What's the best way to tell a good but very traditional dog owning friend that I think it's s mistake to have her 7 month old flighty Collie pup castrated.
What's.....
- Thread starter SwampDonkey
- Start date
I reckon gentle, friendly interrogation. If she hears her reasons out loud, it might make her a bit more open to other options.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
If she is set on having her dog castrated , then maybe have a chat about her delaying the operation until puppy is fully grown ? Also tell her that castration is not the answer to most behavioral issues , it might just influence any humping issues but it might not do ! x
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Hmm.... I think getting her to chat about her reasons and what she hopes to achieve by doing so at this age, but give a way in.
Link her to the studies about early neuter and bone cancer. I just saw on a fb group I’m on about a gorgeous, sweet 7-yo lab just diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The owner is devastated. While it’s impossible to know what caused the cancer in that case, those studies provide enough evidence to make you rethink an early neuter at 7 months. You could also suggest that she gives herself time to think about it, not rush into a one-way decision. She could try a chemical castration if she’s adamant, to see if it makes a difference, before making a final decision.
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Could you give her your reasons Sarah as to why you're not having Iver castrated? Might get the conversation started about the reasons on both sides of the issue. xx
That's just it Kate he's not humping or anything that I would class as anything other than a 7 month old pup. She seems to think it will make him behave
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Oh dear, a lost cause then ? It will most likely make him nervous and fearful , poor little thing x
That's just it Kate he's not humping or anything that I would class as anything other than a 7 month old pup. She seems to think it will make him behave
I know Im very worried. It seems to be thats what we do at 7 months off with his balls. He'll be stuck as he is now emotionally.
- Location
- South Wales
"Do you know, there's been a lot of research in the last ten years into the effects of castration, and you'd be amazed! Turns out that it doesn't do any of the things we thought it did...in fact it can do the very opposite! I know, I know..... I'd never have believed it myself but these days everyone pretty much agrees. Gosh, who knew, eh?"
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Thats very interesting @Rosie must do some reading up now x Read the post wrong !
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- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
I must say, it remains a mystery to me as to why it ever became the done thing.
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
Yes, I think that's probably what I would say to her too.
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
No she always gets her dog neutered at this age. I tried
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Male Guide Dogs are neutered between eight and eleven months old. I haven’t seen any ill effects for them, either the pups I have raised or friends Guide Dogs. They have to be very confident and ‘bomb proof’ - but I don’t know if any long term study has been done with them in this regard.
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- Location
- Andorra and Spain
It’s well documented that there are negative impacts on health for early neuter (and, in some cases, neutering at any age) but this is very breed dependent. For example, in GRs, there is a five-fold increase in joint diseases in neutered dogs; in Labs, it’s two-fold. In GRs, there is a significant increase in a swathe of cancers, but the same isn’t true in Labs.
This article is quite a balanced summary of some of the research: AKC Canine Health Foundation
As it states, with such differences in results between breeds, gender, age of spay/neuter etc, there really is no “one size fits all” answer.
This article is quite a balanced summary of some of the research: AKC Canine Health Foundation
As it states, with such differences in results between breeds, gender, age of spay/neuter etc, there really is no “one size fits all” answer.
- Location
- East Sussex
That's an interesting report, thanks @snowbunny
The trouble with having her dog castrated is that it's a one-way ticket - there is no re-attachment procedure if (when?!) she sees no difference in behaviour.
Might she be persuaded to have a drug-induced trial run? That way, at least, if (when) there is no change in behaviour she can simply stop giving the drugs.
Might she be persuaded to have a drug-induced trial run? That way, at least, if (when) there is no change in behaviour she can simply stop giving the drugs.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
The question I have with the chemical castration (and I've not spent any time looking into it because it's not something that's affected me) is whether it has the same (potentially detrimental) medical and physical consequences as surgical castration? Once day I'll look into it but my gut tells me that it would likely have the same deleterious affects when used at a young age.