Entire males

Following on from something mentioned in another thread I was wondering about peoples experience with entire males.

It seems to me that a lot of 'new' owners think they must have their boys neutered to prevent straying. humping, scent marking and aggression.

We have always had entire males and have always had at least 2 and at one point 4 living together. Never once have any of my boys wandered or scent marked or any of the usual things associated with keeping them entire.

Also all my dogs have lived to ripe old ages with not a hint of cancer or any other scaremongering get them neutered type illnesses.

So are all the reasons to have dogs neutered just myths or have I just had dogs that are the exceptions to the rules?

What is your main reason for having your dog neutered, if it has been?

3 of my 4 are neutered, not my choice, the 4th is entire. I have never had any problems with him and use him as a stooge dog ect.

Adam

One neutered at 7 months - started to show 'bossiness' to other dogs, behaviour stopped instantly with neutering.

One entire - came to me at 2 1/2 now nearly 9 - not issues so far has scent marked once indoors and humps a pillow when left - (due to separation issues). Also mention has lived with entire bitch though 4 seasons.

One Entire youngster - time will tell, but no thoughts in that direction yet. 11months and no issues with other dogs etc ....yet.

Little rescue dog Mum acquired had to be neutered at 13(ish) due to testicular cancer.

Eta.....did not vote.... as neutered no problems is not there.

I've only ever had one castrated dog & that was on medical grounds(he picked up an infection which ended up in his b@lls)

He was quite willing & able to mate bitches after he was done, but living with his very "dominant"mother one look from her & he assumed total disinterest !! He was a complete wimp ! the total opposite to his mum

My dog is entire and scent marks outdoors, which I dont consider a real problem tbh.

He is very sociable but he definatley, as he is maturing, isnt so keen on other large males. Dogs he would of ignored before he will be happy to lunge for on lead now. Off lead a 'leave' and he is fine, though there are times I see his eyes following as if to say 'if he thinks hes coming over here...) There are a few males that he will actually get on with though without problems at all, they tend to be quite submissive males really though. I wouldnt go as far to say he is dog aggressive. I wouldnt bring another male dog into my home to live though. Definatley need to be female.

last un-neutered male lived to 14 with no prostate, cancer etc problems at all.

Edit; voted entire, no problems at all but it was a hard one...I would not have ticked the entire but aggressive as he is very sociable to most people and dogs and will avoid most he dislikes before he would consider full out aggression.....

3 entire (so is the puppy but not mature yet so not counting him). edited to add well Charlie only has one - never got the other - but rather than total castration we kept one for his coat.

I have put no problems at all as there wasn't for category for my bit!

Max has been now and again marked - never in the house - hes done it in the 'dog room' - its really rare and as soon as caught stops!

I would only neuter for health reasons - never for behavioural issues - don't believe it would make any difference - have a friend who has tried it no difference at all!

I despair the amount of vets telling owners to castrate at 6months? My vet at my pups 8 week check said we don't need to talk neutering yet - I told him we won't be talking it at all!

I admit with my first pup I listened to the vet - my Irish gal was incontinent from a year old - her coat was awful. She was a fabulous dog though and wouldn't have swapped her for anything.

I have had entire males in the past with no issues at all.
I currently have a mixed sex household of neutered dogs and bitches with no issues other than one of the males still humps when excited and one male attempts to mate with an entire female. None of which is a problem tbh.

You left off neutered no problems.

Celt was done aged 2 because he wanted to take over from Champa (who was neutered before I had him at 10 mths) and he wasn't strong enough. It was stressfull all round and doing it took a lot of the edginess from the situation. Pippin (feral) done because he was marking everywhere and being a pain with my others----it worked, he does sometimes mark still but nothing like as bad.

Merlin was half done----turned out the one they couldn't find at the time dropped sometime after and worked very well on its own

Rusty was done aged 14 for health reasons.

Netsa entire and would fight other entire dogs (years ago) Lived to 14, Panda done when I had him aged 12 and lived to 16.

All different really.

rune

I have two entire males, and two neutered bitches, no problems with my boys, even when girls in heat!

I am of the opinion with males, if it aint broke, don't fix it!!

I have one entire and one neutered.

I don't know what Benjie was like before he was done at around 9 months old but judging by his behaviour 2 years ago (plus people who in all fairness had misguided information about dogs) I dread to think what his behaviour would've been like if he was entire now. Difficult to judge as it depends on upbringing as well as hormones. He marks the gardens, 3/4 times in the same spots, marks over Louie's wee and Sadie's and Megan's when she was around. Is very stand offish with any dog.

Louie - a darling, will hump his pillow, but not excessively - mainly when he's really excited, like after we've had a little play or something. I don't stop him unless he gets too into it, but he normally falls asleep straight after...Typical Urm just went through his first female season, Sadie, first two weekends were fine, the third (weekend just gone) we had to take Sadie back home as he was panting heavily and wouldn't leave her alone...and we felt that he would exhaust himself plus Sadie kept telling him off and he wasn't getting the message...and before you jump on me, Sadie follows me around like she's attached to my hip and she had dog knickers on..so he wouldn't have had a chance, they would've and were for the first two weekends separated at nights and when we went out. Hard to tell how he will fair, he will be getting done after his 1st birthday or around about that time, I'm still half and half about it. Louie is by nature a submissive dog, he is hardly stand offish and when he is, he's the first to roll over and admit defeat (ESS stray on the park, male.) Is very good with other girls.

Has the potential to wander - but I reckon that's more his breed cross than his hormones - although I'm sure they're going to be a dangerous mix if I don't keep on top of his training.

First entire dog..so I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see.