To castrate or not castrate, that is the question????

[lucyellensmum]

I have an adorable little patterdale cross border terrier. He is an absolute star temprement wise, hes very energetic and puppy like (he is only 1 year old) and he LOVES me!! I just love his little personality and i am unsure whether to castrate him or not. I used to work as a vet nurse and our practise adopted a don't castrate unless there is a problem policy. So this has stuck with me. However, the two newer qualified vets think should castrate due to potential health problems later in life. In fact my old dog needed to be castrated due to prostate problems when he was about 7, this then lead to real bad coat problems so i would rather castrate early for that reason, but would hope that bob wont experience any problems.

My reticence is due to the fact that i love my mad little terrier, he is so full of beans and is very funny. His total terrierness makes him an absolute star with DD who is a bit rough with him, but he just comes back for me - he loves it. I don't want to change his personality. He is a bit on the slight side so i wouldnt mind a bit of weight gain, but i dont want him to change..........

Am im being PFB about my dog???

i mean, he comes back for more, not me

From my experience of having terriers as pets, castration doesn't make them any more sensible!
The best argument I've ever heard for castration is that (unless you're a dog breeder) without it you're leaving your dog to be dominated by the urge to mate for his whole life, whilst doing all you can to make sure he never gets any.

I am potty about terriers after twenty years of fox-terrier friendship and I say Castrate .Huge difference in how other dogs will respond to him even if he remains an easy doggie, and you are yet to hit the terrier teens (about 18m).Patterdales can be really tricky and removing one potential problem factor can help. I have had two very well socialised and nice dogs but the first was intact and the current is snipped and I would always castrate now.They just mingle better with other dogs and there is less friction if they are ever part of a bigger pack (with a dog-walker say,or walking around the park with other people).Castration didn't dent his inate terrier joyfulness at all by the way!(or the naughtiness,in a good way).

forgot to add-no weight gain either,pretty difficult for borders to get fat,they burn it off in bouncing.

i agree with hm
ex vet nurse and now behaviourist
1st amazed he reached a year and not castrated! well done
most other breeds id agree with your comment not unless prob
all medical probs males get not as life threatning as females as testcles outside whip off easier!
coat probs happen whatever age
comb also right terriers and sensible ...!!
food makes weight gain not lack of testicles

and most imp comment said that is how other neutered males will react to him

get them off for his sake
enjoy him great dogs

Your old practice sounds like it had a very old fashioned attitude!

Please get him neutered. It will prevent certain cancers and it will also prevent him from getting any females pregnant (enough homeless dogs as it is!) it will also stop him from having the instinct to want to get out and go searching for a mate which has lead many an un-neutered male dog to their death, either killed on the road or by fighting with other males. He will also be calmer as he won't be so frustrated i.e. wanting to breed and being anxious to get out and find a mate.

We just had our patterdale cross done. Hasn't changed him a jot. Gorgeous; get him done,I think, better all round.....