Should Male Dog Be Neutered?

Hi All,

After some advice or first hand experience if possible. I adopted a beautiful tri colour collie from our local pound, he is about a year old if not a bit older but not much. Very full of life and eager to please, best decision I ever made! Now, I'm wondering whether of not to get him neutered? Some conflicting advice I have heard spans from it will settle him down to it will make him fat and complacent. The last thing I would want to do is break his spirit, I have only ever had female dogs before which were always spayed so this is the first dog I have owned and the research I have done on the internet is a bit confusing to say the least.

I understand the logic behind getting them neutered but he will not be allowed to roam, he has a full back garden to himself during working hours and he is walked for at least an hour every day. Basically, does anyone have any advice on whether or not from their own experience this operation has had a negative effect on their dog's behaviour and should I get him 'done'?

All responses greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

LL

I have a male collie/terrier cross who I got from the pound when he was about 2. I had him neutured then. The reason that I had him netured was:
no garden is secure enough if there is a female in heat around. And even if it was, I didn't want the dog to be fustrated when he could smell one but couln't get to one.

He is nine now and along with the nine year old spayed female i have, are both prefectly healthy. No weight problems at all and on the last check up the vet said that he wouldn't have thought the were that age if he hadn't looked at their records.

The only dogs I have seemed, male and female, that have weight and laziness problems after the peration are the dogs that are not walked. The one's that are let out in the morning and left to there own devices (btw this is aganst the law but people still do it)

I think weight gain might happened if you feed them too much and don't excercise them enough. Mostly happens in females.

Neutering is said to prolong the dogs natural life.

I'd certainly be for it. It calms them a little without taking away from them.

I agree with the two posters above. The health benefits of having a dog neutered far outweigh any perceived idea that he will get fat and lazy as a result. I firmly believe that is down to how you "raise" them.

As Blinder said, no garden is secure enough if a female is in heat, I've heard of 13 foot fences being scaled with ease! (remember collies are one of the smartest dogs around). From the wording of your post I'd say he would have ample opportunity as he is largely unsupervised during the day.

I'm surprised the pound let him go without having him neutered or having you sign to say you would do it. When we adopted our collie we had to undertake not to breed from her.

Neuter him -we had a dog as kids that wasn't neutered and it was a nightmare from about 5 yrs old on. He turned nuts when a dog was in heat. He would have chewed ,dug,swam his way out of anything to escape.

We had had all our malde dogs neutered. First time it was to stop him from visiting the neighbours, like that when the dogs in the neighbourhood were in heat he would go crazt, and I mean crazy, and worring sheep with other dogs. Now I see it as the responsible thing to do. Good animal husbandry, dogs dont travel usually if there is no hormonal insentive.

J


J

Re: him beciming lazy my bad back from being pulled on the lead, and all the animals in the neighbourhood that he chases for fun are testiment to the fach that my fella now 3yrs is not lazy. I had him neutered at 6mnths.

I think people tend to think of the animal in the context of humans and that just is not practical. You are your dogs master and you have to act responsibly for the good of your lovely animal, he needs to be fed, loved and cared for and neutoring is essential for his longterm welfare and indeed it will prevent uneanted puppies all over the neighbourhood.

It is the best and most responsible thing to do.

Sorry for the double post I feel very strongly about it.


j

Definitely agree with other posters - get him neutered.

It will prevent him from being frustrated, which is what leads to longer life span (less stress over the lifespan of the dog).

All it takes is one escape for him to mount a female in heat for literally seconds and suddenly there are numerous crossbreed puppies that end up in a pound because no one wants them.

Wont do a thing to his spirit or personality, except allow him not to be sexually frustrated - sexual frustration in male dogs can end up causing anxiety and dominance issues also.

Cant think of any negative effects from neutering at all actually, only positive ones.

Its the most responsible course of action for a dog owner unless they are specifically planning to breed from the dog.

Bubbly Scot said:

I agree with the two posters above. The health benefits of having a dog neutered far outweigh any perceived idea that he will get fat and lazy as a result. I firmly believe that is down to how you "raise" them.

As Blinder said, no garden is secure enough if a female is in heat, I've heard of 13 foot fences being scaled with ease! (remember collies are one of the smartest dogs around). From the wording of your post I'd say he would have ample opportunity as he is largely unsupervised during the day.

I'm surprised the pound let him go without having him neutered or having you sign to say you would do it. When we adopted our collie we had to undertake not to breed from her.

Click to expand...

Many valid points made and all taken aboard but as usual Bubbly Scot hits the nail on the head - love your commonsense approach to situations, always has a ring of truth to them

Will be getting him 'done' so to speak, as other posters said its down to lifestyle and diet rather than a surgical procedure and believe me, that dog gets plenty of excercise!!

As for the pound releasing him without him being neutered, I really don't know why or if it is common practice in the Louth Pound?? They microchipped, vaccinated and wormed him for me - maybe due to lack of funding??? I did sign a form stating he would not be used for commerical breeding or dog fighting - maybe this is the same form?

Many thanks for all replies, helped make up my mind.

Kind regards

LL

Well done Louthlass on giving a pound dog a good home. Great to hear nice stories. Yes I think get him neutered also. Best all round.

I have a foot beagle. He is 11 weeks old. When should I have him neutered?
He is already very excitable and simulating mating actions on mine and other peoples legs.

zyxw said:

I have a foot beagle. He is 11 weeks old. When should I have him neutered?
He is already very excitable and simulating mating actions on mine and other peoples legs.

Click to expand...

Speak to his vet about the most suitable time to have him neutered, advice can vary from breed to breed, 11 weeks sounds very young to be simulating mating actions, and Id be more inclined to think its dominance behaviour as opposed to sexual frustration - however, ask the vet.