipping the balls off of anything male !

We geld horses and usually advise people to do it on this forum, unless they have an exceptional colt that will bring something to his breed and they know how to handle a stallion. Which is pretty much nobody who asks on an internet forum, "Should I geld him?"

Why are dogs different?

 

[twiggy2]

I'm the opposite point of view to CorvusCorax, I'm fully in favour of whipping the balls off of anything male !

Why?

 

[skinnydipper]

He is always wanting to sniff the floor etc too, obviously I don’t let him but it’s annoying!

Sniffing is very important to dogs. Dogs explore their environment using their nose, and sniffing reduces stress.

We geld horses and usually advise people to do it on this forum, unless they have an exceptional colt that will bring something to his breed and they know how to handle a stallion. Which is pretty much nobody who asks on an internet forum, "Should I geld him?"

Why are dogs different?

Studies have shown an increased risk of joint disease* and some cancers** compared to intact dogs and in females there is the additional joy of the possibility of spay incontinence.

*cranial cruciate ligament disease

** haemangiosarcoma, lymphoma and mast cell tumours. Also increased risk of prostate cancer.

 

[Gloi]

Sniffing is very important to dogs. Dogs explore their environment using their nose, and sniffing reduces stress.



Studies have shown an increased risk of joint disease* and some cancers** compared to intact dogs and in females there is the additional joy of the possibility of spay incontinence.

*cranial cruciate ligament disease

** haemangiosarcoma, lymphoma and mast cell tumours. Also increased risk of prostate cancer.

That seems odd about prostate cancer because in people with prostate cancer reducing testosterone slows it.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

The older I get, the less I agree with removing a part of the dog's anatomy because of what is often a training issue.

Try the implant first if it's really bad.

I totally agree, and it probably is a training issue, I think I’ll see how we get on training through it before making and decisions.

 

[Clodagh]

We geld horses and usually advise people to do it on this forum, unless they have an exceptional colt that will bring something to his breed and they know how to handle a stallion. Which is pretty much nobody who asks on an internet forum, "Should I geld him?"

Why are dogs different?

Because we generally don’t keep dogs in a livery type situation. A well trained dog should not be a pest. A well trained horse shouldn’t either but we generally need other people who be able to easily handle our horses and entires (mares too) can need more switched on handling.

OP I wouldn’t knee jerk into balls off while he’s at the silly age. Train and monitor, and then when he’s 3 if you still want to you could try it then. Sorry, he is 3, older then!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Sniffing is very important to dogs. Dogs explore their environment using their nose, and sniffing reduces stress.



Studies have shown an increased risk of joint disease* and some cancers** compared to intact dogs and in females there is the additional joy of the possibility of spay incontinence.

*cranial cruciate ligament disease

** haemangiosarcoma, lymphoma and mast cell tumours. Also increased risk of prostate cancer.

Totally get the point about sniffing etc but he’s just got a bit obsessive etc, although I’ve just thought actually he’s so excited to train maybe it’s nervous/excited energy coming out in that way it’s not a problem when he’s actually retrieving just when we are waiting for our turn. What I mean is when he’s out on a retrieve he is generally committed to job it’s just when we’re waiting he’s wanting to sniff the bitches

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Because we generally don’t keep dogs in a livery type situation. A well trained dog should not be a pest. A well trained horse shouldn’t either but we generally need other people who be able to easily handle our horses and entires (mares too) can need more switched on handling.

OP I wouldn’t knee jerk into balls off while he’s at the silly age. Train and monitor, and then when he’s 3 if you still want to you could try it then. Sorry, he is 3, older then!

Haha I was just going to say he is 3 only just tho birthday was April.

 

[skinnydipper]

@BallyRoanBaubles I think you already know that removing testosterone from an anxious dog can increase anxiety.

 

[Moobli]

If he’s a bit nervy I’d definitely not neuter, or at least try the implant first to see if it changes his temperament or makes the nervousness worse (which a lack of testosterone can do). As has been suggested, I’d train, monitor, wait a while longer then try the implant if you can’t train through or live with his behaviour around bitches.

Edit : typo!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I agree about removing testosterone can make more nervy but I was thinking if he’s nervy/excited (I think it’s all nervous energy) around bitches would taking testosterone away help that?

I must point out it’s not all bitches/all the time, as I said he lives with an intact bitch

 

[Moobli]

I agree about removing testosterone can make more nervy but I was thinking if he’s nervy/excited (I think it’s all nervous energy) around bitches would taking testosterone away help that?

I must point out it’s not all bitches/all the time, as I said he lives with an intact bitch

How do you cope when your bitch is in season?

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

How do you cope when your bitch is in season?

He is fine, cries for the first day or two then doesn’t really notice

 

[Moobli]

He is fine, cries for the first day or two then doesn’t really notice

Wow that’s pretty unusual I think, especially as it sounds like he’s quite persistent with bitches in general from your original post.

 

[skinnydipper]

That seems odd about prostate cancer because in people with prostate cancer reducing testosterone slows it.

"Background: Prostate cancer has been reported to occur more commonly in neutered than intact male dogs in several case series. This study was undertaken to evaluate risk of prostate cancer in a large population database. The hypothesis was that castration is a risk factor for prostate cancer in male companion dogs."

"Results: Neutered males had a significantly increased risk for each form of cancer. Neutered males had an odds ratio of 3.56 (3.02-4.21) for urinary bladder TCC, 8.00 (5.60-11.42) for prostate TCC, 2.12 (1.80-2.49) for prostate adenocarcinoma, 3.86 (3.13-4.16) for prostate carcinoma, and 2.84 (2.57-3.14) for all prostate cancers."

A population study of neutering status as a risk factor for canine prostate cancer - PubMed

Breed predisposition suggests that genetic factors play a role in the development of prostate cancer. The risk associated with being neutered is highest for TCC, supporting previous work identifying the urothelium and ductular rather than acinar epithelium as the source of these tumors.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Wow that’s pretty unusual I think, especially as it sounds like he’s quite persistent with bitches in general from your original post.

I’ve probably not explained it very well he will knock it off when told, it’s just currently he’s forgetting he’s just been told to knock it off!! It’s not every bitch he’s annoying with either

 

[MurphysMinder]

Is he just sniffing at training? That could be a bit of an anxiety/stress thing, often anxious dogs will sniff as a distraction technique.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Is he just sniffing at training? That could be a bit of an anxiety/stress thing, often anxious dogs will sniff as a distraction technique.

no but I think you could be right!

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Thanks for the sense check guys, I’m going to leave him for now and see how we get on!

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve just been walking my lot and (this is shallow) I love Scout’s rear view. Not just his balls (although how would I know what the weather is doing if they weren’t there ) but his musculature. He has got a backside like Kim Kardishan. Neutered males lose their presence and just look weird.
There, I’m dead shallow!
I’ve not worked a dog before but have always had one around (first husband had one, this husband had lots) and the only one that was neutered because he was a sneaky aggressive little so and so carried right on without his bits.

 

[Moobli]

I’ve just been walking my lot and (this is shallow) I love Scout’s rear view. Not just his balls (although how would I know what the weather is doing if they weren’t there ) but his musculature. He has got a backside like Kim Kardishan. Neutered males lose their presence and just look weird.
There, I’m dead shallow!
I’ve not worked a dog before but have always had one around (first husband had one, this husband had lots) and the only one that was neutered because he was a sneaky aggressive little so and so carried right on without his bits.

I agree about entire male dog musculature but balls should always be hidden by fluff in my world . I hate seeing a shiny pair of bollocks

 

[Above the snowline]

I’m sure I read somewhere that Germany and Scandinavia have banned neutering dogs

 

[Clodagh]

I agree about entire male dog musculature but balls should always be hidden by fluff in my world . I hate seeing a shiny pair of bollocks

Well they aren’t shiny. Unless it’s very hot indeed

 

[CorvusCorax]

We geld horses and usually advise people to do it on this forum, unless they have an exceptional colt that will bring something to his breed and they know how to handle a stallion. Which is pretty much nobody who asks on an internet forum, "Should I geld him?"

Why are dogs different?

It's not the case in a lot of other countries.

Plus horses are a lot larger/potentially dangerous and harder to manage rather than 'being a bit annoying because no one told them to quit it'.

 

[ihatework]

My main issue is every now and again I need to use home dog boarding - the good/insured ones I’m happy to use round here don’t take uncastrated males over 12 months!