Have done a bit of research but a lot of its conflicting just wondered what anyone here thought.

I also read it stops them from roaming/running off - is this right?

Also, Alfie gets overly excited around children and his dubri pops out and its abit embarrassing Doesn't bother me too much but the Mums look at me a bit funny. Will neautering stop this from happening?

Any advice would be great - thanks

I got my boy done a bit older than I planned (he was 18 months) because my vet wanted him to gain a little weight before she'd operate. . My vet prefers to do it between 9 months and a year but opinions seem to be pretty divided on when's the right age. Your best bet is probably to ask your vet what age they recommend.

So far as his 'lipstick' poking out is concerned, Barney's was forever out before the op. and it's rarely put in an appearance since, ugly looking things they are and I'm glad to see the back of it!

I was going to say lipstick but I wasn't sure if anyone would know what i mean't! Dubri covers most things in my book Thanks for the reply

There isn't the same level of health benefit for an early neuter in a male dog as in a female bitch. IMO, a bitch should be spayed before or after the first season unless there are good reasons.

A dog - there is a fair arguement healthwise for neutering before anaestetic is a problem. While testicular cancer and prostate problems are not such a problem as mammery tumours and pyro are in (entire) bitches they do occur in the entire dog. As such, neutering does confer some health benefit.

Some breeds (usually large/giant breeds) can have issues with joint problem and an increased risk of bone cancer if neutered before fully grown.

So the main advantage to male neutering is behavioural. Neutering is not a 'silver bullet' for correcting behavioural issues. However, where the behaviour is testosterone based (wandering, some forms of dog agression, humping, indoor marking) it can help a lot as the main supply of testosterone is gone. Additionally, by removing one extremely strong drive (mating) dogs tend to be easier to train as they become more responsive to other drives such as food and play that the owner can supply as a reward.

There is an arguement that neutering before testosterone based behaviours become ingrained is better as you then don't have to 'train out' these behaviours.

IIRC, Alfie is a small dog (Shits zu cross?). I would find it hard, even playing devils advocate, to argue against an early (six month) neuter even though my preference would be 18 months to 2 years.

Hope this hasn't confused you further!!

Thanks for the response. Yes he is a small shitzu x and is nearly 6 months now. When we take him over the park and he meets other dogs he gets really excited and tries to hump them - male or female He's had a few stern warnings from a few just recently. We can only let him off the lead if there are no other dogs in the park cause if he see's one he's off! A guy my hubby was talking to over the park last night said his used to do this but since he had him done he has no problems.

The only thing that really worries me is that a few years back my friend took hers to be done and he never came round from the anesthetic - I dont think I could forgive myself if anything like that happened.

In smaller dogs, they do tend to recommend castration at around 6 months old. I was advised by my dog's breeder to have my dog (toy poodle) castrated at around 6 months and I did. Mine still gets 'excited' (usually when he greets someone) but not quite as often as before. Fortunately, he's never been a humper. He recovered really well from the op. I dropped him off at 9 am and brought him home at about 4 pm. He was completely back to his normal self within 3 days.

My vets told me 6 months is the best age to get bitches spayed... before they are old enough to have a season, so that's what I did.... and it's obviously only applicable if you have your dog from a young puppy! I'm not sure about the best age for males though, but I believe it stops them from being too randy!

That happened to someone I know too. But it is extremely rare. Balance that tiny, tiny risk against the quality of life for Alfie if he isn't snipped, and the risk he may need an anaestetic at some point in his life due to being entire - such as getting into a fight with another dog.

Not sure what I can say to reassure you other than it is extremely, extremely rare.

my dog was 6 months when we got him done (we got him from the dogs trust so had to do it cos of their policy) it calmed him down slightly, however my dog still humps things (mainly his soft toys) but at least theres not a chance hes gonna be a daddy if he does happen to hump a lady

My Shi Tzu boy was 'done' between six and seven months of age if I remember. He recovered well and there were no problems apart from him having a nibble at his stitches and having to wear an elizabethan collar to stop that.
I was told that neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate trouble as well as other benefits.

To be quite honest, unless there is a good reason for it, I wouldn't neuter a dog. if you are, then doing it before he is fully mature can actually stop full maturity - neutering early also increases the risk of bone cancer, and I believe this risk increases if neutered early.

if you dog is roaming, get higher fences - if he is roaming when out, then he needs better recall training. Neutering won't necessarily stop a dogs urges - nor does it stop him being capable of mating and tieing with a bitch - she just wouldn't get pregnant.

It also won't really stop your 'other problem'.

Bitches IMO should be neutered after their first season once they have had chance to mature - early neutering increases the risk of urinary incontinence.

To some extent, I do agree with you. However, if a dog wants to get to a bitch on heat, they may very well scale a fence that you never thought they'd be able to get over. What if they run out into the road? I know castration is not foolproof but it lessens the risk. Personally, I never wanted to risk an accidental mating. If you have your dog off-lead and he approaches a bitch on heat, it wouldn't take long for them to tie. Of course, one hopes the dog would respond to you calling them but it's a lot to ask of a dog to control their strong instinctual, hormonal urges in that sort of situation. That said, I'm sure plenty of responsible dog owners have entire dogs without any issues and of course, it comes down to personal choice. I think it's important people know all the facts before they make the decision. OP, make sure your chat to your vet, if you haven't already.

As a breeder who keeps entire dogs and bitches in the same home, I am only too aware of the strength and determination of dogs around a bitch in season, and I did say in my post that if there is a very good reason for neutering then do so - but ideally not at a young age.

Usually dogs with such a high sex drive will hump everything and anything - and it is very clear they have a high sex drive. I had one boy who didn't care what or who it was (never used at stud) - the other just looks and says, oh whatever!!!

The owner does have to be clear however, that neutering will not necessarily stop these problems, as some seem to think it will wave a magic wand - and therefore further training may still be required.


Depends on the bitch - but that's a whole different matter - IMHO bitch owners have a duty NOT to have their bitches off lead when in season - and in reality, if they are walking them, it should be somewhere out of the way where dogs seldom go.

I know breeders and people who show dogs see it differently but with a pet dog sometimes the precise reason for neutering is to avoid the less desirable aspects of mature male behaviour for example the increased assertiveness, competitiveness with other males, increasingly independent, non-compliant and confrontational attitude to owner.
If you wait to see how the dog develops you can then have a problem with the learned aspect of the behaviour following the hormonal trigger.
The increased risk of bone cancer is unlikely enough to only be areal consideration with particularly vulnerable breeds such as Irish wolfhounds and rottweilllers.
With other breeds this is more than outweighed by the removal of any risk of testicular cancer and the greatly reduced risk of any future prostate problems.
However there can be changes in coat texture and so caot colour in some breeds and so I would weigh this against the benefits if considering neutering an Irish setter or a welsh spaniel as they almost look like a different breed without their crowning glory of their glossy full coloured coats (neutering can make these coats go woolly and so the colour appears less glossy and intense).
Neutered males also tend to be less stressed as they are often also less competitive and this reduces stress also has positive behavioural benefits.
If being done on a routine basis 6 to 12 months would be standard, depending on behaviour. The more pushy or the higher the sex drive, the younger you would do the dog, bearing in mind mounting can sometimes be a dominant posturing (cf sexual harrassment in humans).
Neutering your male can also help to prevent other males trying to pick a fight with yours.
Preventing roaming depends why your dog is roaming, unless he's looking for bitches there is no reason why castration would help and I entirely agree neutering is no substitute for sound training but if you are try to train while you and he are battling his hormones this can make things much harder for you and the dog.
Not only is he more likely to be distracted by other dogs as possible mates or possible competition but testosterone can act a bit like adrenaline, making the dog's reactions, whatever they are, quicker and more intense i.e it reduces impulse control, think of hyper-macho short-tempered human males!
Because it makes the dog less reactive and showing his lipstick can be an adrenaline reaction (dogs will also do it sometimes when nervous or annoyed as well as when excited) it frequently drastically reduces this.

From a dog health website:

* Health: Spaying and neutering helps pets live longer, healthier lives.

* Cancer prevention: The risk of cancers is drastically decreased in sterilised animals. The earlier you spay or neuter your pet, the lower the risk. For animals sterilised before the age of six months, there is almost zero chance they will get prostate or ovarian cancer.

* Neutered males cannot develop testicular tumors, the second most common malignancy in males. The risk of prostate cancer as well as benign prostate disease is greatly reduced. Neutering also decreases the risk of bacterial infections.

* Spayed females have a lower incidence of mammary tumors and breast cancer. The longer a female goes unspayed, the greater the risk of developing mammary tumors. In fact, an intact female has 7 times the risk of developing mammary tumors and cancer as compared to a female spayed before her first heat (six to nine months of age). Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50% of female dogs and 90% of female cats. Spaying eliminates the source of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which are potent stimulators of breast cancer in pets. These hormones stimulate heat cycles and the undesirable behavioral problems that accompany them, and are linked to the development of many cancers and diseases.

* Spaying also eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer. In addition, spaying also helps prevent pyometra (a pus-filled uterus), especially when the dog or cat is spayed before her first heat. Treatment of pyometra requires hospitalisation, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and spaying. Spaying can also prevent other reproductive tract infections and other disorders.

* Curbing anxiety: The hormones in a dog's body makes him anxious and unsettled. Some veterinarians believe that many intact dogs suffer from neuroses evidenced by excessive licking, scratching and other unhealthy and undesirable behaviors.

Doh! I could have saved myself all that posting if I'd found that site

I wasn't criticising you btw, just putting across my way of looking at things. As I said, plenty of responsible owners (like yourself) keep entire dogs and have no issues whatsoever. Also, I agree that bitches in heat should not be off-lead in a place around other dogs but not all owners do that.

As others have said, there are health risks & behavioural consequences for both neutering or not neutering. You may find the following article informative:

http://www.thedogplace.org/Articles/...euter_Zink.htm.

I think everyone has to make up their own minds on neutering to take into account their own dog, its general health & its behaviour. If you are a good & caring dog owner or intend to breed, then the responsibility of owning an unneutered dog should be fully researched & you should be 100% aware of the potential problems, both behavioural & physical, that can arise.

But most of us want healthy happy pets & we don't intend to breed from our dogs. If this is the case then personally I think the benefits of neutering outweigh the benefits of not neutering, both behaviouraly & physically.

As for the age at which to neuter, it seems that most studies have been concerned with potential problems with physical growth, particularly in larger dogs. As long as you can ensure that your young dog is not allowed to mate, probably it would be better to leave neutering until growth plates have closed.

From personal experience I had an entire male lab from the age of 18 months to 4 years old. He was (& still is!) a lovely dog, no humping, no peeing in the wrong places & behaviourally sound & easily trained. The only behavioural "problems" he had were problems for me, but perfectly normal behaviour for an entire male dog. The slightest scent of a bitch in season & he would be off on a mission, with me in hot pursuit. Luckily I never lost him for long & he always came back. Also there was always the posturing & niggling with other entire male dogs but this wasn't a huge problem for me as I could usually spot this very early & call him away. All in all I decided to keep him unneutered on the grounds that it was "more natural", he didn't have to undergo the risk of an unnecessary operation & it allowed him to grow to physical maturity with all his normal hormones in place.

At 4 years old he developed a perianal adenoma & the vet's advice was castration as these sort of tumours are testosterone-fuelled. The other option was the removal of the tumour but without castration it was likely that the tumour would grow back. Reluctantly I had him castrated but the tumour didn't shrink so he still had to have it removed. But at least without his testicles the chances of the tumour recurring were very slight.

However the behavioural changes I noticed over the next 6 months were huge! No longer would he be almost obsessive in his sniffing & checking out other dogs. He became much more interactive with both people & other dogs but in a more friendly & playful manner. His interest in toys increased & he became more puppy-like in his behaviour. It is almost like a big stressor has been removed from his life & he can now relax & enjoy the every day pleasures of being out & about on walks without the constant & relentless drive to find a mate. He still postures around other entire male dogs but would rather avoid them if there's a choice. He's still interested in bitches in season to the extent that I have to put him on a lead to get him away, but I can soon let him off again without him immediately running off after that bitch. The only downside is that he did put on weight which we're now dealing with. And he has got hip dysplasia but I wonder if this is a genetic defect & if it would have been much worse if he had been castrated at an early age.

Whoops! Just noticed length of post ~ better stop now!

we had our female staffie done after her first season & our male scottie done at 6 months as he was showing a "romantic" interest in our female cat & rabbit !!!!!

Wilhemina, I had a look at the website in your link above and love the very accurate description of my Basset Hounds!

He is an slow, accurate trailer with a beautiful voice. Smooth easy care coat but pendulous ears do require attention. Mild tempered and devoted. Does well with small children and at a heavy 14 inches, is a great TV pillow.

Agree with the above.
In my own experience with my own animals I'm very much in favour of neutering.

Hi all,

Many thanks for all your advice - good as always!

Have spoken to the Vet and she recommends he has it done at 6 months. He is having his pre op on Wed.

I have made the decision based on whats best for Alfie and not for me. Will be relieved once its all over and he's ok tho.

Very nervous about him going under - i'll be an absoloute wreck on the day!!

I'm sure he will be fine, but it's understandable that you will worry because he's your baby and I was just the same about mine!
No doubt he will lap up being spolit for a few days after

Good luck with Alfie ~ I'm sure he'll be fine (if a bit tender for a few days!) & it is the best thing in the long run.

SylviaB ~ Lovely description of Bassets ~ TV pillows. We had a beautiful Basset pup in training classes a while ago ~ the most relaxed & laid back puppy I've ever seen, confident & friendly but what a stubborn little mite! He did manage all the normal training like sit, down, walking nicely on a lead etc but everything was done at his pace & when he felt like it! On the class recalls all the pups would go flying across the room to their owners, but Barney Basset would just wander across at his own speed, having a sniff here & there, & eventually turning up at his owner's side as if to say "what's the rush, I got here didn't I?". He would have the whole class in stitches & the owner was quite a comedian himself so we used to have a great time on that course. I've since met the owner walking Barney Basset along the river near me, having complete hysterics as Barney paddled down to the water. He thought he would drown as apparently Bassets are not very good swimmers. Luckily Barney also knew he was not a good swimmer so he was happy to just wallow in the shallows.

My cocker spaniel is 6 and has not been neutered he is a fantastic character and completely non aggresive. He does like to sniff around though and can wander off in the prescence of a bitch on heat, but he seems very hapy.
I worry about long term health protection though, is 6 too old for neutering if we thought it desirable?