Originally Posted by tskinner (Post 2625884)

Roc is trained to go outside and has been for quite a while now, surprisingly eaiser job than I thought it would be, but he is not neutered (since my dh says nobody his touching his manly parts) and he has never marked in the house. He has a great tempermant. I am contemplating getting a female next go around so this is a very interesting post for me.

Originally Posted by QuickSilver (Post 2625855)

I have known many dogs and many people with dogs and I'd never heard of belly bands until I joined YT. I'm sorry, this makes no sense to me. It goes against all my experience, and the experiences of many people here. I have absolutely seen Thor go from marking in my apartment to not doing so, and it was part of potty training. Now, I'm not sure I would trust him in someone else's house, but that's still a training issue I think - I can't practice that enough to know one way or the other, and that would be for peeing AND marking.

I would hate to think that someone would get talked out of getting a male dog because they thought they couldn't control indoor marking. Of course you can.

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ETA: Yeah, I'm not sure how intact males would act around a female in heat, I could certainly see that prompting marking.

Originally Posted by Darlene68 (Post 2625919)

Eeeek! my head is spinning..I never had concerns with previous female dogs, that was the reason for my post. I'm just hoping my little guy will not pee all over my apartment when I receive him..that is my wish! :D

Originally Posted by shell820810 (Post 2625929)

I've just gotten Toby, and am hoping this as well. At the minute I am not intending to neuter him, because I feel that the side effects are worse than the benefits. So I really hope it is something that can be trained out of him, and not instinct.

So far I am noticing him a lot smellier than Millie. We have to wipe his belly (and usually his feet too) everytime he pees. We never had to do this with Millie. And all his beds and toys smell of pee too. Had to wash him and all his belongings yesterday. Having had both, for practicalities, I would prefer a female.

Originally Posted by Marilize (Post 2625589)

I disagree that a dog can't be trained out of marking. I have a male and a female and Cash (male) used to mark everything inside. I couldn't take him into a new house because he would mark everything. I got him neutered and he has never marked inside again. He does lift his leg whenever he pees and he marks outside. He marked me when we went to meet June (totally gross), but he has never marked inside the house again.

With regards to the male vs female discussion, Cash is totally independent, he doesn't really cuddle and although he is an excellent worker, he is also very moody. He gets bitchy with June and if he is angry with me, he will sulk for days. He has good moods and bad moods (in bad moods, he usually retreats to the laundry bin or snaps at June).

Cash has never been affectionate and he only cuddles with me when he is cold - I am happy that winter is here! It took me a long time to warm up to him and him to me. We have a great bond now, but that is thanks to clicker training. He is a great worker and will do anything to hear that 'click'.

Now, June (female) on the other hand is still a puppy, but she is the sweetest little thing ever. She loves to cuddle, wants to be near you the whole time and is way more affectionate. She is also well on her way to being clicker trained.

I think it depends on personality since I searched a long time to get a puppy like June. I already had an independent dog and wanted to get a cuddly, sweet little thing and I found her. She is still very young, but she has a submissive, yet spunky personality and I am falling in love with the little rascal. I turned down a lot of cute puppies because I was set on not having an independent dog again.

I know it may change as she gets older, but she is way more sensitive than Cash ever was and she is so eager to please. The rest is just learned behaviour.

Originally Posted by shell820810 (Post 2625929)

I've just gotten Toby, and am hoping this as well. At the minute I am not intending to neuter him, because I feel that the side effects are worse than the benefits. So I really hope it is something that can be trained out of him, and not instinct.

So far I am noticing him a lot smellier than Millie. We have to wipe his belly (and usually his feet too) everytime he pees. We never had to do this with Millie. And all his beds and toys smell of pee too. Had to wash him and all his belongings yesterday. Having had both, for practicalities, I would prefer a female.

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2625954)

I would like to know what side effects you're talking about. When I grew up, we had a darling little chihuahua, he was not neutered, because of this, he ran out the front door when the neighbors female was in heat, and was hit by a car, this was very traumatic for myself and my 3 siblings, then when I was in my early 20's, My mom and dads dog almost froze to death, because he was not neutered and when they let him out to use the bathroom, same thing, except it was bitter cold out(up in Illinois) and he almost froze to death. They went out looking for him for 2 hours finally found him almost dead, why, again, a female dog in heat. Ever since then, Mom has had 2 male dogs and some females, and everyone of them have been neutered, she had a very hard time with what happened both of those times. I feel myself, it's much better for them to be neutered, and I could sit down and write pros and cons, and could come up with a lot more pros on them being neutered than cons.

Originally Posted by mizzwanned (Post 2625945)

oh yea Teddy is a lot smellier too! The girls never smell bad, in fact Sophie always smelled like a baby but because when Teddy pees it gets on his belly he gets smelly.

Originally Posted by phfgkl (Post 2625897)

How old is your little guy? The thing is, when they're not neutered, they are more apt to get certain cancers, they are more likely to run out of the house(and can get hurt by bigger dogs, or get run over by cars when a female(they can smell a mile away) is in heat, so, therefore, they are better pets when neutered. How old is your little guy? He may be too young to start marking, but, it can happen. Not to sound mean, I would not own a male dog that wasn't neutered(jmo). I have one male, he was neutered the day after I got him at 5 1/2 mos.

Originally Posted by tskinner (Post 2626000)

He is two. I have no problems with neutering him. It is my dh that does. It is a man thing.