Yes - I am getting frustrated - puberty is a major part of growing up for all animals, allowing the hormones to balance out and settle down. To whip out the organs that allow this can be detrimental to a dog IMO.

Many dogs (speaking male here not female), who are not entirely confident as youngsters can gain confidence through the production testosterone.
This helps to turn them into secure confident dogs, vets will advise neutering as a matter of course these days, sometimes without that testosterone boost the dog remains very timid, sometimes fear aggressive, I cannot tell if leaving the dog entire would have made a difference to the dog, but I have seen a few nervous dog s who have hit 7-8 months and become happy confident outward going adults. It has been a major change and one that is based on the chemicals you are removing by having this op done. There are many dogs who can be neutered and it will not affect them and some (like my other boy) who is affects in a positive way (well, it stopped him feeling he could take on the world). Which is fine - in hindsight I can also see that this could have been achieved through training - but I was quite young and Mum thought it was for the best.



Yes - you are ensuring the best way you can....as am I - I have trained my dog to the highest level I can, I have worked him around bitches in season and taught him to ignore them. (We also do this in my training classes)
Also taking into account my individual dogs needs - which is how I feel every dog should be considered.

Exactly - you have to go on your own experience - before I had Gabe - I would never have considered keeping a dog entire. I have learnt a lot from having him....

I would now certainly take on a case by case basis and never suggest that every male dog should be neutered.

As long as it is clear that it is an opinion thats fine.

My opinion would have been the same until I saw what could happen.

Any experiences are anecdotal---yours and mine both.

rune

im still not sure what the relevance is… why should a show dog be treated differently to a pet dog? I understand about them having to be entire, I know that but I don’t get what difference that makes at all.

I know I will never be in that situation, but no if I was in that situation, I would not own up on here. and why? coz I know how some members can be on here, and it would be like throwing myself to the lions. Coz of course, it is only irresponsible owners it can happen to

Indeed.

Also worth pointing out on this topic is that some people forget about the line between early (pre-pubescent) and late (post-pubescent) spaying and neutering. Big difference between the two in terms of health benefits and possibly behavioural benefits/downsides. I would never neuter early or spay a bitch before her first season.

Hmm...I think it is a BIT much saying that all entire dogs should never be let off the lead, Lozzi. I'm guessing you let Jake off the lead when he was entire, prior to getting neutered.

I do not see what jake has to do with this! and I find it extremely hurtful that it is getting brought up! My old boy, sam, was an amazingly obedient and would recall immediately. He was neutered, but even if he wasn’t I still wouldn’t trust him offlead around females coz I could never guarantee 100% that he would recall with an in season bitch around, and IMO no one can!

how rude! Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do! jake is 10 months old, he is young and excitable, and it is something I am working on! but we WILL get there! whether he is neutered or not! and no owner can know 100% that their dog will come back in every situation.

So 100% responsibility is in the hands of the bitchs owner? The entire males dog owner hold no responsibility? I totally disagree, it takes two to tango!

lol, its not like that at all, I have had to have two bitches jagged out when they were caught by my dogs, Its no big secret on here, its been posted about,
no one gave me a hard time about it, a lot has to do with what you do about mistakes when they happen, do the right thing and no ones going to condem you for that,
or at least thats my experiance of this forum.

yes he was allowed offlead, but i am one of those terrible owners who neutered early.

so you must know that no matter how responsible a dog owner you are, that it can still happen.

and my experience is different, as much as i love dogsey.