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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think all dog owners should have them castrated/spayed (unless if they are for breeding)?

199 replies

LizziePizzie · 19/08/2013 10:05

I might be completely out of touch with this, but I thought that part of being a responsible dog owner was that was unless you have a stud dog, you get them castrated/spayed.

Is it cruel to have an entire dog/bitch, keeping them on the lead, or away from other dogs in case they get laid?

Is it cruel to have them castrated/spayed?

Is it just the responsibility of owners of bitches to get them spayed, or both owners of dogs and bitches?

OP posts:
SilverApples · 19/08/2013 10:06

And cat owners should have their animals done too.

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 19/08/2013 10:11

Cats are different in that you let them out of the house and have no idea who they are seeing! I have always had my cats castrated/spayed and kept them inside the house till they were done.

OP posts:
TallulahBetty · 19/08/2013 10:14

YANBU. It is responsible and the right thing to do. I don't agree with breeding dogs at all but that is a different thread

lougle · 19/08/2013 10:17

There are some goods reasons not to have it done. For instance, my entire dog is already very nervy around other dogs and has the potential to be aggressive if cornered. Castrating him would cause a drop in testosterone which may worsen the issue.

Bowlersarm · 19/08/2013 10:18

YANBU.

It is the sensible thing to do.

Although I'm not sure why TallulahBetty does want dogs being bred. Do you want them off the planet, TallulahBetty?

LesserSpottedNeckSnake · 19/08/2013 10:19

YANBU. My older dog is done, and my pup will be castrated shortly. I have no desire to add to the scores of unwanted dogs in this country. Plus, both of my dogs are cross breeds, neither are working champions or show dogs, so why would I breed them?

WestieMamma · 19/08/2013 10:19

I had my dog done and it completely changed his behaviour and personality. I will not be getting any future dogs done. That said, my dogs are never allowed off their leads anyway and I'd still get the females done. And all our cats have had the chop.

cleoowen · 19/08/2013 10:22

I disagree, we haven't spayed our bitch and it's fine. She is happy and healthy. We don't have to permanent ly keep her on the lead and haven't noticed other dogs trying to constantly mount her or harassing get even when she was in season, when we were very careful. However, yesterday we did notice another dog trying it on but she's so fast (springer in her) it wasn't a problem and we just walked away and she was left alone.

I think it's ok in this situation but if it was becoming a problem we would have her spayed.

I think it's much more irresponsible not to mussle your dog or not have pet insurance or leave your dog alone for long periods. Or not pick up after it than not getting it spayed.

Bowlersarm · 19/08/2013 10:22

This thread is worrying me. My five year old dog is going in to tomorrow for the op.

But I don't want his personality to change, or him to become more aggressive with other dogs than he already is!

Now I'm questioning our decision to do it...

Toomuch2young · 19/08/2013 10:23

Cats should all be neutered before they go out.
With dogs it is a little more complex. For me bitches should be spayed, partly to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies, and also because of the risks life term to a bitches health of entire such as mammary cancers and pyometras.

Male dogs should be castrated if the owner is likely to not be responsible, the dog is showing sexual urges etc. I have always had rescue dogs and got my bitches spayed and my dogs castrated, however I have got a lovely entire male who shows no sexual urges at all (2 year old), he is slightly nervous by nature and I have put in lots of time socialising him, I have chosen to not castrate at present as I think castrating young can affect the personality and the removal of testosterone would potentially make him more nervous.

I hate the mind set of castrating a dog to make them 'behave'' better. No castrating may remove sexual urges, bit will not 'cure' your dogs 'dominance' or 'aggression'! However I hate unwanted dogs more so if is the slightest chance your dog will procreate then please get them neutered.

BrokenSunglasses · 19/08/2013 10:24

My dog hasn't been castrated, and I really don't see the need. His behaviour is good so there is no need to do it to try and calm him down or be less aggressive/stop him marking/stop him trying to get it on with other dogs.

He is only ever off the lead in our local park, and the most he has ever done to another dog is to sniff them. He's not some sort of playboy slag just because he still has two testicles.

Personally, I think it would be cruel to subject him to an operation that he doesn't need that will have no benefit.

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 19/08/2013 10:25

Bowlersarm - sorry - I didn't mean for you to get worried!

I thought dogs became less aggressive after the op as they don't have the testosterone driving their behaviour any more.

Besides, a change in behaviour isn't necessarily a bad thing... is it?

OP posts:
TallulahBetty · 19/08/2013 10:28

I just feel that there are enough dogs needing loving homes without people breeding more. Just my opinion. Doesn't mean I want dogs off the planet Hmm

Original poster
LizziePizzie · 19/08/2013 10:28

Here's another question...

If you are the owner of a bitch that through no fault of your own, got covered while out on a walk, would you expect the owner of the dog to take some/half the responsibility of the puppies, or is it 100% your problem?

OP posts:
Bowlersarm · 19/08/2013 10:28

That was our thinking OP.

On the other hand, I don't want to put him though an unnecessary operation if his behaviour isn't then going to change for the better.

He's perfect, except with dog on dog aggression, which he instigates with certain types of dogs.

Toomuch2young · 19/08/2013 10:29

Op- no many types of aggression are fear based and having less testosterone after castrate wil make these animals more fearful and therefore more aggressive.

An operation is not a quick fix for problem behaviours.

PissesGlitter · 19/08/2013 10:29

My young dog is castrated, didnt change him at all

Older bitch has not been done as we didnt see the need at the time and she is now too old (11)

I agree if you are not breeding then sort it out
Far too many unwanted animals in shelters as it is Hmm

Toomuch2young · 19/08/2013 10:31

bowlers sounds like that behaviour is established now and at 5 castration may not alter much. One of my bitches could be dog aggressive, though through fear, it's been the hardest behaviour to overcome but she is 99% better now. PM me if you want to discuss strategies. I don't think castrating your dog will cause him any harm by the way, don't worry.

Tailtwister · 19/08/2013 10:32

Personally I agree OP. There's really no reason not to, for cats or dogs.

BadSpeakingSkills · 19/08/2013 10:32

As a blanket rule YABU.

I've always had dogs and put the time and effort in with training in the early days, I have done obedience and produced two gun dog champions. None of them have had to have their nuts off.

IF however they were constantly running off after bitches and being to sexual (excluding the testosterone peaks when young) then the nuts would be off. Bitches I've always had done, I don't breed and have no intention to. Plenty of offers to my retriever but he was a good working dog and an average quality if his breed and not good enough to breed from IMO.

BrokenSunglasses · 19/08/2013 10:32

If you are the owner of a bitch that through no fault of your own, got covered while out on a walk,

I'm not sure that is even possible. If you are out on a walk with your dog, then you have to be in control of it. If you aren't and it does end up pregnant, then you are at fault.

The same goes for owners of male dogs that haven't got enough control of them.

BadSpeakingSkills · 19/08/2013 10:33

*of his breed ! Cats though should all be done !

tabulahrasa · 19/08/2013 10:33

There are arguments for and against neutering, responsible owners who don't neuter (not those who just don't bother to, but those that have made an informed decision) do so because they believe that hormones have important health and behavioural implications.

It's not then a case of having to make sure a dog is always on a lead or kept away from other dogs...it's much easier to police than that.

Mostly though - I think that the number of people making an informed decision is much smaller than people with random uninformed reasons, or maybe I just meet more random uninformed people? lol. You still get people who believe that a bitch should have a litter before they're spayed for instance. Hmm

I currently have an unneutered male - because, there are some quite compelling studies that show that early neutering has a an effect on joints in large breed dogs when they are older and I have a large breed dog with a joint problem, so I'm not having him done until I'm sure his growth plates have closed over.

So basically it's not quite as cut and dried as all dogs should be neutered, but, most should be.

tabulahrasa · 19/08/2013 10:37

"If you are the owner of a bitch that through no fault of your own, got covered while out on a walk, would you expect the owner of the dog to take some/half the responsibility of the puppies, or is it 100% your problem?"

Bitches can only get pregnant during a season and towards the end of a season in particular, if I was walking a bitch towards the end of her season and letting dogs get close enough to notice, then not doing anything about it (it's not exactly a quick act) then it's not through no fault of my own.

WestieMamma · 19/08/2013 10:39

Personally I agree OP. There's really no reason not to, for cats or dogs.

Neutering a male dog:

  • significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer)
  • increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma
  • triples the risk of hypothyroidism
  • increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
  • triples the risk of obesity
  • quadruples the risk prostate cancer
  • doubles the small risk of urinary tract cancers
  • increases the risk of orthopaedic disorders