thinking about getting archie castrated but he hasjust turned 4, will this make a difference?

The vet said that it will stop him smelling like an alpha male and getting attacked off other dogs as he seams to upset them a lot, I never quite knew why but the vet explained its because he gives off the alpha male smell because he hasn't been castrated and other dogs see him as a threat, I've also been told they will just occur problems in later life with them, Has anyone else had their dogs castrated at an older age and if so does it make much difference?

 

Hi Carl , this is a contentious subject for sure Is your dog attempting to hump others ? I don't go with the Vet re the scent unless he is actually ejaculating and therefore leaving a smell . If he is continually trying to mount, then it could be worth considering . I did have an 8 year old terrier castrated years ago , simply because we moved from a farm to a more urban region , he was continually searching out bitches in season and so for his own safety , he had the snip . I can honestly say that whilst it did stop the urges ,it didn't change his character , he was the same dog, minus his bits My own Lab was castrated at just under a year old , do I regret it ? Hard to say , I followed the advice given at the time, its all we can do , but again, it didn't change his personality at all .

 

I'm not sure what evidence there is to support this but there is a view that desexed (castrated) males can get riled up by the presence of an entire male. I would guess that the 'entire' status is detectable through scent. Whether your dog will have an easier time with other dogs if he's castrated - that's hard to say. There is one option that'd I'd really recommend you investigate and talk about with your vet and that's hormone injections that greatly reduce testosterone production and mimic the effect of castration. One of the hormones is called Suprelorin. One of the members here, Beanwood, has used it with her dog and has documented it in a fascinating thread which I will try to find the link to (dinner is just being served so I will have to go in a sec! Maybe someone can find the thread?). That'd give you the chance to trial the effects of castration without the permanent effect of the real thing.

 

Here is the link to the suprelorin thread. The links are worth reading. In terms of other dog interactions and Benson, whilst Benson didn't change at all during the active implanted stage, apart from less inclined to investigate dogs, dogs were less inclined to investigate him. When the implant wore off..there were number of instances where dogs seem to want to confront Benson, and not in a playful manner nor truly aggressive, just quite uncomfortable tbh. I know this is purely anecdotal however, and we are looking at just one dog. I haven't researched this subject for data supporting this as a fact, whether an entire dog appears more threatening than a neutered dog. Benson was very, very driven by his hormones, an exceptional case, I think considering the very well behaved and content entire dogs we have come across.

http://thelabradorforum.com/threads/suprelorin-and-benson-a-log.10782/

 

I had my two boys 'done' at six years old - they were just fine and both lived to a happy, healthy 15 years

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What other dogs are attacking him? Entire males? Neutered males? Entire females? Neutered (spayed) females?

Can you describe a typical attack? Is there biting that draws blood?

Of all the dogs you meet how many would attack him?

What does your dog do just before and after an attack? IN line with this question, I wonder what your Vet means by "alpha male smell"? An intact male will smell differently than a neutered one. But "alpha" is a term used to describe a dog who is dominant with other dogs, or trying to be or acting that way. I wonder if your Vet means your dog's body language with the attacking dogs is threatening to them? I wonder if your Vet has ever seen an attack encounter your dog has been through?

Is there anything a bit "off" about your dog? The way he walks, a bad eye, a problem with ear infections? I have known of these to cause some dogs to attack. A poor GR missing an eye was attacked by a Lab we meet, but certainly not by all other dogs. Both female dogs, not sure if that makes a difference.

My boy is 8 years old and intact. We have definitely noticed antipathy from some neutered males. Only some, not all.


If your dog is somehow prompting bad behaviour from other dogs then neutering may not have any effect. Neutering will only affect sexually dimorphic behaviour in your own dog. At his age neutering might not even work on sexually dimorphic behavaviours as some behaviours will now be learned and may continue.

I think it might benefit both of you to call in a behaviourist to walk with you and observe what is going on before you decide. Neutering would probably be cheaper than a behaviourist though. You are lucky to have the option of trying Suprelorin. It's not available where I am. Good luck.

 

Hello... I had my boy done at 14 months old. I was advised to allow him get through his puberty first. He is quiet,sweet natured ,non aggresive.doesn't spend all his walk lifting his leg,doesnt spray everywhere. Other dogs love him,all though he does still try to hump them sometimes.He doesnt bark for any reason...When he does it comes as a complete surprise to him and us.He has lost that musty smell males have and apart from the hair issue is really the most beautiful boy ever.We had a male retriever before who lived to a grand age and a Springer boy who were both fixed.Personally I think it makes them more loyal and certainly this boy wont go out the door unless we go first.We had bitches too and again they were made safe.I think timing is of the essence and I think if a dog is four then you have another few years with him to go and therefore maybe the vet is right and the procedure should be done.....Good luck and hope all goes well for you both!

 

I would try and work out what you're trying to fix before you decide on surgery.

Is your dog receiving unwanted attention from other dogs?
There are many factors to this including the manners and temperaments of the dogs involved, are any of the dogs on lead? A qualified behaviourist would be able to help you work out what might be causing any problems, it's hard to advise (not that I'm qualified to!) over the internet.

Personally I think attributing it to having the scent of an 'Alpha male' is a gross over simplification and to a large degree nonsense as science has shown that 'Alphas' don't actually exist in dogs social structure.

There are plenty of good reasons to castrate a dog and they are all dependant on your particular situation and individual dog just be sure as you can be that castrating will have the effect you're looking for. If in doubt you could always try temporary chemical castration as mentioned above.

Good luck with your decision

 

Lots more information on neutering in this article "Neutering Your Dog" It's important to look at the evidence because there are both myths and truths about what castration does to dogs. And there are risks to your dog that you should be aware of before proceeding. The superlorin may be a good way to see what the effects are before committing your dog to surgery.