Neutering adult male dogs - does it help?

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Tallu
Tallu Posts: 14 Forumite
edited 23 November 2014 at 8:04PM in Pets & pet care
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  • pawsies
    pawsies Posts: 1,957 Forumite
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    No evidence to suggest neutering will help with behaviour problems. I would prefer to try everything else first as after all you can't put them back on!


    Training as per usual is the only way to improve a dog's behaviour (and meds if necessary)
  • Ilona
    Ilona Posts: 2,449 Forumite
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    I was at my friends last week and she had a dog trainer in to help her with her sometimes naughty choc lab. This question came up as the dog has all his bits, he is 4 years old. Trainer said it would make no difference, it's down to training, as pawsies says.

    Have a look on youtube, lots of good dog training vids on there.
    Ilona
    I love skip diving.
    :D
  • mum2one
    mum2one Posts: 16,279 Forumite
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    we had our dog chopped at 12mths old and that did improve his behaviour, from stopping naughtys and his general behaviour, hes a springer spaniel, thats us, it could be a 1001 things, xx
    xx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx
  • Person_one
    Person_one Posts: 28,884 Forumite
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    What's the behaviour issue? If it's that he keeps escaping to get to females in season, it will definitely help. Anything else, training is the answer.

    However, I'd get him neutered anyway. Removes any risk of an unwanted mating, and that's reason enough in my book! He won't miss his bits and it's the responsible thing to do.
  • OnAndUp
    OnAndUp Posts: 981 Forumite
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    Hi! :)

    What do you feed him?
    "Things can only get better.................c/o D:Ream #The 90's :D"
  • greenwoodlad
    greenwoodlad Posts: 97 Forumite
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    No it doesn't help - don't neuter... I have a 7 year old Bedlington Terrier boy - still intact and training and exercise has been the key...you need to make sure the male adult dog sees you as the pack leader - not him - make sure you are in control of him...it works ! :)
  • pawsies
    pawsies Posts: 1,957 Forumite
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    No nothing to do with pack leader. That is outdated and dangerous. It is more about having a good bond and finding your dog's motivation and using it to your advantage. Dominance will negatively affect your relationship as can be seen by the dog's body language.
  • catkins
    catkins Posts: 5,703 Forumite
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    I know people who have had dogs neutered to calm them down or change their behaviour (various ages) and it has never worked.


    In the past I have always had my dogs neutered but the vet I have now said with larger breeds it is better to wait longer and he recommended to wait until my dog was 2. Well he was 2 in June and me and OH are now seriously thinking of not getting him done. It's difficult because there are good and bad points but reading up on articles on the internet we are both thinking of leaving him as he is
    The world is over 4 billion years old and yet you somehow managed to exist at the same time as David Bowie
  • Paradigm
    Paradigm Posts: 3,613 Forumite
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    Things to think about before commiting, based on the latest research....


    On the positive side, neutering male dogs
    • eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
    • reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
    • reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
    • may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)
    On the negative side, neutering male dogs
    • if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis
    • increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
    • triples the risk of hypothyroidism
    • increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment (Dementia)
    • triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
    • quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
    • doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
    • increases the risk of orthopaedic disorders
    Always try to be at least half the person your dog thinks you are!
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,745 Forumite
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    edited 24 August 2014 at 10:50AM
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    Two dogs I know, it stopped them from taking off from home all the time. My brothers dog still goes AWOL, but not as far or for as long.
    I had to have Gitdog done (age 3) as it was a condition of adopting him. Not noticed any changes in his OTT excitable behaviour towards other dogs. He's never been aggressive, just has absolutely no doggy manners. He's slightly calmer, but I think that's down to settling in and training, rather than the neutering, tbh. Vet said it can help with dogs marking indoors, but never had that issue anyway.

    So in practical terms, no difference. He gets massively overexcited and tunes out in new places and around other dogs, to the point where I might as well not be there, both pre-neutering and 6 months on. I did worry that if he took off after a !!!!! in heat I wouldn't be able to hold him, so I suppose its removed that concern, if nothing else.
    What problems did you think it might help with?
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
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