My dog is intact at 4 1/2 and will remain that way unless there was ever a medical need for the alternative. He will never be used in any breeding programme - he has health problems and even if he didn't, I wouldn't want to be part of any breeding. He only comes off the lead in remote places as he doesn't like other dogs - and that goes for bitches too.

Woody is always trying to mount other dogs, humps his bedding but has been around bitches in season with no problem.

Deleted as I read something wrong!

Will have to look up this lazer technique...getting a bit out of touch now but sounds v interesting. Being a (ex)vet nurse I've helped out in the castration procedure & the immediate recovery. My opinion on the subject is that I am 100% pro neutering but I personally think that 6months is too young. 'Mentally' the older dogs seemed to deal with the procedure better, whereas the younger ones seemed to be more disturbed by the whole ordeal for a much longer period of time to get over it. I do think also that older dogs appeared to be much more stable under anesthetic (still can't spell that & spell check isn't working!). My boss always pushed for 6month castration - wonder if it was £ talking.

It sounds like it is a behavioural issue then not hormonal so neutering wouldn't cure it.

Ralph was "done" when he got older as he exhibited all the undesireable behaviour which intact males can potentially have; mass scent marking, humping everyone and everything, very snappy at other male dogs, roaming etc, and he was generally quite erratic in other areas of life as he had quite complex issues and our vet advised..well a vet at our practice who we hadn't seen before, that we castrate as the hormones would be gone allowing us to focus on other areas..or something to that affect, I don't exactly remember.
It's been the worst thing ever, made his coat go mayhem, him very "tetchy", and he's been considerably more "on edge" since the chop. All things our actual vet said can be negatives.
Be warned, ESS when "done" get terrible TERRIBLE coats! I have to clip him now as stripping was becoming a nightmare!

Good one. Based on what knowledge?

You want to know my knowledge about young dogs...or are you asking my opinion?

Young dogs do not tend to hump things for the sake of sex. They tend to do it in play...it's like they are practising.
The fact that he is doing it to other males and to his bedding suggests he is pretty clueless about the actual behaviour and what it is for....therefore it is behavioural and not hormone driven. The majority of pups do it and with training stop. Yes...hormones are involved, given his age, but given what he's humping that wouildn't seem to be the main thing driving the behaviour...
Neutering alone won't solve it. Neutering WITH training may solve it.
He has to learn it isn't an acceptable behaviour. (If you want him to learn that...you may be happy with it.)

Oscar (toy poodle) was castrated at 6 months. He needed a hernia operation and chose to get him 'done' at the same time so as to not put him under 2 anaesthetics. Within 3 days, he was back to his normal self. Poor little mite couldn't understand why I wasn't letting him jump around and play rough and tumble! Behaviour-wise, I haven't noticed any difference. He never was a 'humper' but he does *ahem* get very excited, albeit not as often as he did pre-castration.

I disagree that humping is entirely behavioural. With young puppies, sure. But most dogs start displaying this type of behaviour when sex hormones start to kick at around 6 months or so. No coincidence there.