should I neuter?

[maisiechain]

So our male dog is just over 2 years old (golden retriever) and is currently intact. He had some input from a behaviourist when we first got him as a puppy due to his fear of strangers. We were told to preferably not neuter him, or at least wait until he was fully mature. The reason we were given was that neutering could make his fear problem worse.

Roll on almost 2 years and he still has a fear of strangers but it is mostly limited to tall, dark haired men! Or anyone a bit odd. He is now 100% with children and anyone with children. He see's kids as safe to be around and unthreatening I guess, as we have 2 children ourselves.

So the reason I am thinking now of neutering is because we have no intention of breeding and he is like a randy teenager a lot of the time and I find him hard to manage. He is very strong and has pulled my elderly Dad over when trying to get to another dog.

He is actually a lovely dog and so good a lot of the time, but he has wild phases which I wonder whether are hormonally driven? During these times he can be disobedient, runs off to any and every dog, is extremely boisterous and really hard to control. Also another unneutered male attacked him the other day in the park and I found it very frightening tbh. It was over a female they were both playing with. The other dog just went for mine and I honestly thought he was going to kill him.

I am aware that neutering won't turn him into the perfect dog and I am also making plans to go to another set of training sessions with him. I am saving up for that at the moment.

What do you think? Will neutering calm him down a bit? Will it stop him humping all female dogs? He very rarely tries it on with a male, and is easily put in his place.

Thoughts please, thank you for reading:)

It won't fix the pulling and probably won't get rid of the wild times.
It may make his nervous fear worse.

Ok thanks, I thought it may make him calmer? Do you think it will stop the mounting obsession with bitches?

Just weighing up the pros and cons.

We are going to neuter our 9 months old black lab in a couple of months. My has lost 2 dogs to testosterone fed cancers ( and was responsible for at least 1unwanted litter) Of her neutered dogs I wouldn't say it calmed them down much.

Ok I hadn't thought about health issues, I will look into that too & gets vets advice. Thanks.

I general they only become calmer with training. As far as cancers go well there are cancers that occur because testicles are present, you remove the testicles cancer resolves. There are cancers that occur, because you have no testicles these tend to be much more serious and rapidly fatal.
It is really, really important when making neutering decisions about male dogs that you fully understand all the risks and benefits.

StillRaving at nine months your lab is too young to be neutered. He really ought to be at least two years to make sure he's stopped growing. Neutering removes the hormones that control growth and he might keep growing. If he gets too big and tall it can put a lot of pressure on his bones.

I agree with Lonecat, there are just as many risks associated with neutering now as there were thought to be benefits. I'm not sure if we'll have our lab done at all.

Oh its such a minefield! I will talk to vet and also get behaviourist to re-assess maybe. I've always leaned towards not neutering him but the fight he got in over a female playmate could have been very serious. I think I have to consider this as a major factor.

You could always try the Suprelorin implant to see what affect neutering would have on him.

I have a lab with some fear issues. At almost 4 he has had two implants and the last one has worn off and his testicles have grown back. He is obsessed with sniffing and marking and I can definately see a difference.

I am booking him in to be neutered.