Young dog and neutering

I have a young male who is coming up to 8 months old. The vet tech said if I neutered him now I would prevent humping and lifting the leg behavior. She also said if I waited till he was around a year or older he would fill out more.

I am really confused if I should get him neutered. He has great drive to play and run, and really loves to tug and I am getting him on the spring pole and he already hangs like a champ.


When I walk him he pulls really hard and if he sees a cat or something he just goes crazy. I am afraid if I neuter him he will lose some of his prey drive which I know he puts into play and I really enjoy palying with him. I have no intention on breeding him whatsoever and he is a inside dog. My other female is spayed and she is smart and well behaved.

This little male however is abnoxious, tugs on the leash, hardly listens and is very clumsy. So my question is will neuetring him calm him down and make him more attentative and listen better? Also will he lose any drive and be a different dog?

Just as a note, I can handle my dog and would never allow him to pregnate a female. He is kenneled inside when I am not home. He is only outside if we are playing and then comes back in. I have also read up on the pros and cons of neuter and I still can't decide.

 

He will still have his drive, just not he drive to "mate" or any other sexual behavior...I have seen dogs neutered at 4 months old and they still fill out to normal size

 

I agree. I have had them fixed at 3 months all the way up to 2 yrs. The prey drive and such has not changed at all. They still hump, males and females, it is a dominance thing. As far as size goes, I haven't noticed any difference. As long as they are fed quality feed and get exercise, size won't be an issue.

 

I have to agree with Patchwork and PP.
I have a male dog who wasn't neutered until he was 2 1/2-3yrs, and he NEVER humped andything. Vet techs, though most are very good, tend to be brain washed by their vets sometimes. So go with what you feel is best.
APBTs wont lose drive because they have lost their balls, it's hard wired in them. He's crazy cuz he's still a pup Give him, and yourself some time. JMHO

 

I had my male neutered at 6 mo. and he still has plenty of prey drive (squirels) which isnt easy to mannage but he listens better and doesnt exhibit alot of dominate behavior like humping and marking. from what you've described I would recomend you neuter him asap.

 

I presonally think it would be in the DOGS best interest to have him neutured now, instead of waiting...IMO if you are not showing/pulling or anything, then there is no need for him to lug around something that will cuase him stress in the future. I mean seriosuly, I am not being funny...If he cant have any, it can stress him out......

Not only that, I am not sure....I am ASSuming that you are believing old wives tales about neuturing calming a dog down, for various reasons....
It may be true with some breeds, but not this one......I assure you, this dog will be just as happy and free and active as always...even if he doesnt have any balls....:cool:

Another thing, I know you have stated that you will be and are capable of keeping him properly contained, but I am telling you now 2 things....

1. If there is a female in heat within a m ile HE WILL DO WHAT HE CAN TO GET HER......

2. Shit happens....

 

I agree with this. You just never know.

 

Get him neutered. He won't even notice it after a few days. My Rat Terrier was neutered at 6 months, and he ended up being larger than most of his siblings when full grown, so myth #1 doesn't stand true. Also, until he started showing his age (he's pretty old now), he actively went hunting rabbits, so myth #2 is false also.

Prey drive, growth, and "the humping/marking factor" are not affected. As stated previously, a dog humps to show dominance. A dog marks to do just that, mark his territory.


I will also say that neutering will also prevent certain cancers, and help him lead a longer, healthier life. The earlier you get him neutered the better off, and at that age, I would say it's safe to do it now.

If you truely want him to be more attentive, neutering will help when a female in heat is near, but really, you should get him through some basic obedience classes.

 

There is no problem with nuetering your male while he is at that age. Along with everyone else I will tell you first hand experience, my last male was nuetered at around 6-7 months. He remained in great shape and never ever lost his drive. My male for no better words was a F-ing mentalcase prey wise, if they lose anything I would hate to think of how bad he could've been.

Nuetering your dog will also add years to his life, it will cut down the risk of cancer in the testies. If your not showing your dog then you will lose nothing and even though he would have lost is jelly beans he will only benefit from it.

 

IMO and it is fairly obvious, i like to wait if i am going to fix a dog until they are at least a year, maybe a few months longer for health reasons. we have to imagine ourselves not growing up with any sex hormones. they play a direct role in development as a whole and without them you arent going to end up with the same dog.


now with the dog in question, wait 4 more months then get him nuetered, he will not lose his prey drive and you will still be able to enjoy your time with him. make sure to cut back his feed a little bit and monitor from then on to make sure he doesnt gain weight.

 

The one I have neutered I did wait till he was just shy of a yr old. That was my choice. And also when my Vet Tech discount kicked in. LOL

But at work anytime after 5 - 6 months we do them. I have seen rescues do them as young as young as 8 weeks. As long they are over 2pds.

Now my neutered male will go crazy over small animals (rabbits, cats.....) But he has no desire to breed. And I say if they are not going to use them they do not need them. I think if it is in them before it will be in them after. Just keep his activity level up after and you should have no problem.

 

I agree....nykauta was done between 8-10 weeks old. and he has a TREMENDOUS prey drive and is more active than I would like...LMAO!

 

nuetering doesn't always affect drive. however, you really have to take into account the reasons for wanting to cut the animal. make sure they aren't selfish reasons, like you are too irresponsible to watch him/her closely. not saying that you are irresponsible, but...... these are definitely decisions each owner has to make on their own at the end. the pulling on the leash and such in my opinion isn't going to stop either way unless you take the time to train the animal. which, is necessary to have a well behaved bulldog. do the math. good luck

 

Selfish? Hmmm there are health benefits to spay/neutereing. Such as testicular cancer, perianal tumors, mammory cancer, pyrometra just to name a few also babseia, Brucellosis from trying to breed to every female out there. And accidental breeding happen even to the best of them. A dog can smell a female in heat miles away. Also will cut down on roaming. So there is more to it then just watching them. I understand putting a female up when in heat but for a male it is different.

But I agree as far as the pulling on a leash and hiking the leg well that is behavioral.


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thank you for pointing out the other benefits of fixing your animals. this is definitely a decision that needs to be made before the dog gets too old. however, i feel it is up to the owner. there is also a large amount of responsibility that needs to be taken if you choose to not fix the animal.

 

I agree that it is the owners decision on wether to spay/neuter. And should not be shoved down their throats by anyone. But as you said the owner needs to realize the responsibility that comes with an unaltered dog. And if you do not plan on breeding, showing that there is really no use for their reproductive parts. And IMO the health benefits are enough reason on thier own. But again that is my opinion.

The only reason my other dog is not neutered is because I show him. And when I get done he will be neutered. And it is never to late to s/n.
Also to add that my neutered male will pull the sh*t out of me if I let him. He also hikes his leg. He still marks his territory. So once some things are learned they will continue to do it.

 

I wouldnt neuter until the dog is at full maturity, it can hinder proper development

 

I have been having dogs neutered for 40 years so I am curious as to how it might hinder development?
I have not noticed any difference between my neutered dogs and dogs not neutered of the same breeds. Oh one exception neutered dogs usually are larger then they would have been.

 

same as humans and any other creature, sex hormones whether male or female are necessary for proper, full development. anyone that suggests otherwise is someone i would avoid taking advice from. it would be like taking an undeveloped male child and cutting off his jeweles, he wont go through puberty or fill out the same as he would. common sense.

 

Common sense? I wouldn't compare humans to dogs, cats, or any other animal... apples to oranges. I HAVE neutered dogs before they were mature, it didn't affect anything most times. If it did affect anything, it made them a tad larger, and I cut back on feeding. People who HAVEN'T neutered a dog before maturity are the ones saying not to. It's like the media telling us that "pitbulls" are dangerous and turn on their owners. Do you also believe that? Neutering at a young age WILL NOT hinder development or anything else. If this was the case, why are vets allowed to do it? Wouldn't it be illegal, or at least be frowned upon by HSUS or other AR nuts if it was harmful to a pups development? THAT'S common sense.