Too much noise about castration. From a veterinary view, it does more harm than good. It will potentially change temperament, alter conformation, upset metabolism, and of course there's the risk of surgical complications. I am not an advocate of elective surgery for no reason. If an owner is responsible there's no fear of unwanted puppies. Castrated dogs are more at risk from malignant prostate problems than their entire counterparts. Entire dogs can have testicular tumours, and enlarged prostates, but these are nearly always benign, and "should" they crop up, then medical or surgical treatment can be carried out. We don't all have mastectomies because we have a risk of breast cancer!
There's way to much scaremongering regarding keeping a dog entire. Castration seems to be looked at as a quick fix for lousey training and upbringing.

Molliepops and myself have locked horns recently, but on this we agree. Orangebird, it seems you have little knowledge regarding castration of dogs. I can assure you, from the veterinary side of things, elective castration is generally NOT advised unless there is good medical reasons to do so or the dog must live with entire bitches at times, to avoid mis matings etc. bearing in mind this should hopefully be a rare scenario.

Spaying bitches I should add IS medically recommended if not breeding stock.

Most ridiculous post I've read in a long time. I can assure you it is recommended to neuter all dogs once they reach 6 months of age (and everything has dropped), for numerous reasons. I agree with mollie that if a dog has fear aggression the hormone surge can cause more problems, but in all honesty if the dog had been properly socialised and then neutered at 6 months it wouldn't be fear aggressive in the first place (I'm not critiquing the op or mollie as they may not of had the pup from day 1).

No they were rescues and sadly why we will not be having rescues again, dog owning these days is a minefield and having a fear aggressive one a recipe for lonely walks and not being welcome anywhere.

Why are you letting an intact, aggressive dog off the lead at all?! I find this incredible, there will be bitches on heat and another potentially aggressive dogs in the park, you are taking a massive risk!

its not recommended to neuter all dogs at 6 months large breeds especially it is recommended you wait until they mature

No, sorry I agree, I was using the 6 months as a guide, my point being that it recommended to neuter dogs early, not as per the post I quoted, NOT neutering at all.

yes a lot of it comes from too many people breeding so they do run the part line neuter everything at 6 months which I admit is preferable to all the breeding going on

Yes, me too, far too many unwanted pups. I've also never known a vet practice recommend anything but neutering or spaying as soon as possible. (Being when it's suitable for the dog, ie when 6 months and dropped or fully mature etc)

And you have what veterinary/medical training and experience exactly? To back up your " theories"?

Many vet practices push neutering as it is an easy money maker. Corporate ones are the worst. From the horses mouth. I HAVE to push neutering, as does my vet as per head office instruction. It's all about £££££

If I can return to the issue of lead reactivity that the OP indictated (I cannot comment on neuteuring as all my dogs have been rescues and I have no interest in getting a puppy or breeding when rescues are full).

Today I went to a class with my dog who was the worse case of reactivity that our behaviourist had seen. She was in an enclosed space for an hour with three other dogs and achieved recall, watch me, stay, heel and loose lead walking. We did all this with positive training using a clicker. Yes it's taken a year but at no point have we smacked her.

It's based on Pavlov's theory of reward (google it, it's got far more evidence of working than aggression or anything else based on that idiot America trainer whose name I cannot bear to mention.

Molly is proof that you do not and should not hit a dog. It's an antiquated punishment that achieves nothing which is why you are here asking for help.

So glad it's working shadow! It's hard work, and many give up because negative reinforcement shows resilts faster (but has so many 'side effects we won't go there!' In today's society it's the fast-life attitude that wins.

Our vet is independent, he is the first vet in many years who has actually initiated a proper conversation with us about neutering it's benefits and it's contraindications, other vets over the years have just assumed and told us when to have them done. Was quite eye opening actually having a medically trained person with experience talking honestly about it all. Would recommend everyone if they have a chance to seek a proper independent vet and see what they say before just blindly following the corporate vets.

My dog is a Border/Jack, he was very aggressive to other dogs when he was young.
I had him "done" but this made no difference at all.
I used to keep him on a lead whilst walking when other dogs were about....until...a women I knew met us on a walk with my dog going crazy trying to get at the her dog...she told me to let my dog off the lead and that would solve his problem.

Of course I told her my dog might hurt hers, but she said I doubt it, lets see what happens.

Anyway, I let him off the lead and he lunged at the other dog which ran away, my dog ran after it and very soon they were chasing each other and playing like old pals...no aggression at all.
The aggression went away completely enabling me to walk my dog without his lead around other dogs.

Having said all that....my dog is now 17 and blind, now he is blind his aggression has returned so I just pick him up when we meet another dog avoiding the issue.

One of my dogs keeps barking when on lead and sees other dogs, in the field I let my dogs off and they never ever bark when meeting other dogs of the lead. They just all say hello to each other, we talk to the people for a few min, then we walk on and our dogs follow. No problem at all.

My vet said there's no point in neutering for aggression after 18 months old.

its good to hear that there is hope...

I have my mothers jack russell, she spent 3 months in hospital and then another 5 months staying with me as she got better so the dog came to live with me 8 months ago.

He was used to getting his own way with my mother (he only socialised with the dog next door and they were very rough when playing together). He had his "op" when he was old enough but it made no difference to him, he was back to normal the following day.

He is now 5. I have been trying to train him, and calm him down. Family members who visit say he is a lot better than he used to be and even my mother has noticed the difference in him since she came out of hospital and has stayed with me.

She has moved back to her own house but has left the dog with me as she doesn't feel well enough to cope with him.

He barks at everything, anyone passing the house, he barks (I've even had the blinds closed in the day!). If the neighbours are out making a noise (which is often) he barks at them. Anyone visiting he doesn't know gets the same treatment and when my mother was having visits from her district nurse I had to put him in another room.

Basically any noise going on outside the house, anyone new visiting, anyone passing, he barks.

I always keep him on a lead when I take him out for a walk. I normally try to avoid other dogs as he barks, pulls on the lead and wants to jump up on them. I would love to see him run around playing with other dogs, but I don't trust him not to run off and maybe get aggressive with others. I know he has moved 8 months ago but the barking and behaviour was going on before....he has got better since he has stayed with me but I want to be able to do more to help him...any suggestions on what to do would be appreciated.
Oh just read my post, sorry its so long

cazzz it sounds like he is over aroused, as in his general behaviour. If he is constantly on alert with the barking then he is overexcited.

Do you do any clicker training or positive reinforcement? Click to Calm by Karen Pryor is a great book, full of lots of positive techniques.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Click-Calm-H.../dp/1890948209

Our dog was thought to be a problem off lead as her on lead aggression was so bad (I've posted a tiny bit about that further back in the post). But she's proved really good off lead with very little assistance. I think that managing your dog's overarousal would help. Rewarding him for being quiet for example, using a crate would contain him from the window or giving him a kong with food as chewing can be a self calming aid.

Kikopup is a useful training source too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp_l9C1yT1g

Anyone who takes a bitch on heat into a park is an idiot. Every male dog (intact or not) will be going crazy around it

My Staffie x pitbull is very aggressive towards other dogs. She has been spayed. I do think its fear with her, as she is rescue dog and by the sounds of things, she never socialised with other dogs when she was a pup

My 2 Labs are intact when we used to use a vet chain they always raised the issue of them being intact but we were only there for their yearly jabs, now we go to a 1 man band type of vets and its never been mentioned about them being intact, mind you at 7 and 11 I expect they are to old, anyway my OH has always had Labs and he had 2 brothers before the ones we have now and he was advised to get 1 done after a few years why I dont know, but the 1st thing he says about it was it ruined a bloody good dog, getting it done. So hes dead against it unless absolutely medical.

We had to have our 11 yr old lab x done because he had developed Prostate problems, after the op he lived to a good age of 15. Vet told us that dogs who have been done do not get this kind of cancer.

My late Benny was neutered at 6 months died at 13 from prostate cancer so no idea how common it is but it is no guarantee.