To neuter or not to neuter

[jshowe]

The boys were suppose to get neutered today....you can read my other post re: Isoflorane gas and find out that they didn't get it done.

Heres my question: Advantages to having it done ?

I have always had female dogs. Having them spayed was never a question. Didn't want to chance the puppy thing so they were spayed. So, with the boys - what advantages are there really? I have noticed that they are becoming a littel more aggressive with each other...will this stop if they are neutered ?

What about the humping. Does this stop too - I thought they did this whether they were neutered or not.

I have heard they won't lift their leg if they are neutered - but Max never has lifted his leg and Milo does occasionally. This is no big deal but just heard that too.

So, any thoughts? They both need some puppy teeth pulled so putting them through the whole anesthesia thing is going to have to happen anyway.
just thought I would get some opinions.

Thanks everyone !

[orinskye]

MARKING......... male dogs tend to "mark" their territory even if it is over YOUR clothes, belongings, HOUSE........ this is the NUMBER ONE reason i nuetered toby........ toby never lifted his leg either, and he doesnt hump anymore either .;...lol..... only his "favorite" people

[PinkMartini]

Neutering lessens the risk of developing testicular cancer in male dogs. We lost our APBT last year to testicular cancer (my fiance never got him neutered) and our vet assured us that he would've never gotten it if he'd been neutered. Here's a few articles discussing the pros/cons of spaying/neutering:

http://petplace.netscape.com/article...asp?artid=3376

http://www.littleriverlabs.com/neuter.htm

http://www.shadowcats.net/Humane_Edu...y_spay_and.htm

I own 2 male dogs that are being shown and so they aren't neutered. Neither of them have bad habits normally associated with 'intact males.' They do mark, but only outside. They do not 'hump' or 'stray'. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule and I feel my 2 are. On the other hand, if they weren't being shown, they would be neutered. Good luck making the decision.

[orinskye]

Originally Posted by PinkMartini

our vet assured us that he would've never gotten it if he'd been neutered. :

geez that is nice of him, as if you didnt feel bad enough that your dog died, he had to make it out like it was YOUR fault......

[rrosenberry]

Marking!! that was my bigee... I was so worried about him starting that, I know unneutred male yorkies, and its true, everytime they bring in something new, bags, groceries, etc, he marks them.
Also the aggression thing.
the sooner the better on getting them fixed, to curb the marking ( inside).
He still pees on every tree and post outside, but thats ok,, I just dont want it INSIDE!

[PinkMartini]

Originally Posted by orinskye

geez that is nice of him, as if you didnt feel bad enough that your dog died, he had to make it out like it was YOUR fault......

Yea, as much as it hurt to find that out, it was true. I didn't know my fiance when he first got Jake (he was 4 when I met him) and if he would've gotten him fixed when he first got him, he wouldn't have developed cancer

[orinskye]

Originally Posted by PinkMartini

Yea, as much as it hurt to find that out, it was true. I didn't know my fiance when he first got Jake (he was 4 when I met him) and if he would've gotten him fixed when he first got him, he wouldn't have developed cancer

i still think that is awful to "rub it in"........ after something like that youre mind races with "what ifs" and it is horrible for a vet to tell you that IF you did such and such he would have lived, that just makes you feel worse than you did before.............

[Mystify79]

One of the best things that came out of neutering Tuffy was that he became a lot more lovable. He just HATED cuddling up with me pre-neuter; he absolutely refused to sit still and be petted or picked up anything.. he was his own man. But after the neuter he just became a total cuddlebug and he's a LOT calmer than he was before.

[centralnewyorki]

What I don't understand is if so many dogs get cancer if they're not altered, why do dogs have to be intact to show? I would think that AKC, etc. would take this into consideration and change their policies. Or have I misunderstood, and dogs don't need to be intact to show?

[orinskye]

Originally Posted by centralnewyorki

What I don't understand is if so many dogs get cancer if they're not altered, why do dogs have to be intact to show? I would think that AKC, etc. would take this into consideration and change their policies. Or have I misunderstood, and dogs don't need to be intact to show?

maybe the people that show their dogs are also "parading" them as potential breeding material...... and dogs from "champion" lines always cost an arm a leg and a first born.........

[PinkMartini]

Originally Posted by centralnewyorki

What I don't understand is if so many dogs get cancer if they're not altered, why do dogs have to be intact to show? I would think that AKC, etc. would take this into consideration and change their policies. Or have I misunderstood, and dogs don't need to be intact to show?

No, you haven't misunderstood. Conformation showing requires the dogs to be intact. The point of conformation showing is to evaluate breeding stock. I'm not too familiar with the other events (Flyball; agility; obedience; ect) so I'm not sure if you can enter an altered dog into those shows, maybe someone here knows

[centralnewyorki]

Originally Posted by PinkMartini

No, you haven't misunderstood. Conformation showing requires the dogs to be intact. The point of conformation showing is to evaluate breeding stock. I'm not too familiar with the other events (Flyball; agility; obedience; ect) so I'm not sure if you can enter an altered dog into those shows, maybe someone here knows

Does everyone who shows a dog show for the purpose of evaluating breeding stock? Doesn't anyone just show to show?

[jshowe]

thanks everyone.

I think we are going to go ahead and have the boys done in a couple of weeks.

I think it will be best for them.

THANKS

[Twinkle]

I'd deffinately nueture if you aren't planning on breeding. It's much safer. There's less chance of a male dog going walk about to spread his seed so to speak and they're much happier after as they don't have other doggies on their minds. Sometimes females can have phantom pregnancies where they actually think they're pregnant, their tummies grow and their little boobies leak milk as if they are. This usually leaves them with heartbreak when no babies come. My Gran's Poodle had three phantom pregnancies and the last time she died of a broken heart.

Also being neutered cuts their chances of developing cancer almost in half. I was too scared to have my babies done but both my cats are, Bonnie is and Millie will be soon. It's scary to put them through it but seriously if you could see Bonnie after it, it might just persuade you too. She's 8 and had it done two months ago the day after she was trying to bounce around. She's got a lot more energy she's eating more and she's full of life. She is like a puppy all over again and I swear it's adding 10 years to her life as she was depressed and slept all the time before she had it done.

[lilbumbleybees]

Neutering can help a lot with the aggression. It also depends on how old they are too. Ive seen older babies who get neutured and the aggression doesnt tame down as much. but when done as a puppy, it can make a HUGE difference. Also, if you have a problem with them marking in your house, neuturing helps to stop that. As to lifting their legs when they pee, that just depends on them, Bounce has always lifted hi leg (hes not neutered), but yesterday in FL he peed like a girl! Grass was to tall or funny for him I guess. Anyways, point being, it just depends on the dog and them personally. As for the humping, no clue. lol I would assume it would stop just because the parts arent there. haha Hope some of that helps!