Neutering Info II

[Miss. Chi]

So I was reading the related thread on this forum and I thought I'd start a new thread just for the sake of clarity. One of the GP members mentioned 'personality' differences between males that were neutered as puppies or as adult dogs. I am most definately considering neutering my 5 mo. old chi Charlie. The vet I go to says they start doing the procedure at 6 mos. However, as Charlie is already agressive to other people, dogs, and unknowns (as in I never quite know what hes barking at) that we may encounter on the street should I consider waiting to get him neutered? With dog training I understand that this behaviour should decrease? But can it be supplemented with neutering as an adult dog?

I'd really like to hear the different theories and approaches you guys have taken to this issue.

Thanks
MC

[Shalva]

Originally Posted by Miss. Chi

So I was reading the related thread on this forum and I thought I'd start a new thread just for the sake of clarity. One of the GP members mentioned 'personality' differences between males that were neutered as puppies or as adult dogs. I am most definately considering neutering my 5 mo. old chi Charlie. The vet I go to says they start doing the procedure at 6 mos. However, as Charlie is already agressive to other people, dogs, and unknowns (as in I never quite know what hes barking at) that we may encounter on the street should I consider waiting to get him neutered? With dog training I understand that this behaviour should decrease? But can it be supplemented with neutering as an adult dog?

I'd really like to hear the different theories and approaches you guys have taken to this issue.

Thanks
MC

If he is already aggressive towards others then I woiuld NOT wait..... he is a small dog so he won't have some of the growth problems associated with larger dogs and early neutering .....

BUT keep in mind that neutering may or may not decrease the unwanted behaviors you are talking about.... he may continue to be aggressive regardless of whether you neuter him or not....

Neutering has been associated with some unwanted health concerns, but those studies have been done in larger dogs...... rottweilers ....etc.

If he were my dog I would probably neuter him...... and I am not a proponant of early neutering... in my puppy contract it tells puppy people that they have to wait until after the first heat cycle for a bitch and until at least 18 mos. for a dog, however in this situation from what you said.... and it being a toy dog... I would neuter.
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[Miss. Chi]

Hmmm thanks Shalva....I think I should clarify aggression though. Over the past 3 weeks he's never been aggresive in the sense of trying to attack any of the dogs he's encountered. There's just a lot of excesive barking especially in the pressence of larger dogs. Also he's become increasingly skittish around strangers and usually will bark at them. Its especially embarassing when he barks at small children...oy.

[elegy]

get him neutered.

has he been in puppy class? if not, i'd get him there pronto.

[Giny]

Sounds more like a social problem then testosterone problem. I'd also get him neutered. And like elegy stated get him enrolled in a puppy class.

[Kade]

Miss Chi, Charlie may be in a fear-impression period. There is one between 8-10 weeks and then 4.5-5 months, typically (accordng to what I've read), but I'm sure Winston didn't hit his until he turned 5 months. During this time, everything is new, scary, and threatening, and the puppy needs a little extra effort to make sure that something that scares him once doesn't scare him for the rest of his life.

I would definitely get your dog to puppy classes -- but I would wait until he's been clear of evident health problems for a week. Not only for the protection of the other dogs, but because if he is sick, he will be more susceptible to illnesses.

In the meantime, if I were you, I would go ahead and neuter. I have the same doubts (which I never, ever, ever understood until I got my own puppy and fell in love with him and his audacious little personality). But in the end, it's worth it. Especially for a headstrong puppy who will soon be wanting to go out and get a girlfriend, and could get himself hurt in the process.

So, neuter and socialize him and he'll probably be okay.

Do you correct him when he barks at other dogs? Do you use an NiLiF training in your home? I highly recommend starting a "humans are the pack leaders" campaign in your home -- it will only help you in obedience classes.

[iloveamlet]

"Hmmm thanks Shalva....I think I should clarify aggression though. Over the past 3 weeks he's never been aggresive in the sense of trying to attack any of the dogs he's encountered. There's just a lot of excesive barking especially in the pressence of larger dogs. Also he's become increasingly skittish around strangers and usually will bark at them. Its especially embarassing when he barks at small children...oy."

my small rat terrier/pom mix is also five months now, and out of nowhere in the past three weeks he's become more agressive. he's very nice to strangers once they get close, or when he's in an enclosed environment, in fact he loves them. but if someone is walking far away, or into our yard, he barks like crazy. he also barks all the time at the tv. i'm hoping he either grows out of this even a little, or i can control it with the training i've been doing. he hasn't tried anything on dogs though, because he has a somewhat submissive personality. most people have told me that neutering won't change that necessarily, but i'm still getting him neutered this friday.
one question to anyone about the neutering. the vet said he'll neuter amlet at five months or so. he's just at five months. does anyone think i should wait a month or so just to make sure he's big enough or whatever? he's about seven and a half pounds. is size an issue with neutering, or something else?

[Kade]

I've heard that puppies' response to anesthesia is safer at 6 months.

[elegy]

5 months and 7.5 pounds is fine for a neuter. tons of places routinely speuter at 8 weeks or greater than 2 pounds.

[theGOOCH]

You may want to get him neutered for other reasons, but I wouldn't expect his behavior to change much. His personality is his personality. This may not be the popular opinion here, but a lot of vets agree with me.

[dollface]

I would wait till he is over this stage before you have him neutered, but that just me.... Dogs do go thro a fearful stage and don't baby him when he does get scared because then you are only rewarding the behaviour.... Do what you feel is best for you and your dog, alot of socializing and obedience is good too that helps build confidence.