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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

To neuter or not?

20 replies

BestIsWest · 07/10/2016 17:28

Inspired by an other thread on whether to spay a female dog I'd like to hear people's opinions on neutering male dogs.

We have a year old dog. He's not yet neutered and to be honest I'm not convinced that I want to neuter him. We have absolutely no intention of breeding from him and I'm not convinced there are health benefits in neutering a male dog.
I know it's different for female dogs - pyometra, mammary cancer etc and I wouldn't hesitate if he was female.

He has a lovely non-aggressive nature, loves other dogs and I'm loath to do anything that might affect his personality.

However, we are looking to adopt a rescue dog and the majority of rescues specify that any existing dogs in the home should be neutered although our nearest rescue goes on a case by case basis.

Opinions please.

OP posts:

Blackfellpony · 07/10/2016 18:34

I neutered mine due to seeing quite a few with perineal hernias and testicular cancer. I've also met lots of entires with horrible scent spots on tails and I hate seeing old dogs with saggy balls dangling about

I also find other dogs tend to be more aggressive or wary of intact males, maybe neutered ones are less of a threat?

Saying that, my boy is very confident and happy, had he been nervous I may have thought twice. I think nervous aggression may be the main thing that would sway me to leave entire at the moment.

Mine didn't have any change of personality at all and I've had 4 males neutered so far.

winwhizzer · 07/10/2016 18:45

I would not neuter my male dog unless there was a really strong reason for it - generally there isn't, assuming the owners are proactive to prevent mating. I have three male dogs and only one has had one testicle removed as that was retained. He kept his other one but as he was under GA anyway he had a vasectomy

Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016 · 07/10/2016 18:48

Male dogs hump legs
And sofas
And guests
And chase fertile lady dogs!!
Snip snip snip is the way to go!!

Original poster

BestIsWest · 07/10/2016 18:58

No humping so far on his part although my brothers dog who is neutered did his best to hump him last week.

OP posts:

stripeyzebra32 · 07/10/2016 19:09

I'm in the same predicament with mine.

We have 2 dogs, dog 1 we got neutered as he used to hump everything and scent on anything new. He did calm down a bit still humps occasionally.

Dog 2 is 1 and a half and has never humped anything and I had no intention on having him done but everytime we go to the vets they keep bringing up the fact he's not been done and if we are not planning on studding him (no intention) then we should get it done.

But I'm really against it

cavkc123 · 07/10/2016 19:13

I think you know when they need 'doing' but if his behaviour is okay, I would leave it.

My dogs all got to the point where they were an embarrassment!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 07/10/2016 19:24

Hello, I have 2 male dogs. My very large boy, he's rock steady, is still entire.
I spoke to my vet, about my reluctance to neuter him, regarding him putting on weight. He listened and agreed, that we would leave him be.
My second boy, a Rottie, would have been allowed the same privilege, but alas, it wasn't to be ! He humped everything, he tried desperately, to exercise his authority, he became frustrated, and slightly aggressive.
Snip, snip, he's a very happy, well adjusted boy now !
Each and every dog is different, as are their owners 🤔

galaxygirl45 · 07/10/2016 19:28

Mine is 3.5 and never shown any signs of humping/aggressive/dominating behaviour so we've not had him neutered. I have a very healthy respect for general anaesthesia and to me it's for life and death only, not precaution. My vet was amazing, he said if your dog isn't showing any signs, then don't do it for the sake of it. Every dog is individual though. My sister had hers done at 6 months as he was humping everything in sight - he still has a "special" cushion lol.

Secretspillernamechange · 07/10/2016 19:28

I've got a 3 year old entire dog. He's no trouble and as neutering can cause issues with their coats (he's a breed that has an extremely heavy double coat) then we don't plan to. He's humped the sofa once (6 months ago and hasn't done it since), we definitely have no plans to breed from him but neither will we be neutering unless something changes.

insan1tyscartching · 07/10/2016 19:48

Eric is coming up to 3 and he hasn't been neutered, we thought about it but he doesn't hump and he is a happy and confident little dog so we haven't chosen to have him done. He's tiny so any extra weight would quickly show so would want to avoid that, we won't breed from him and he's too clingy to try and escape on the hunt for a dog in season so confident there won't be any unplanned matings either.

HandbagCrazy · 07/10/2016 19:55

We neutered our 2 boys (2 different types of terriers). It wasn't so much a health issue as a safety one. They became award winning escape artists if there bitches in season with a few miles. One even managed to get on a windowsill and open a window once, escaping through the back garden I was scared I was going to find them run over / eaten by a bigger dog or that they would go missing.

Had both done. One calmed right down,
The other, no longer interested in dogs but still acts like the king at home.

Original poster

BestIsWest · 07/10/2016 20:09

Glad to hear positive stories of not neutering as I think we will play it by ear and see how it goes.

I feel quite strongly about anaesthetic as well. Our last dog was never neutered but underwent anaesthetic a couple of times and he really struggled with recovery. I would like to avoid if possible.

OP posts:

TrionicLettuce · 07/10/2016 20:31

Unless there's a behavioural reason to castrate a male dog that the op will definitely help (which is pretty much only behaviours related directly to being in relative proximity with entire bitches) then I wouldn't bother getting them done. Most things like humping, marking inside the house, etc. are training issues and can be sorted without surgery. Obviously the flip side of this is that a lot of undesirable behaviours that people expect to stop after castration may well continue.

My current three boys have all been castrated because I also have a bitch who despite being spayed still drives entire dogs to distraction. Aside from putting an end to their showing careers it's not been a huge deal, no changes in temperament (or their tendency to hump each other when they're being giddy ), but I would much rather it have not been necessary.

drinkingchanelno5 · 08/10/2016 08:34

Mine was booked in for the operation at six months and he just seemed such a puppy still and so submissive that I put it off twice and then decided to wait until he was 18 months old. By that time he was such a lovely dog and I'd never had the slightest hint of behaviour problems: he doesn't roam, hump, mark inside, and no aggression or anything like that.

He's five now and no problems other than about a year ago a female in our street was in season and he was a bit unhappy for a couple of weeks but he got over it. The only other issue is that other dogs (neutered and intact) can be aggressive toward him; even though he's a softy others do want to dominate him.

But on the whole I'm glad I didn't, I think many people neuter as a matter of course without considering that it will change your dog's personality. And I have a fantastic vet who has never even suggested that he should be neutered. That said if he had been showing behavioural issues by the time he was 18 months I most certainly would have had it done.

drinkingchanelno5 · 08/10/2016 08:39

To add to the above: Where I live (London) people tend to spay their bitches, at most leaving one season before having the op. So my dog rarely comes across bitches he would be interested in anyway. If you live somewhere more rural where people keep their females to breed you might have more of an issue with straying.

WaitrosePigeon · 08/10/2016 09:39

My male dog was dog around 7 months old. He was trying to shag everything and he was knackered all the time

Original poster

BestIsWest · 08/10/2016 10:10

Poor boy pigeon. I bet it was a relief.

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WaitrosePigeon · 08/10/2016 12:34

I'm not even joking when I say it was constant. He used to get out of breath from all the humping! His schlong was always hanging out and he couldn't really get on with his day to day life because it was all he could think about.

GinAndOnIt · 09/10/2016 16:20

4 year old GinDog here not neutered. I've never seen him hump, and he has never marked indoors. He has rather large balls for his size so it is glaringly obvious that he is an entire male, but people often comment on how calm he is. He is also often mistaken for an old boy, but that might be his grey flecks of fur

He did have a wobble a few months back where I very nearly booked him in, because he kept wandering off, but we have since realised this was our fault not his. He is a farm dog, and has always been free to run around the fields while DP worked. But 6 months ago or so, I gave up work and he stayed home with me more, which meant more structured walks, rather than him just being let out of the cab and free to go. He doesn't wander off at all anymore, now he's got used to his new routine.

MIL has just got a puppy, and spoke to two vets about it. Both have said the new advice is to avoid neutering if behaviour is good because of prostate problems in later life or something.

Original poster

BestIsWest · 09/10/2016 16:42

Glad to hear the new advice Gin. I was expecting a flaming for daring to suggest not neutering but it just wasn't making sense to me

The vet did raise the subject when he was about 7 months old and I was a bit surprised at the time because he was so young.
We were having problems with his recall for a while so I was almost swayed but we've worked hard on that and he's much better now.

But I've thought long and hard and I'm not convinced. He's such a lovely boy.

I think his balls will stay where they are for the foreseeable future.

OP posts:

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