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Neuter or Vasectomy?

Discussion in 'Health & Nutrition' started by MOOT44, Oct 30, 2007.

  1. MOOT44

    MOOT44 Top Dog

    I am not sure how you'll react to this post, but, for the most part I hope it is positive, informative, and respectful.

    Here goes:

    I have 2 APBTs. Jake, a 5 year old neutered male. Change, 8 month old, un-neutered male. I am very fascinated with weight pulling and training.

    I have been doing some research about dog vasectomys. I DO NOT plan on breeding my dog (He is a "pet" who I love to work with and who loves to be worked)

    Change is very into pulling and exercising. He loves it when I get the harness out for him to do a little light drag pulling or light cart work (don't worry, it's not toooooo heavy, just getting used to the cart)

    I KNOW there are TONS of benefits to a neutered dog. Marking territory, cancers, dog aggression,humping, roaming, etc the list goes on and on and on.

    I know his risk of cancer is higher if he is intact. I don't want him to lose his testosterone production through neutering. I am assuming it would affect his weight pulling career (not that he'll be a national champion, but, I want him to do as well as he can) due to not having that testosterone and muscle mass of an intact male.

    Am I wayyyyyyyyy off here or am I making sense? What do you all think about dogs and vasectomys?

    I would prefer not getting a new one ripped, but, if I deserve it let me have it:)


    Thanks,
    Andrew
     
  2. NCPatchwork

    NCPatchwork CH Dog

    The drive that this breed has, I don't believe you will have an issue. As long as you keep him active and moving, you shouldn't have to worry about the muscle. The testorone, hell, let it go! LOL! He will pay more attention to you during training and compeition and less on other dogs, females in heat, and males.
     
  3. miakoda

    miakoda GRCH Dog

    If you are considering this option, my advice is to wait until he's fully mature (approx. 2 years of age) and then neuter him. Unless you want to enter him in sanctioned competitions, for which he must be intact, and plan on being very competitive, then doing a vasectomy on this dog isn't worth it....go ahead and neuter him. Neutering a dog does take away the vast majority of the body's produced testosterone, but it doesn't eliminate it (all dogs males and females have testosterone same as humans).

    And for the record, I've seen plenty of neutered dogs out pull and out perform intact dogs in IWPA competition. Training your dog properly and getting him to use a good technique also plays an important role in weight pull.

    However, the decision is ultimately yours. No offense as this applies to anyone, but if you don't feel you are capable of properly containing and intact dog and making sure breedings don't happen (I don't believe in "accidents"), then he should be neutered pronto. If you are capable of properly raising, training, and containing and intact dog, then I believe the situation just boils down to a "neuter or not" situation. Don't bother with the vasectomy route IMO.

    Good luck with your decision. :)
     
  4. MOOT44

    MOOT44 Top Dog

    Thanks! You two are fast. I'd like more opinons, so if anyone else has one, write away:)

    MIA: I think I am capable. Change is the product of a BYB and is only papered by the CKC, which from what everyone says on here is junk (Cont. Kennel Club, not Canada's) The UKC is the most popular pulling organization around here in Michigan. In order for Change to pull, he needs to be neutered or vasectomized (word, probably not) As far as I know, the training is going well. Jake, my neutered male, just beat many intact males/females at the last pull (Those dogs are UKC registered) I can pull Change in UKC events at 1 year old, which will be February 9th. I think waiting until 2 would not be a good thing for him. Like I said, I want him to start pulling in comps in February.

    NC: Thanks too for your post. Yep, drive is there, I understand that:) Do you really think a neutered dog is more capable of paying attention than one intact?

    I'll look for more replies. As for now, I have 27 Kindergartners coming back to my room. My break is over:(

    Andrew
     
  5. miakoda

    miakoda GRCH Dog

    If you want to begin pulling him at a year of age in the UKC, then have him neutered sometime before then. :)
     
  6. NCPatchwork

    NCPatchwork CH Dog

    Yeah...I am a dog trainer. My male, Phantom, is intact and he pulls wonderfully. But if he sees another male or smells a female in heat, I lose the attention for a moment. Time is everything. I think the neutering would keep his mind off of SEX and more on you.
    Right now, the poor dog has blue balls for no reason! (LOL). He would stop thinking of sex and think of more ways to please you.
     
  7. MOOT44

    MOOT44 Top Dog

    LOL...blue balls....Well, he has tried to hump my other male (who is fixed)

    Do you really think he's thinking about humping constantly??? Like a 15 year old boy? What do you think about that?
     
  8. MOOT44

    MOOT44 Top Dog

    bump....sorry, i'd like more responses
     
  9. miakoda

    miakoda GRCH Dog

    Dogs do things out of instinct more than desire. ;) His instinct is telling him to find a mate and breed in order to make sure his genetic makeup stays dominant in the genepool.

    By neutering him, you take away the sexual impulses he can and will act on. As for humping, it is also a dominance behavior that is not necessarily related to mating.
     

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