# Neutering?



## AriEliyah

My Black Beard is probably around 1 1/2 to 2 y/o, and I am thinking about neutering him. In other's experiences, has neutering calmed your pup down at all? BB is super-energetic, and I sometimes find it hard to keep up!


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## kendal

its a bit hit and miss, some people find a big difference, others see no difference at all.

i think it depends on the dog.


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## Enneirda.

Neutering calmed down D'Artagnan ('Lo's dad) a lot. It's also good behaviorally to, he'll listen to you better, stop marking/humping/roaming ect if any of these are a prob for you.


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## CutieCocoaCockapoo

Cocoa was neutered but he is still very energetic!


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## merry

Yeah, we get Dexter fixed next week. I was wondering the same thing.


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## merry

Dexter is home from being neutered. He is doing well and is extra affectionate. I guess it is because he feels bad. Poor baby.


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## Jerseypoo527

All the adult dogs I've met who weren't neutered were insane until they were neutered. Plus he probably has the uncomfortable mating urge and you don't want him running off getting other dogs pregnant and contributing to the overpopulation of unwanted puppies. It will also protect him from diseases and cancers and will elongate his life span.


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## AriEliyah

Hey, All-
Thanks for all of your responses! I grew up with larger breed dogs (males); a Husky-Shepherd, Magnum, and an Airedale- Sheepdog (? Wheaten Terrier Mutt ?), Ziggy, and my family had them both neutered. This definitely calmed both of them down, and that worked well in CT. and Upstate NY. 

Here's the thing about my little Cockapoo, Black Beard, and my situation: We live in Northern Israel, in a little town where not so many people have gentle, "pet" dogs. Some have dogs that they take care of well, but who are mostly used for the purpose of guarding their humans' properties/ families, and some have dogs they take care of, but they let loose all the time, and so they are mostly "street" dogs. Most of these dogs (that we've met here) are pretty cool, or at least, let us know if they want us to "stay away" (i.e.- "Grrrrrrr").
I talked about possibly neutering Black Beard to make him more chill, with my friend Yitzchak (who is a true-blooded American from Seattle, and who has had and raised many really great, initially abandoned, dogs in his day), and he told me I'd be doing a BIG disservice to Black Beard to neuter him, especially here, because BB would be seen more by other male dogs as weak "prey," etc. It's true that I have yet to see a neutered male dog here. 
Another BIG consideration (but this could go either way>?? Any dog behaviorist specialists out there-- Help?) was that last week, when I was walking Black Beard, we came across another male (larger, sort of stocky) dog. I didn't think too much about it, because BB loves to meet and play with other dogs, and if the other one feels threatened and growls, I pull BB away, and we move on. Most of the time, the two dogs either sniff each other and that's it, or they prance and play and have a jolly old time... This time was different. 

I had Black Beard on a long, "Flexi" leash, and this STOCKY, Salt-and-Pepper Alpha-Male attacked him. And I mean, ATTACKED my Black Beard. It was horrible and super-scary! BB was screaming, obviously willing to submit, but this dog wouldn't stop, and was, it seemed, in it for blood. I probably did the wrong thing, trying to pull BB by the leash away from this dog. For a good 30 seconds, they wouldn't disengage. I read later, online, that in this situation, the best thing to do is drop the leash, and let it play out, so I think I made a mistake. But with the Flexi leash, it's just not the same, anyway (it's cumbersome and tangly). Anyway, I pulled again, and finally, BB came away from the dog, and I scooped him up (and finally, the dumb idiots who came out to see what the noise was, chased this asshole, malignant dog away). We (BB and I) were both shaking, and I felt around on him to see if he was injured. He was wet, and I was afraid he was bleeding, but, thankfully, it was only his pee (he'd peed himself). Later on, at home, I was scratching his hindquarters and he yelped when I scratched his left hindquarter. So, this melee had, indeed, yielded a couple bruises on my little guy, after all. 
About an hour later, Black Beard had to go out, so we went down the block to sit at the local outdoor caffe, with some friends. I was just telling the story of the recent attack to some friends, when, all of a sudden, I looked down and THERE WAS THE NASTY SALT-AND-PEPPER ATTACK DOG!!! I started to yell something to my guy-friend, that THIS was the dog that had attacked BB, but before I could even get it out, the bastard alpha started on BB again! With everyone RIGHT THERE! Thankfully, this time, there were around four strong guy-friends there, and they IMMEDIATELY started attacking the attack dog. As he was running away, my buddy (who owns the caffe) threw a metal chair at him. Unfortunately, it didn't hit him. But the point is, this dog had NO FEAR of people, and DIRECTLY WENT FOR my BLACK BEARD, who had NEVER instigated anything. 
So, with all this in mind, would I be doing BB an injustice by neutering him (so he couldn't even begin to defend himself)? Or, would it actually BE BETTER to neuter him (so the other alpha-males wouldn't even bother him)?

I AM going to posit this question to Cesar Millan, BTW!

Cheers, Folks!

>Arielle


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## AriEliyah

*Neutering, Humping, Marking, Uncomfortable!!*

Oh, also, to address some of the things you guys brought up in your responses:

Black Beard is fully-grown, and I think he's about a "teenager," probably 1.5-2 years old. He is definitely SUPER-HYPER, and I can't possibly exercise him as much as he requires. And, I feel really badly about this. Regarding quote-unquote "Big" neutering issues, however:

1.) He has only recently started humping (~1-2 months ago), but only occasionally, and a LITTLE BIT, and he STOPS IMMEDIATELY, when I say "NO!"

2.) He only "marks" a lot when we're on walks. Even when his pee has run out. It's actually kinda' funny, but annoying, when I'm trying to walk him continuously.

One of the things I'm concerned about is, I will NOT let him mate (well, unless someone pays me to sire him, of course, ha ha!), and, as I hear, this is very uncomfortable for the dog. But read my previous post to see my possible reasons to leave him un-neutered.

I REALLY am going to write to (and pray I get an answer back from) Cesar Millan... How AWESOME is that guy!??

Cheers, Friends,

Arielle


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## Jerseypoo527

The other dog could have been smelling the hormones or or something and seen him as competition, but I can't be sure. Both my aunts dogs have been attacked by bigger dogs and both of them are altered so I would say that no matter what, there are always going to be animals that were not cared for properly and don't know what to do other than attack other dogs. 
I know the mating urge is extremely uncomfortable for them and he probably will, or if you let him run free in dog parks, maybe already has gotten another dog pregnant. My friend's dog got her neighbors dog pregnant twice and they have no idea when or how so it just goes to show it can happen as careful as you watch them. I think you should probably get it done because it may or may not reduce his chances of getting attacked but even if it doesn't, a bigger dog will always have the potential to hurt him whether he fights back or not. When my aunt's dog was attacked she shoved a stick up the attack dogs mouth and he still held on.... For his own benefit I would do it.


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## Allie Ann

Unless you are planning to breed your dog at least twice a year, Cesar Millan says that it is being a responsible owner to neuter your dog.
It is not fair to the dog if you do not mate it.
Neutering is the right thing to do.
Like picking up the dogs waste....it is all part of being a good dog owner.


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## Heidi Cecilie

It's so "weird" to hear how normal it is to neuter dogs in the US. In Norway it's almost unheard of, and some vets don't even do it.

I've had a male dog myself (boxer) and know a lot of other people with male dogs and it's just not an issue. I have a lot of respect of Cæcar Milan and have used a lot of his teqniques. I just don't understand the "neutering-thing".

Does that mean that every male cockerpoo will be wild and crazy unless you neuter him? Should I be nervous to get my male cockerpoo?


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## kendal

its all down to personal preference, i have known some un neutered m,ales to never even lift their leg to pee and have been very calm. 

where as other dogs have been rampant hummpers, have aggression to other intact males, then after they are neutered some dogs change others don't. i think its up to you. on the plus side you know yous dog wont accidentally catch a bitch in season.


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## Allie Ann

I do not see it as a 'personal preference' at all. If you are living in a community (ie not on a farm etc) then it is your responsibility to neuter you canine. It is a matter of 'good manners' for the sake of other dog owners and to make sure your dog is not confused if you are not prepared to mate it at least twice a year.
I don't understand why anyone would want to keep their dog intact for any reason than to breed it. It does not make for a caring owner, a calm and submissive pet, nor a good neighbour.
There are far too many dogs put down throughout the world because of unwanted offspring. BE RESPONSIBLE. Neuter your dog or breed. There is no reason to have an intact dog in suburbia! They are pets not breeding machines. Be kind to the dog. Be kind to the community. Be responsible.


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## Allie Ann

So do you think only females should be spade? That is not reasonable. I am writing from Australia so it is not only in the USA that neutering is 'normal'. I feel very strongly about this and I am tired of having to run the gamut of male dogs spraying and becoming frustrated as i walk my neutered female. It is cheaper and easier for males to be 'done' then females ..so for heavens sake..do it. Cesar says you have to get your male dog to be calm and submissive before he is done or else getting him neutered will make no difference. You are doing it to stop unwanted pups. Not for behaviour alone. They are two separate issues.


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