Definitive reasons for neutering

[bottleofbeer]

My boy was neutered this week (he's about 11 months old now) and I've had a few remarks that I've irreversibly damaged him.

Give me good, solid reasons for neutering (obviously I have my own and I've not put him through it for nothing). just to reassure myself I've done the right thing. Thanks :)

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

No unwanted litters.
Your dog is now less desirable to thieves.
He is less likely to roam or be driven demented by in heat bitches.
He won't get testicular cancer.

Jas was neutered at 6 months, and the pup will be going to the vet once he turns 6 months, too.

[bottleofbeer]

Thank you!

He's a mutt but doesn't look like one, he looks like an American bulldog and I did worry he'd be desirable to thieves but to look, he still looks totally intact. Will this skin shrink away because other neutered dogs that I've seen have nothing left at all? My vet told me that he prefers to do them between 10 and 12 months, hence him being done at 11 :)

[Perihelion]

Less posturing bollocks behaviour with other un-neutered males.
No sniffing the air like Hanibal Lecter....
Have always castrated mine and have generally found that the only people making negative comments are male.

[Frettchen]

Oh good grief... The things people say when it's absolutely none of their business. (I have a colleague who expressed how unfair it would be for me to get my puppy neutered. I asked him how would it be more fair to have him entire but never allow him to act upon his hormonal urges and mate...)

Chickens has said the ones I was going to come up with.

My pup is 4 months old now. He will be going to the vets once he's stopped growing/once his weight reaches a stable amount (12 months old at the latest. Most likely 8 or 9 months. Castration for Christmas!)

My main reasons are;
a - because I have absolutely no intention of breeding from him, so the castration will stop him chasing after bitches in season, and will mean if he does ever meet an entire bitch at that crucial time, there will certainly be no accidental litters resulting from it.
b - to protect him from testicular cancer (or any disease/injury involving the testicles/many illnesses/disorders relating to testosterone production)

It's a contentious subject in some circles, but FWIW I think you've done the right thing, and will be doing likewise.

[bottleofbeer]

I've just always spayed or neutered pets, it's seemed the right thing to do (although my cat did perform the great escape a week before she was due to be spayed and we had kitten-gate, luckily she only had three and they all went to good homes but I had to practically stalk her until they weaned so there was no repeat!).

I think people kind of realise why it's so important for cats to be done - as my case showed they will have litter after litter and it's very easy for it to happen no matter how vigilant you are before they're spayed but not so much dogs, after all you've more control over a dog.

My boy is very well behaved, we stuck gold with him as we've never had any real problems with him. But he did have a real habit of greeting people by jumping at them and we really couldn't resolve it with training. He's stopped doing it. Completely. Which is fabulous because he's just too big to get away with it, he could easily knock someone over so I'm obviously very pleased with this result. Also, I did think it must be very frustrating to an intact dog who can never act on those natural urges.

[thegriffon]

OP- re dog still looking intact after neutering. Had my dog done when he was 2.5 yrs old, and his bits didn't look any different for weeks, must have been due to swelling from the surgery, but he was fine otherwise.
Then things started to deflate and was left with loose flappy bits, not v attractive. Vet said it might stay like that because he was older and skin not so elastic. Now, 5 months later, its all very tidy and he looks like any other neutered dog.

[bottleofbeer]

Oh fab. I do want him to have neat bits .

Mind you he did have enormous balls. Most impressive they were!

[thegriffon]

Yes, they were huge for a few weeks, he looked like a super stud

[moosemama]

All the reasons above, plus something massive like 80% plus of entire males develop some degree of prostate hyperplasia by the age of 7/8. This can be horribly uncomfortable for the dog and the treatment of choice is usually .... neutering!

Of course, neutered dogs can also develop prostate problems, but it's very rare by comparison.

[bottleofbeer]

Thanks all