I dont normally post in here, but I was having a conversation with someone at the weekend and felt it might be worth a post just to see whether I am alone in my 'rage' over this issue...
A friend of mine was telling me about someone they know who has a one year old mongrel. He's very cute, and has a lovely nature, but he's pretty scruffy to look at and has a very dodgy back end - a definite mish mash of breeds! This person lives in the countryside where there are about 6/8 houses within a mile. The dog is still entire - because one day the owner says she would like to breed from him (why!?!?) - and he has recently taken to wandering off for days on end - the local animal shelter have taken him in several times when he's been picked up from neighbouring villages, and the RSPCA have picked him up twice. The dog has already impregnated a bitch belonging to someone living about a mile away - the owner had simply let the bitch into the garden for a wee last thing at night when she found her tied with this mongrel, who had jumped into the garden.
I do not know whether the mongrel's owner has offered any financial assistance with vet fees (bitch's owner did not want pups so paid for injection) but I suspect not. The woman told my friend that 'other people shouldnt let their bitches out if they dont want them pregnant - it's their responsibility, not mine.' And this bit takes the biscuit - my friend asked the woman whether she had contemplated having the dog castrated as it may calm his wandering instincts down and would certainly stop him sh*gging anyone else's poor bitches, and the woman said no way - she'd rather rehome him than castrate him. WTF???? If she rehomed him through the RSPCA or similar then the first thing they would do would be to castrate him anyway...
In my opinion, no dog should be left entire unless it is an excellent example of its breed, and if it is expressly intended to be used for stud purposes. It really, really narks me that some people refuse to have their dogs castrated purely because they feel 'it isnt their responsibility'. In the horse world, people in general seem to be a bit more sensible - ok there are a few manky stallions around for some reason but not many. Why hasnt this mentality transferred through to the dog world? I have known many male dogs in the past - both castrated and entire - and the ones who have been done are far nicer as family pets - and far less of a liability.
As the owner of a Lab who was twice 'caught' at the age of eighteen months and then two years by a neighbour's wandering dog when we had simply let her into the (secure) garden, this is something I feel very strongly about. Our bitch is now spayed, as will be any dog we own in the future. And dont even get me started on cats - IMO anyone who keeps a cat un-neutered - whether queen or tom - is utterly irresponsible.
Right - I've had my rant! How do other people feel about this?
and none have ever changed and non are over weight, my own vets(work) are over the moon with my rottis weight and very impressed she is the leanest rotti they have ver seen and they can use a normal X ray plate on her cos she is not hefty as hell, dogs will never not want to exercise through neutering, they will gain weight, but thats why we reduce food, alot of these over weight neutered dogs, jsut as there are plenty of entire ones get too much food and not enough exercise.