Feeling abit funny right now...

Well, Troy had an operation about a month ago to remove some eye lashes that were growing backwards and irritating his eyes causing infections.

Well now he needs to go for ANOTHER operation to cut the bottom of his eyelids as they are folding inwards and damaging his eye. If this wasn't done, apparently overtime it would damage the eye and he would lose it.

What I am feeling funny about it that I have agreed to have him castrated at the same time, which as a bloke is making me feeling a bit funny.

Now the reasons I have agreed to have it done is really just on behavioral grounds and to stop the possibility of him roaming and the development of aggressiveness though he has NEVER gone for anyone or bit anyone and I don't THINK he ever would be there are some little things he does sometimes I am not 100% happy with.

I am NOT under the impression it will completely calm him down or stop any problems developing but know it could help and is only once piece of the puzzle including training etc.

I haven't started this thread to start another debate on castration but just to let me feelings out as I am not even sure if I am doing the right thing and feel a bit bad about it!

Thanks for reading.

Awww, I hope Troy's eyes are ok after this op ><

Poor men, they don't like it when you mention getting a dog done!

I had Tyson done when he was just over 6 months. He never had any problems, not aggressive or anything before hand and was in training classes as soon as he could start, but after he did get DA but only with some dogs not all. He was a nervous dog anyway (we had him from 6 weeks so I always put it down to leaving his mum too early) and I think that is what caused most of his DA. I don't know if it is something that would have happened anyway or if it was brought on by neutering him but with Buster I am not getting him done untill he is at least 2, if at all as I don't want to risk it happening again.

I'm not wanting to start a debate - just telling you my experience. Each dog is different and only the owners can decide what is best. TBH Buster isn't even slightly nervous so I don't think that getting him done would make any difference to him anyway, but after last time I would rather wait.

Troy has great temperament with other dogs except for constant humping and some possessiveness over toys.

He is almost 2 years old (September) and I believe around 2 years is a good age to get them 'done'.

It's completely up to, I had a similar dilema a few weeks ago, Vet recommended to have Mia spayed that week to sort out some lady problems, but I was of the opinion that it wasn't really a good time for it, I had her done in the end after weighing up all the pro's and con's/

One think I would say is that once it is done then there's no going back.

Also is Troy completely over all his nervousness and anxienty now?

Thanks for your reply.

It's a little different and could be deemed as more beneficial for bitches though from what the vet was explaining?

In regards to his nervousness and anxiety, 99% yeah! He does not poop or pee in the house at all when left a lone etc. He no longer sleeps in my room but on the second floor in his crate. Never makes a sound on a night. He follows me around the house still but will not follow me on occasions, like if I am in the basement or he is otherwise distracted..usually with a Kong with treats in LOL.

He also is used to my neighbours cats now! He will be in the garden with them and just ignore them or stare at them, doesn't moan or try to pull towards them..he just wants to go for his walk. He still tries to chase other cats but seems to know which are my neighbours are which are not.

He has made huge improvements

Good to hear he's settled so well, sounds like he's doing great!!

From an anxiety point of view, I would say maybe let him stay entire a bit longer, just to keep his confidence up.

I'm only going by what I was told at Battersea though when I was looking at getting a male as a rescue, they told me to keep him entire for a few months to let him settle and gain his confidence.

Others may have better information than this though!

Well I have had him for 4 months already and he has improved greatly. He is left out of his crate when I am at work etc and doesn't chew anything etc.

Hmmm. I won't go into the old debate yet again!

Getting him castrated won't stop him from becoming aggressive - if he isn't aggressive now, then he's unlikely to become it. It may stop him following a bitch in season's scent, but some neutered dogs and bitches will be fascinated by the scent anyway.

I'm of the opinion that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you're happy with how he is, why take the chance of changing it?

It's entirely up to you, but if you're not entirely comfortable with it then don't do it. Once it's done, it's done but if you don't do it now, then you can always change your mind ata later date.

Hoping all goes well with Troys second op on the eye lid, sounds fascinating do you have any pics ?

As for the other op this is entirely down to you alone. Rocky was already done by the rescue centre when we got him.

You really have been through it with him! I really hope the op on his eye goes smoothly >< and he other thing is your choice Xx

I don't neuter at all, no benefits in it for me.

However 2 years old is definitely a good age to wait before neutering i'd never consider it before at least that age

Gee, you have done an amazing job with Troy. Well done to you. The choice is yours and yours alone. All I know is that neutering is recommened by many experienced professionals if you have no intention of showing or using him for stud.

There is a great deal of information regarding the pros and cons on the net and I am sure yourvet will be in a position to guide you through this decision.

We got our old staff done when he was 3 or 4 I think I can't remember now it was a long time ago.anyway he was still aggressive with dogs,still hyper around people,he put on weight and it changed his character.when we told the vet he hadn't calmed down he said it's because he's a staff you'd have to take half his brain out!exact words.I've heard it's best to get them done when they're pups but that's just opinions.but following my experience I would think very carefully,because I don't think it's worth it and wont do it again.

No it isn't best to get them done as a pup, that doesn't give them time to mature.

Personally i'd never neuter unless medically needed, and never before 2 years old

ella wrote:No it isn't best to get them done as a pup, that doesn't give them time to mature.

Personally i'd never neuter unless medically needed, and never before 2 years old

Caryll wrote:Hmmm. I won't go into the old debate yet again!

Getting him castrated won't stop him from becoming aggressive - if he isn't aggressive now, then he's unlikely to become it. It may stop him following a bitch in season's scent, but some neutered dogs and bitches will be fascinated by the scent anyway.

I'm of the opinion that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you're happy with how he is, why take the chance of changing it?

It's entirely up to you, but if you're not entirely comfortable with it then don't do it. Once it's done, it's done but if you don't do it now, then you can always change your mind ata later date.

Good points. Can you elaborate on it not stopping him from becoming aggressive? This appears to be the view point of the vet for getting done. He said since the dangerous dogs act that attacks have dropped a lot and this has a direct corolation to castration. So basically since more people got their dogs done the amount of dog attacks went down.

I don't know if there is any truth in this. He also suggested it can stop them from 'turning' later down the line.

The only things Troy does / has done that bother me are:

Possesiveness over toys / hairs raising on end when playing with a toy and running off with it / sometimes snapping at other dogs over toys (rare).

I think all these things are just dogs being dogs though and can be corrected with training? The vet kind of got in my head to be honest, I'm completely changing my mind now and never intended to do it anyway!

Oh and his hair raising up I think is just excitement, he has never snapped at anyone and always goes to grab the toy etc, never your hand. He does growl sometimes when there are new visitors or if you sort of cuddle him (not with me though).

I don't like the thought of his personality changing at all.

In regards to the growling, he is a very vocal dog. Always moaning, snorting, growling when playing, you name it. I dnot believe he is growling out if aggression but something else. Playing, excitement etc.

Castration won't stop aggressiveness. It may calm a dog down a bit, but testosterone doesn't make a dog attack anything (unless there's an in season bitch around & two un neutered males vying for her attention!).

If there's any correlation between attacks dropping & castrations then it's a coincidence. If that were the case, then why have there been so many attacks in recent months? Not all of the dogs involved in the attacks were entire males.

Neither will testosterone make a dog aggressive in the future. If a dog has inherited good temperament, and it's brought up properly it won't turn. In fact as an entire male matures it very often starts to calm down from the age of about 2 - 3 years old. As it matures it becomes more self confident & far more even tempered.

Again, possessiveness isn't caused by the old gonads. With Troy, it's probably because he never really got played with & the toys are a real revelation to him so he doesn't want to share! Training will bring him round. In fact most of the things that people usually say will be 'cured' by castration can actually be dealt with far better by training.

All that said, it's your decision.

Not mine, not anyone's on this forum - not even your vet's! Read the pros & cons & then make your decision based on that.

To be honest, its nothing I was even planning. The vet really was trying to sell it to me! Not sure why he is so persistant . I'm not going ahead with it, I can always change my mind later down the line.

Gee wrote:To be honest, its nothing I was even planning. The vet really was trying to sell it to me! Not sure why he is so persistant . I'm not going ahead with it, I can always change my mind later down the line.

That's what vets do. They want all pet dogs neutered before 6 months old, or as soon as poss afterwards. I just wish they'd be honest & tell their clients the cons as well as the pros.

Castrating removes the testosterone from his body, but do bear in mind it can take up to 6 months for it to fully leave his system.

He has a number of other hormones in his body that won't be affected at all by neutering as they don't come from his balls

These hormones can and will still affect his behaviour whether for good or bad.

So when vets say his aggression will go by neutering, they cannot guarantee that and are quite frankly most of the time 'in it for the money'

I've done further research on the matter and found this link useful for others that are interested.

http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/neutering_definitive.shtml

I think everything has already been said.

Our previous dog Duke was neutered, and it didn't change him in the slightest, I can even say that he became calmer.

Our new boy, Maska is still intact. We signed a contract with the breeder, specifying that we are not allowed to neuter him, unless it's for medical reasons (he comes from quite a good line here in South Africa). He is only 11 months old now, but so far we have had no problems. He is not dog aggressive, nor any other type of aggressive. He just loves other dogs, and people. On walks, we have passed people with bithces on heat - and even that didn't change his behaviour. Obviously he felt the need to sniff, but he didn't linger, and he didn't start pulling or acting up. We have a female pup now, so we will have to wait and see though. Her we are allowed to get spayed, but only after the age of 2 (not looking forward to her being in heat)

Not sure that any of this would help your situation, but hope you make the choice that best suits you.

Gee vets know how to get money out of people. They are a business. They get £100 or whatever to take a pair of scissors and chop your dogs balls off. They will tell you anything to get that money.

Fact is vets know NOTHING about dog behaviour, nothing. They know nothing about certain breeds differences in behaviour.

Point is, if you want to keep him entire then do. There will be NO difference in his behaviour if you get him done, he will just not be as hyper around females but humping other dogs is a dominance/excited thing which is behavioural not sexual unless it is a bitch in heat, in wich case she will LET him hump.

Seems like it can change some dogs and not others. Troy is great how he is, isn't dog aggressive, great with people etc, so really don't want to risk changing this.

He does try and hump dogs on first meeting them but more or less stops once he has met them a few times and they become 'friends'.

It seems the reasons that vets try and push castration are not even guaranteed and can have the opposite effect of what your trying to achieve.

Unless Troy develops some sort of medical or behavioral issues I don't think I will ever castrate him. I never my 12 year old mongrel that passed away.

by Equi on Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:55 am
Gee vets know how to get money out of people. They are a business. They get £100 or whatever to take a pair of scissors and chop your dogs balls off. They will tell you anything to get that money.

Fact is vets know NOTHING about dog behaviour, nothing. They know nothing about certain breeds differences in behaviour.

Point is, if you want to keep him entire then do. There will be NO difference in his behaviour if you get him done, he will just not be as hyper around females but humping other dogs is a dominance/excited thing which is behavioural not sexual unless it is a bitch in heat, in wich case she will LET him hump.

From the reading I have been doing I am inclined to agree with this to some degree. Though some vets I am sure believe it is the best thing and maybe sincere about this, as you have mentioned they don't necessarily know much about dog behavior and the other hormones and other pieces of the puzzle that can all contribute.

Gee wrote:I've done further research on the matter and found this link useful for others that are interested.

http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/neutering_definitive.shtml

That's a old favourite site of mine! I used to post that every time someone asked about neutering.

Well it definitely opened my eyes