Any point neutering a 3 yr old dog?

[TroublesomeTownHouse]

3 year old lab has suddenly started to run off and chase other dogs. He's also got a bit growly occasionally with other young males.

He's shown interest in bitches in season before but not enough to bother having him done.

Suddenly he's started running off (sometimes a very long way) after a dog he wants to play with or just likes the look of. Last time the bitch had been done so certainly not in season. It comes out of no where and is very stressful as he's run across a road before and obviously he's very much faster than me!

Might the chop help in any way or is it too late? There are opposing views and I can't decide if it'll be a waste of time as I know there are health advantages to leaving the tackle intact.

I am really against early neutering, however on balance neutering is better once they are fully grown and past the teenage years. I would definitely get him neutered and I think 3 is a good age.

If he’s not running away because the bitch is in season then you need a long line. Not neutering! It’s a training issue.
The growling? Why? Growling is communication. My older bitch does it if dogs jump on her rudely!

@Wolfiefan he does run after bitches in season he's just started running after other dogs too.

The growling is usually in response to being growled at - by neutered dogs maybe? A couple of owners have told me its because their dog's been done and mine hasn't.

If he’s not running off after bitches in seasons there’s no point. It’s probably because he feel confident that he doesn’t need to come back.

It’s not about being neutered or not. He doesn’t have good recall.
The growling isn’t because the other dog is neutered. I would consider consulting a behaviourist.

We did some great recall training when he was a pup but that lady only does puppies.

Odd that he's just started to do this.

Hopefully there are different techniques for older dogs because he is so much less greedy now he's just not interested in treats as a reward.

Surely there are more health advantages of being neutered (unless advice has changed in the last few years)? My family dog died of prostate cancer which wouldn't have happened if he'd been done, but that was in the 80's when only aggressive dogs were really neutered.

Recall training isn’t something you do when you attend classes with a pup. It’s something you should reinforce every day.
Total Recall is a great book.

You could speak to your vets about a Suprelorin implant. They are pricey, but would allow you to test out what your dog would be like after castration, before committing to an irreversible operation. To me that would be the sensible thing to do. It is not too late to have him neutered if that is what you want to do, but it is not a behavioural cure-all.

@Pinkywoo - there are pros and cons of neutering. In breeds like labradors, the increased propensity to gain weight after castration can have a big impact on their mobility when they get older. The OP would need to be careful with his diet and after neutering and make sure he gets plenty of exercise.

Thanks @Wolfiefan it wasn't just general training it was a specific recall course we did and it was great. Those techniques no longer work as he is not at all interested in treats while outside.

He has consistently come when called and stayed fairly close until the last month or so when he's taken to buggering off at speed and being much more interested in female dogs generally.

@landofgiantsthat sounds like an interesting idea I will call the vet.

But a specific course won’t teach recall. Honestly it’s something I work on all the time with my dogs. Long line on a harness for now.

@landofgiants that makes sense, I've always had lurchers so obviously not the same tendancy for weight gain.

A large study showed that neutering only change scent marking and male dogs hunting bitches if they were in season.

However the negative effects of neutering were 36 undesirable behaviours including:-

increased aggression
separation anxiety
Fearful behaviour
Over excitability
Increased chasing
Increase in eating poo (their own or others)
Barking
Increased licking
etc

So OP no castration will not help your dogs behaviour - it could make it worse.

We've just had the suprelorin implant in our 5 year old Lab. Like yours, he was suddenly running off for miles, and we'd noticed other dogs being very aggressive towards him, moreso than they were towards neutered dogs.

Pros:
He is now a dream to walk. Stays close, recall is impeccable every time.
Aggression from other dogs is much less.
He's stopped humping other males.
There is no longer semen constantly dripping from his knob 🤮

Cons:
He is SO hungry all the time.
He has lost muscle tone and gained weight, he's gone from a gorgeous stocky shape to, frankly, tubby.

Wow @bodgersmash that is interesting. Will speak to the vet as the humping and willy juice I could seriously do without!

If your dog is growling due to fear, then neutering him will make the problem far, far worse. His testosterone is giving him a level of confidence and neutering will make him more nervous and therefore more reactive.
You need to get some lessons and get the judgement of a trainer before deciding on anything

As an aside, he’s only about a year older than the average recommended neutering age for large breeds anyway so it’s not that late.

Those techniques no longer work as he is not at all interested in treats while outside.

Mine was never interested in treats for recall. You need to work out what makes you more interesting than other dogs and distractions. Simply walking alongside them is boring so why would they come back for a bit of chicken?

I used to play hide and seek e.g dash behind a tree and see if he could find me, hunt with a ball, throw a ball etc so that I interacted with him all the time during the walk to make me the 'play mate' he wanted.

We had our lab neutered at 3, after trying the implant. If I had the chance again, I would consider vasectomy rather than neutering.
He’s lovely, but has had weight problems ever since , eats anything he can find , and while he doesn’t run after other dogs or bitches in season, he’d run for ever to find something dead and edible.
He didn’t do that before the op.

Thanks @BiteyShark but I cannot match the allure of a lady lab! I believe it's hormones driven so I think its a case of looking at neutering options.

@Quickchangeartiste interesting that vasectomy is a possible alternative.

The weight gain seems to be the main drawback. He's a bit skinny at the moment so would be interesting to see what happens.

Thanks for all the advice.

I think it's an individual decision that you have to weigh up the pros vs cons. My dog's 2yo now and I'm planning on getting him neutered soon as he is not great with other male dogs, he scent marks constantly on walks and he gets very agitated/stressed by a female in heat.

I know there's a risk his reactivity may become worse but I'm prepared to work on that. As it's only intact males he takes issue with my sense is it's hormone driven.

I have two terrier x brothers just over a year and a half and I am really torn on whether to neuter or not ... they are nervous around strangers , one barks at them constantly and the other will join in , very dog reactive on walks , very close to me they come and sit in the toilet with me , bath etc and all I keep reading is how it will make them worse

We are leaning towards trying the implant. Expensive but less risky than going straight for the chop. Could be an option @Foxlover46? Pricey x 2 though!

My dog had a urgent castration at eight years old. He was peeing blood due to a grossly enlarged prostate. Since then all my dogs have been castrated once their physical and mental development has been completed. And, oddly, it did improve his recall!

@TroublesomeTownHouse thank you I will look
Into the implant , I can see the vets happy if I go that way ££££££££ :/