Neutering Yes or No?

[EricBlairsHair]

I'm looking for your thoughts please.
What are the pros and cons of neutering?
We have an 18 month old Lab. From the start the vet advised not to neuter until 18 months because hes a large breed and it's best to let their bones grow.
Well hes now 18 months but the vet has a 8 -10 week waiting list for surgery now because of them being closed during lockdown.
Hes our first dog so I've not been through this before.
I'm in 2 minds, hes no trouble atall, is friendly with other dogs in the park and runs around nicely with them.
When outside he pees at every post box etc and does alot of scenting bushes etc.
He occasionally humps his bedding but I was told neutering wont stop this as it's a habit.
So can I have your thoughts please....photo for cuteness

Its a no from me what a handsome boy

We have three dogs, two were neutered at 6 months and one who is not neutered. The one that is not neutered has got aggressive with other dogs as he's got older. In the house he is bottom of the pack, gentle, respectful and a real sweetheart but once we are outside he is a nightmare and is really hard to control in the presence of another entire dog.

When we brought our youngest dog home as a six month old pup he attacked him through the gate and has got worse with entire males since then. We had the pup neutered straight away and it took about three months for him to tolerate the pup through the fence and eventually side by side.

He is actually my mum's dog which we took in temporarily 18 months ago. If he was ours he would have been done at 6 months like the others. Although we would have followed the vets' advice and waited for him maturity if that had been suggested.

Neutered

I would check out the recent research. On my phone so can't link but if you look up the recent paper by Hart et al on age at neutering they provide info for 35 breeds (risk of various cancers, joint issues etc).

research Grumpy is talking about

There is a lot of reasons to not neuter a male dog. Different for females.

Neutered dogs are more likely to be fear aggressive. The health benefits are not clear cut with castration for male dogs.

Second time today I have mentioned vascetomy for dogs is a good option it has the desired effect of no puppies but also does not lower testosterone which can cause health issues in dogs.

He’s very handsome. Don’t be in a rush.Do your research. There’s a reason they have those hormones.
My lab was 3; it changed his metabolism and he’s now very food driven ( was very female focused 😁) but ultimately was probably the right choice as we live in the suburbs with dogs everywhere.
That said I see several intact males who do not cause problems.
Next time I would look at vasectomy.

I'd never even heard of vasectomy in dogs! Thanks for the research link, I will take a look.
Theres a six year old husky at the park that was neutered at 6 months, he tries to hump my dog every time!

We haven't neutered our male springer. He's from a very good line of working dogs so he's been left entire in case anyone wants his genes. No one has come calling yet, though. He doesn't cause any issues with other dogs.

Our females have always been spayed, we don't want to breed from them.

That's it, Polly, thank you.

I personally would always neuter male or female, but I always have rescues now - so it's par for the course.

If you have no behavioural problems then I guess don't neuter. But please do if problems arise (or vasectomy which I hadn't heard of for dogs).

I have a neutered female dog and I hate it when I see an unneutered male in the park / woods etc - they always come over and try and dominate / mount/ harass her. It's very annoying and pisses me right off. So please keep your dog in a lead in a place where there might be other dogs/animals.

My friends un-neutered dog cornered another's friends cat and ejaculated all over her. That dog also ejaculates over sofa/cushions etc and has to be sent to kennels for holidays as he can't stay with other people who have dogs. That dog can't visit my house as I have a female dog and cat, they would be terrorised! He's a bog standard dog, not a good example of the breed so I'm not sure why he's not neutered by now.

I had one male dog (lab) who I neutered- he didn't get fat - IMHO it's the entire males who get massively chunky- but fat dogs are due to the owners - especially labs who are bottomless pits!

Unneuterered males are at a higher risk of prostate and testicular cancers. Of course testicular cancer can be cured by castration should they get it but only if it hasn't already spread. They're also at higher risk of being run over due to flight risk if there's a bitch in heat near you.
The recent studies on joint disease prevalence is specific to certain breeds and age groups. There's no evidence neutering a fully grown male increases the incidence of these issues.

I think that providing there’s no aggression to other dogs I would probably leave entire.

Though I have to say, the thought of a male dog wanking on cats and sofa cushions as a PP mentioned absolutely turns my stomach, I’d definitely get that boy neutered for sure! 🤢

Thankyou everyone! Theres no aggression from him when with other dogs, hes abit of a wuss if anything!
There has been the occasional female dog on heat in the park and he can smell them 2 miles away, but so can neutered males. It doesn't seem to make a difference!
Theres no ejaculating (yet😬) but I think I will probably end up getting him neutered.
I just stand the thought of him having an anaesthetic. Stupid I know!!

Yeah, neuter him.

I didn’t OP, and no issues at all (once past the ejaculating phase in teenage months)! I wouldn’t for a male to be honest, but there are pros and cons. I took the risk re prostate to avoid the risk of confidence issues, and it paid off with a lovely well rounded dog. So I think for a male it’s your choice entirely (No pun intended)! It is of course for females but for me that’s a different level of risk re pyometra and also lifestyle limitations due to seasons. Sorry not hugely helpful 😀

Acutally prostrate cancer appears more in castrated dogs than entire dogs.

Oh God, I just dont know!
Questions are, will he stop humping the odd bitch if hes neutered? Because that's the only thing he does wrong at the moment. But then castrated dogs at the park also hump each other
If it's better to neuter for health purposes then I will.

He may not stop humping if he is castrated. Bitches hump bitches!

You could try chemical castration and see how that affects his behaviour. It will then wear off and you can then make your decision.

Sorry for being thick, what does chemical castration involve?
Only ever had cats before, female ones at that

Chemical castration is now an implant that lasts either 6 or 12 months and then they revert to normal. There used to be an injection that lasted 3 weeks, but that has been discontinued.
Testicular cancers are almost always isolated and don't spread so really this are not a reason to castrate.

I have an entire male, he has never once ejaculated on anything, he doesn't hump his bed or couches etc. the only time he humps anything inappropriate is sometimes where friends visit and he gets over excited by all the people wanting to stroke and play he will try to hump them.
He is also not aggressive although he will fight back if another dog starts. If he where to start getting aggressive towards other dogs and humans then he would be neutered but currently him being entire is not a problem.
With regards to humping other dogs, I would say out neutered bitch humps him more than he humps her