Benefits of neutering a 3 year old dog

[Helgathehairy]

I meant to neuter him a bit earlier but life got in the way and now I'm wondering what the benefits of doing it at this age are. DDog is a Golden Retriever so I wasn't going to get him done before 18 months anyway and then I had DD and just never really got around to it.

He's got a completely escape proof garden so I'm not worried about him going off fathering puppies and Research seems to suggest that entire dogs are the healthiest.

I'm wondering if it would stop the constant sniffing and marking?

We had our dog neutered at three. Like you we weren't bothered about it before and never got round to it. Then when I was pregnant he suddenly started to misbehave and growl at me and several doggy friends suggested I get him done. He immediately went back to being his lovely self but he still marked and peed for England. Oh and he put on weight. He passed away at the age of eleven which was typical for his breed so I don't think it did him any harm.

The main benefit is it prevents testicular cancer...and the lack of puppies, you'd be surprised how easily a dog can get out of an escape proof garden if there's a bitch in heat nearby and how many people walk bitches in heat in busy places.

It won't stop scent marking though.

Agree that the research seems to suggest that entire male dogs are the healthiest, especially large breeds.
We got our lab castrated when he was 2.5 years old because he met a bitch in season and had a complete character change, unsettled and whining and desperate to run off and find her again. Never had any problems before then.
He was back to his old self within a short time after the op but quickly put on a lot of weight. We kept cutting his food down and now he has half of what he used to eat and has got his figure back .
He still sniffs and marks as much as he used to.

Hmmm. The marking was the one thing I had hoped might improve after neutering. Not sure what to do now.

The neighbours (live rurally so neighbours are a field away) bitch goes into heat and other dogs congregate but Bailey is never bothered. He's always walked on a lead in public (as he loves people and other dogs too much to listen to me) but gets off lead runs in secure fields.
At his last vet appointment the vet said his weight is perfect but to make sure he doesn't lose any or he'd be underweight.

He might suddenly show an interest in bitches and try to escape when you're least expecting it, like my dog did. But he might not.
If you can be 100% sure he can never get access to bitches that might be in season then no need to neuter, IMHO.