Entire male - castrate?

[NDornotND]

I currently have one DDog, a nine year old entire male lurcher. When we got him (as a pup), we had two female dogs who had both been spayed. I asked the vet about getting him castrated when he was about 6 months old, and was advised that most people waited until there was a behaviour issue. Well, Ddog appears to be asexual 😆 - he's never shown any interest in anything of that nature and has, therefore, remained intact...Now I am considering getting another dog - not immediately, maybe in a year...probably a female and wondering if he should finally be relieved of his cahones...I'd feel a bit mean after all this time and given the fact that he's never so much as attempted to mount another dog...WWYD?

Yes I would. Because he can’t get cancer in a part that he hasn’t got. Plus, if you get a female you’ve got to keep them apart while she has her first season.

I’d speak to the vet again and see what they advise at his age. Would the female be a puppy or a rescue?

I don't castrate male dogs unless there is a behavioural reason. It can cause issues and raise the chance of a cancer (not in the balls, obviously!) - there is plenty of evidence out there. However, with a bitch around you may well find it is necessary. Although we've had uncastrated males and bitches together without an issue.

We had our male castrated as an emergency operation due to bilateral perineal hernias.

It cost us Thousands and very nearly cost us the dog. All because we didn’t need to have him castrated so didn’t.

I will never take that risk again, ever. It’s 18mths since his surgery and we’re still not over it, it was so traumatic for us as a family. Physically he’s recovered really well but my wife ended up with PTSD from it.

Unless you’re actively breeding from your dog, have him neutered.

Does he mix with lots of dogs on walks - our castrated dog gets frisky round whole dogs for some reason

This risk is extremely low. The other conditions mentioned in the review above a much more common. The safest mode of travel is by plane. Far, far safer than a car. You wouldn't necessarily believe it when you see a plane crash on the news

All my male dogs are castrated. Never had an issue. I would always get it done now - risks are low and benefits outweigh them imo.

I’ve never castrated my dogs - I know too many who have developed behavioural issues as a result of castration. I have the bitches spayed though - phantom pregnancy in bitches is awful.

I wouldn't. It made my dog more anxious.

Hmmm, lots of different opinions on this one! To answer some of your questions, new dog will likely be a pup and, he does meet other dogs on walks, but I wouldn't say he mixes with lots of other dogs.

I have had entire and neutered. In the case of the entire dog, I ended up having to have him neutered at age 11 due to medical issues. He went on until he was 13 which was a good age for a Rotti.

Current is a rescue Labrador who was entire when we got him at age 2. He was neutered not long later and there has been no difference in character, confidence etc. I wanted to avoid any further medical issues, and also, none of the local day care / boarding houses would take an entire dog, so very little option unless I never went on holiday again.

Why don’t you get another dog rather than a bitch? Bringing a bitch in to a house with an un neutered dog sounds like a recipe for disaster.

He can be a bit arsey with other male dogs - not aggressive- but trying to show dominance, for example by standing over them (he's very tall) - he seems more relaxed with bitches and got on very well with the two we had when we got him.

I've never tried putting him in a kennel. He's either come on holiday with us, or a family member has stayed here and looked after him. Interesting to know being entire could be an issue in that case.

I’d do it nowish tbh, he’s well old enough that there shouldn’t be any massive behavioural effects but not so old that surgery could be an issue…and he’d be well over the surgery and hormonal change before a puppy arrived.

And first seasons are a pain to deal with anyway, because they vary so much with when they arrive and how obvious they are without adding an entire male into the mix if you don’t have to.

We debated getting our dog neutered as he could be a bit nervy and waited until he was 3yo (small breed).

There was no increase in anxiety and actually I think he is calmer now, he's definitely better around other dogs. He is also happier around bitches in heat when before he would be unsettled for ages if he met one on a walk.

For us the pros outweighed the cons.

I asked our vet about this for our 8 year old dog. Mainly because castrated dogs seem to hate him.

The vet said thinking has moved on, and they now take more of a 'Scandinavian approach' in avoiding castration wherever possible. Some cancer risk is increased by staying intact but these cancers are generally detected early and are therefore less problematic. Castration increases the risk of other cancers and other issues, which are not as easily spotted and therefore more of a problem.

We have left him in tact.

Our dog goes to a pet sitter that only takes one dog at a time so it doesn't matter that he is intact. But when I was looking for someone, it did rule out quite a few other pet sitters, as another poster said.

Castrating male dogs can bring on so many behavioural issues and health problems, so I'd never do that unless absolutely necessary. In females, on the other hand, spaying decreases the chance of breast cancer and pyometria (uterus infections), and their life expectancy gets longer. So I would probably leave the male dog intact and spay the female after her first heat.

If you decide to neuter your male dog after all, then be sure to try a chemical castration chip first, so you'll be able to assess his behaviour. Some male dogs get fearful (and aggressive) after getting castrated, and this way it can be reversed.

My two year old Labrador is booked in for the end of next month. All mine have been done when fully mature and it has had no negative effects on them physically nor behaviour-wise. Current dog has started to get 'arsey' as a PP has put it, with other entire dogs so it's time for him to wave them goodbye before the behaviour becomes entrenched.

I’ve only ever owned male dogs (40+ years of dog ownership) usually two dogs at a time I’ve never castrated them or ever had any problems in terms of physical health or behaviour all have lived long healthy lives. Mine like yours OP seem to have been asexual🤣🤣. My friend had her lurcher castrated when he was around 2 (now coming up to 3) he was a happy easy going dog but is getting increasingly anxious with other dogs and strangers barking at them I’ve never really thought about having my dogs castrated but having seen this behaviour developing in my friends dog it’s convinced me it’s best not to do it, although I do accept that this may not be the reason for the change in behaviour.

I've done lots of dog sitting and the neutered male dogs are much better behaved and well adjusted compared to the unneutered males. The intact males will generally be dominant over other males (sometimes to the point of fights), way too interested in the females, will be more bossy and disagreeable and will also tend to mark everywhere and I mean everywhere. Some are so frustrated I think it borders on cruelty to leave them that way. I would get a male dog fixed once they are finished growing i.e. once they are mature.

I would get him done without a second thought. I would always neuter any dog I had though, anything else is just irresponsible IMO.

I have had neutered and not neutered males.
Never really noticed a difference. All were / are very good boys.
I wouldn't mind neutering my now male, but I've been strongly advised against since he's an anxious mama's boy and needs his influx of testosterone to make him a functioning individual.

My beautiful dog died from bone cancer aged 6. He was castrated. My current dog is entire and has absolutely no interest in the ladies nor does he display any “macho” behaviours. I saw the vet for a check-up yesterday and he said to just examine his testicles as he gets older 🫢 .