change of behaviour post neuturing?

[Boogie]

I haven’t worried about the neutering of any of our pups, or Tatze. Two of the girls were done at 6 months, Mollie and Tatze after their first season and all three boys at around 10 months old.

All have been fine. The only difference I’ve seen on the boys is a lessening in humping.

 

[edzbird]

Neutered Coco rarely humps. He has 2 dogs that hump him - Meg(!) - neutered female & Alaska - un-neutered female. He sits down as soon as they start. Sometimes he will hump Meg...we have to stop it straight away, not a pretty sight.

 

[kateincornwall]

Never noticed any change in my girls or boys post neutering either . I havent any plans to have Reuben castrated , he hasnt humped anything so far , theres time I guess but castration isnt something I want to even think about x

 

[SwampDonkey]

Rory is entire and hardly ever humps he humps less than my neutered dog. Both are really calm and not really interested in humping

 

[Anne123]

Finn is neutered when he was 18 month. We had to because otherwise he couldn’t go to the dogwalker or to the kennels while we were on holiday. I didn’t want to let him undergo this, but the pressure was too strong....
Finn was and is a nervous dog. That in combination with his neutering made that he is more nervous and his reactivity increased......We didn’t have other dogs to have a go at him though!

 

[M.F.]

Snowie is intact at 7 years old. He’s a very confident and friendly dog. There is strong evidence that being intact protects a dog against certain cancers. Even though Snowie is impossible around on-heat, preheat, and postheat bitches, I’d not have him castrated. He is humped by some dogs. Usually he couldn’t care less, just stands there and does nothing. If the intent is aggression, he’ll stiffen up and might growl, but he’s seldom mounted for anything other than over excitement of the other dog. He also humps other dogs when he’s over excited, and he is a pain when this happens. But in the general scheme of things, I don’t see it as a reason to have him castrated. I’m pleased I managed to resist the intense pressure to have him castrated when he was as young as six months—from our then vet, doggy daycare, and the general public! Our current vet never comments about his balls.

 

[MellowYellow]

Merlin is my fourth male dog. I have never had one castrated (except Bones was chipped once for health reasons), and I would not consider doing so, other than out of medical necessity. None of them were sex mad or aggressive, I never saw any reason to neuter them.

 

[Charlie]

Charlie was neutered when he came from the rescue centre. He very, very rarely humps. This is the one reason I could never buy a male puppy as this subject is far too controversial and worrying for me. I would however, I think get a male rescue as the decision has been made for me. I know I'm a coward! xx

 

[MellowYellow]

I really don't understand the reasoning why anyone would have a healthy and unproblematic dog neutered, just as a matter of course. I've never understood it. Of course there are valid medical reasons why in certain cases it needs to be done, but honestly as far as I can see the main reasons male dogs are neutered are partly peer pressure, partly out of a false belief that this will make an 'easier' dog, and partly because day care centers and kennels often will only take neutered dogs. Male dogs have to learn that humping is just not allowed - removing their testicles is a drastic way to do this.

 

[Anne123]

I really don't understand the reasoning why anyone would have a healthy and unproblematic dog neutered, just as a matter of course. I've never understood it. Of course there are valid medical reasons why in certain cases it needs to be done, but honestly as far as I can see the main reasons male dogs are neutered are partly peer pressure, partly out of a false belief that this will make an 'easier' dog, and partly because day care centers and kennels often will only take neutered dogs. Male dogs have to learn that humping is just not allowed - removing their testicles is a drastic way to do this.

With Euan there was a medical reason. His testicles were in his belly. The temperature is too high there and therefore higher risk that they would be become problematic.
With Finn, yes the pressure from outside....

 

[Boogie]

It’s simple for Guide Dogs. They can’t have working dogs in season (imagine a season at the office ) and they can’t have intact boys distracted. I say it’s a weight off their minds

They neuter 1,400 pups a year with no ill effects.
.

 

[MellowYellow]

I think Guide Dogs are a special case, Mags. We're talking about pet dogs, mainly.

 

[Jen]

My decision was for daycare.

I had a choice - get him neutered and he could go to daycare or keep him intact and have him alone for quite long periods.

I thought the second option was more likely to cause more harm in the long term so we got him neutered. I’m not sure if his dog walker requires her dogs to be neutered.

I don’t know what I would do with another dog, would probably depend on the care situation at the time. I would definitely get a female spayed though without a doubt.

 

[Boogie]

I’ve never looked back since I was neutered myself, due to severe anaemia and needing many blood transfusions (full hysterectomy including ovaries and cervix). I’ve honestly never felt better - I wish I’d had it done ten years earlier.

I think this has coloured my view!

 

[MellowYellow]

I’ve never looked back since I was neutered myself, due to severe anaemia and needing many blood transfusions (full hysterectomy including ovaries and cervix). I’ve honestly never felt better - I wish I’d had it done ten years earlier.

I think this has coloured my view!

There you are then, a good medical reason!!!

No, in all seriousness I completely get there are perfectly good reasons to neuter a male dog, and to spay a female dog. I'm just not a fan of the blanket practice of neutering, without there being a proper reason for it. I think that owners often aren't given the choice, or given all the information beforehand in order to make an informed choice.

 

[snowbunny]

I am with @MellowYellow and it makes me wince when people talk about “irresponsible owners” who keep their dogs entire. Well, “livid” would be more accurate.
I think my view has been coloured by the fact I take real offence at people being manipulated into making what should be a big decision by social pressure and downright lies. I will fully admit that has put my back up and turned me more “anti-neuter” than I would likely otherwise be.

We’re make or break to some extent right now because Ginny is “in season” - started just before holidays, wonderful! - and so we need to see how Shadow manages with that. For those who don’t remember, Ginny has scars which show she has been spayed, so has a suspected ovarian fragment remaining in her body. These can travel, reattach, and trigger the hormone changes that simulate a season. She is swollen and flirty. She obviously can’t become pregnant, but I don’t want Shadow to be stressed by it, and I don’t want him trying to hump her which could obviously hurt her, as her back end isn’t massively strong.
Right now, he’s not showing any interest. Long may that continue! But if he does, we will have to re-evaluate what is best for all the dogs.

 

[Leanne]

I really don't understand the reasoning why anyone would have a healthy and unproblematic dog neutered, just as a matter of course. I've never understood it. Of course there are valid medical reasons why in certain cases it needs to be done, but honestly as far as I can see the main reasons male dogs are neutered are partly peer pressure, partly out of a false belief that this will make an 'easier' dog, and partly because day care centers and kennels often will only take neutered dogs. Male dogs have to learn that humping is just not allowed - removing their testicles is a drastic way to do this.

No judgement here then!
For the record I researched and made my own decision for Mas on what I felt was the right choice.

 

[snowbunny]

No judgement here then!
For the record I researched and made my own decision for Mas on what I felt was the right choice.

I’m pretty sure Karen wasn’t suggesting you’d made the decision lightly (although I shouldn’t speak for her!), and that reasons like daycare for @Jen et al are all part of the considerations that have to be made. I’m anti-neuter when it’s done without any thought. Absolutely not when it’s a real decision as opposed to “it’s what you do”. I’ve said before that, although I looked into it before I had Willow spayed at 6.5 months, I regret it in hindsight. But, at the time, it was what I thought was the best option. I also had Luna spayed, and I honestly agonised over that. I’m still not 100% I made the best choice, but you do what you think is best for your whole family at the time. I don’t think anyone here would question that you did what you think was the right thing, and that’s all we can ever do for our pups

 

[Lisa]

Attitudes are very different here. The vast majority of dogs/bitches are spayed/neutered as a matter of course. It’s recommended by the vet and not much discussion goes on about the pro/cons of it...or at least not much about the cons.

I’ve had all three of my dogs neutered, and never saw any changes in behaviour, etc. I would likely do it again if we had another male dog but I would look into it a little more carefully.

 

[MellowYellow]

No judgement here then!
For the record I researched and made my own decision for Mas on what I felt was the right choice.

I’m sure you did research it @Leanne and did what you thought was best. Please also note my other comment, before you think I am too judgmental:

No, in all seriousness I completely get there are perfectly good reasons to neuter a male dog, and to spay a female dog. I'm just not a fan of the blanket practice of neutering, without there being a proper reason for it. I think that owners often aren't given the choice, or given all the information beforehand in order to make an informed choice.