Should I neuter or not?

[LoveBug]

I read that Yorkie's don't take to well to being put to sleep.
I would die if I lost Caesar.
I had an appointment to get him neutered this morning and didn't go.
He will be 6 mo old April 15th.

I am not sure that I would ever want to breed him. I read that if you do breed them then they will drive you crazy for the rest of your life wanting to breed again.

Now how about them raising their leg on everything in your house.

Do most breeders kennel their Yorkies that are for breeding and only keep the others as house pets?
I just can't imagine that is true 100%.

So are there any breeders out there that have male Yorkies that stay in the house? do you have the problem of them raising their leg on everything?

Also are there owners (none breeders) that have male Yorkies that have never been breed that raise their leg?
Is this just a behavior that can be controlled?
Caesar started raising his leg outside about a month ago. Hasn't in the house yet and he is paper trained. So the only time he goes out is for walks and to play. He is raising his leg outside more often than a month ago.
I just wanted to think that he knows his house isn't for that and will continue to squat in the house.
Thanks for any help.

[orinskye]

you could tie their back legs together losely so theycan still walk and this will stop the lifting of the leg........lol.......jk,
I had toby neutered and he did FINE, he was 6lbs then

[Gale]

Well hi there, I am not a breeder, but I have a almost 9 month old yorkie name Nemo, and he slowly started lifting his leg up here and there, and now it is eveywhere, I did not even know that he was lifting in the house until recently, because I never seen him do it, but I was finding pee in odd places by my trash can, up against a wall, and i noticed that after I mopped it would still smell like pee, and I starting paying closer attention, and I caught him one day peeing on a basket of clean clothes, and I like to have had a fit so needless to say right now he isn't getting much free run around time, just can't have my things full of pee, and smelling pissy all the time, I just recently have been having an easier time with potty training, but he still is marking everywhere even outside he lifts on everything, but he is going to be fixed....his appointment is on the 18th of this month.....I have also heard that once you breed them it gets worse (the marking thing)....so I can't offer any advice really just my experience with Nemo leg lifting.....

Good luck!!!
Gale

[kp&nala]

i would say you should get him neutered but this only from my personal experience.we have a rat terrier/shih zu (sp?) mix. we "rescued" him from the cold and now he lives with us. we have caught him numerous times hiking his leg up on furnitue, but what is even worse is we also found out numerous times that he's peed on the furniture after he already did it which means it's even harder to clean!! he is house broken but he still marks his territory. i've heard people say that once they've learned to do this even after they are neutered they may still mark their territory. we are planning to get him neutered but the bills come first, lol.

[DomLee]

My yorkie has been neutered.

It's funny though. His behavior/personality has changed since the neutering.

Prior to surgery (at roughly 9 months of age)...he was becoming very aggressive at marking his territory. Would want to fall asleep on the couch at night (he liked the couch) or he would fall asleep in our pile of clothes on the floor...like a pair of jeans or something. He was a bit defiant w/ me...which was a little frustrating for me.

Immediately post surgery...he was a bit slow. Obviously a bit groggy...but he was okay.

Post surgery after recovery, he became the sweetest cuddle bug ever!!! He was sooo attached to me and my gf. He would go to sleep at night on our bed next to us. He doesn't mark his territory as much...just once in awhile.

I'm not saying that the neutering was the sole cause for his change in personality...but my gf and I have talked about this. If he was as sweet as he is now back then...we would've had a much harder time deciding to neuter him or not.

He has never raised his leg inside the house (pre and post surgery). He knows better. His territory marking has always been done outside.

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

That is such a personal decision and one that I am struggling with now because I have 2 LB FEMALE that I have no intenetion of breeding but the BREEDER actually advised aginst ever having her spayed due to her small size!! When I asked the vet, they said the health risks for females in later life are greater if they aren't spayed.

I think I will eventally do it, but she will have to be bigger and I will have a vet that is very experienced with spaying small dogs, uses isoflourene only nad has plenty of assistants to monitor my baby while he is doing the surgery. I have heard that some vets do the surgery alone to save costs!! There needs to be at least one other person there to monitor the anexthesia and the dogs vitals at all times. I want the latest equipment too, so I would ask for a tour of the surgical facility.

JMHO

[klogan]

Stomper was neutered a few weeks ago - only 4 months old. He did just fine. No problems at all.

he vet told us not to feed him the night we brought him home and he would probably get sick. Stomper did not get sick and he was so hungry that I ended up feeding him. By the next day...he was his regular playful self.

We had no plans to breed him, heard it helps calm them down and would help them from getting the "urge" (if you know what I mean).

I hear that many dog rescues neuter the dogs at just 8 weeks!

[LoveBug]

He is such a love bug (my user name) now. He is hyper but I thought all were. So far he hasn't done anything to make me say Oh we are going today.
For me it is more why do it just because that is what "you are suppose to do".
I read a few post and thought oh I will just have to do it and then another post or two and then I read another or two and think well maybe I won't.

I am very please that so many responded and thank you all for your post.

I have to take a trip out of town at the end of April and will take him with me so I will see how he is after we get back. He will be 7 months old May 15 and I will need to make a decision by then. But it is glad to know that some are fixed by 6 mo, 7 mo and even 9 mo.
So I know I haven't waited too long by not going this morning.
I did ask my breeder for recommendations on where to go after I read how they can be so sensitive to being put to sleep. She had a 3 lbs female that she sold and highly recommended her vet. So she is the one that I will go with.
She lets you bring them in early Monday morning. She does them first and lets you pick them up that evening. She has done numerous Yorkies. So he is between 5 & 6 lbs. now and will be even bigger in a month.
So again thanks for all the input. I will keep you all posted on the date (when I decide) and let you all know how he does.

Thanks again

[whispersmom2]

I have had Yorkies of all ages and sizes spayed/neutered and dentals. I have not had ONE problem. It is a personal decision but one that I would advise you learn all you can and then have it done unless you are totally against it.
Does your vet do a blood panel before anesthetizing the dog? Do they have an OR tech or vet whose only job during surgery is to monitor the dog and its vitals and amt of anes has/is being administered? Is there a trained person there overnight to keep an eye on your baby?
My heart of hearts Jesse had dentals and neutering and had not one single problem. I left him there over night but it was as much a prevention as a necessity. He was not a healthy little guy and would stop eating at the drop of a hat. I felt he needed the iv's overnight.. I took chopped chicken in the evening and he ate a bit after midnight. BUT, next morning he scarfed it up..I knew then I had made the right decision..

[bunnyrhae]

omg had to say you live 20mins from my mother. small world.

[Boolala]

Hi, just went through this with Gino. He was a little over 6 mos. old (now 7 1/2 mos) Wanted to say that i cried my eyes out when I left him but he did just fine. He was and still is just 3 lbs. and he spent the night and he did fine with recovery. Not groggy nor listless the following day. I was worse then he was. It was just a bit hard keeping him from running around. I have heard that by neutering it will keep them healthier and help with the leg lifting. So far so good. Lifts a little bit when he pees but not to high up. By the way we still use wee wee pads. Good luck on your decision.

[LoveBug]

Where does your mom live? Does she have Yorkies?
Not trying to get too personal but I am sure we don't have much to worry about on this site. Everyone seems so nice.

[yorkiegal]

i was the most worried anyone could be about neutering my babies... however, i did research, talked to the vets, talked to people on this forum, and came to the conclusion that it was the healthiest and best thing for both to be neutered. my charlie is only 3.5 lbs (actually he gained 1/2 a lb recently - yay!), so i was very concerned about his tiny size and the risks of anesthetics and surgery... i have to say it was the most nerve-wracking day of my life dropping both dogs off at the vet to have the procedure done... however, they came through it fine. charlie was very groggy due to pain meds, but he was back to normal the next day. i took them home after the procedure and kept them in separate crates overnight.

if you trust your vet, if you do your research, then everything will be okay. young healthy dogs do fine with the surgery. getting the pre-op bloodwork done is important and making sure your vet uses a safe, gas anesthetic is important.

my dogs are back to themselves now and i'm glad i had it done. but it's totally normal to worry!!!! i worried so much! however, there really wasn't anything to worry about in the end... good luck with your decision!

[Babbie]

Mojo never lifted his leg inside the house...Also my rescue chihuahua (3 yrs old) is totally housebroken, he will mark his territory outside only...Mojo doesn't "mark"...just lifts his leg a little bit. I guess i was pretty lucky (twice!!!)

Now as per neutering, i am totally in support of it not only for control of pet population but for the advantages it brings to our babies lives...so good lucky making you decision!!

[PinkMartini]

Neither of my dogs have ever been bred, nor are they neutered (I'm showing one and hope to be able to show the 2nd) but they both live inside the house and neither have EVER marked inside. Dozer is almost 14 months old and he marks anything & everything he can - OUTSIDE and Bailey's only 4 months old and doesn't yet have any testicles, so I'm not sure how high his 'marking' urge is, but he doesn't.

I wrote a lengthy response to an earlier thread regarding the health benefits of spaying/neutering. Do some research. Look at the pros/cons of neutering and then decide what's in the best interest of your dog...