Should You Neuter Your Dog? | Uncle Stonnie's Opinion
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Should you neuter your dog? Uncle Stonnie gives his thoughts and shares his personal views in today's video!
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I see the pros and cons to neutering. And realise that it is often over sold as a quick fix solution to behavioural problems BUT if you asked me to chose between my left foot and going through periods every month I’d opt to be spayed 🤷🏼♀️😂
LITERALLY
Especially, if you’d never be allowed to have sex or children anyways^^
I own, hunt, and love my Field Bred English Cocker, ”Woody”. When I researched and finally decided on a breeder he advised me to keep him in tact. My very knowledgeable & trustworthy trainer advised the same. They both emphasized that excersise, good diet, lots of affection, positive reinforcement and especially training is the way to go. They were right - he is great in the field, always friendly and happy - and a great companion. Invest in your dog - friends forever. My breeder said to me - “As much as you love this dog - he will love you more”. Enough said. Thanks Stonnie for this important message.
perfect timing for this video to come up. I have a 10 month old male that I had to cancel a neuter appointment due to a conflict in schedule. I think now, I'm going to leave him alone. You just saved me $250 and you saved Gus his nuts.
Saved him more than that. If interested, check out Dr. Karen Becker on the reasons for hormonal balance, bone health, and other benefits in unneutered dogs.
10 months is too young to neuter. You should never neuter your dog before he is a fully grown adult, at least 2 years. My opinion is to neuter due to cancer risks, especially in breeds prone to tumors.
9 year old INTACT German Shepherd
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Is neutering dogs a zero-sum game?
13 Nov 2023
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Is neutering dogs doing more harm than good? In this blog, vet and Oregon State University Full Professor Dr Michelle Kutzler looks at the negative effects of neutering and what it means for vets and pet owners.
Is neutering dogs a zero-sum game? Image
Is neutering dogs doing more harm than good? This is not a question we ever thought we would be asking. As pet owners, we were told by our veterinarians, the animal shelters, and society at large that if we are responsible dog owners and truly love our dogs, we would neuter them at the earliest age possible. As veterinarians, we were taught in school that reproductive organs serve no purpose in dogs not used for breeding and should be removed as early as possible to prevent against reproductive diseases.
While there is still some truth in what we have been told in the past, there are now four decades’ worth of data and scientific papers to show that neutering male and female dogs does cause harm. While the majority of neutered dogs may not suffer from the adverse health effects of neutering, it is also true that the majority of intact male and female dogs do not suffer from the adverse health effects of keeping their reproductive organs.
Negative health effects of neutering
So, what are the adverse health effects of neutering? These can be categorized into cancerous conditions and non-cancerous conditions. The latter can be further categorized into metabolic, urinary, musculoskeletal, dermatologic, immunologic, and behavioural disorders. This list of all of the potential adverse health effects of neutering is too long to include in this blog, but the mechanism of action for all of these problems (cancerous and non-cancerous) comes back to an overproduction of a pituitary hormone following neutering.
Now, for a review of first-year veterinary reproductive physiology.The hypothalamus (in the brain) produces the main regulator of all reproductive activities-a hormone called gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). This hormone (GnRH) travels through a special circulatory (portal) system within the brain to the anterior pituitary gland, where it induces the production and secretion of a gonadotropic hormone-luteinizing hormone (LH). In the intact male and female dog, LH travels through the systemic circulation to bind to its receptors, where it elicits a variety of responses. In the gonads, LH binds to its receptors to induce the production and secretion of testosterone (males) and estradiol (females). These steroid hormones then travel back through the systemic circulation to negatively feedback on the production of GnRH and LH. In the intact dog, circulating LH concentrations are below 5 ng/mL (and often below 1 ng/mL, which is the level of detection for most assays).
In neutered dogs, there is no negative feedback since the gonads have been removed. As a result, LH concentrations soar to supraphysiologic concentrations of up to 90 ng/mL-and these high concentrations persist for the remainder of the dog’s life. Since there are no gonads for the LH to bind to, LH will bind to other cells/tissues that have LH receptors. These tissues include (but are not limited to) the urinary tract, bone and ligaments, thyroid, adrenal and pancreatic cells, vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and lymphocytes (both B- and T-lymphocytes).
What is also interesting is that the cells in neutered dogs have more receptors for LH, making them even more responsive to the high LH in circulation. Binding to receptors in these cells, LH can block the normal function of the cell (e.g. to reduce the amount of thyroid hormone produced by thyrocytes); increase the function of the cell (e.g. to overproduce cortisol from the adrenal gland); stimulate nitric oxide release to induce smooth muscle and ligament relaxation (e.g., resulting in urinary incontinence or joint instability); stimulate cell proliferation (e.g. in the case of cancer), etc.
www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/is-neutering-dogs-a-zero-sum-game/
In Europe they rarely spay or neuter. They just monitor better .
We were just quoted $1300 to neuter our male curly-coated retriever. I've been on the fence about it because he seems very balanced with no aggression issues, but we are currently stationed in California and they are very militant about neutering here.
Thankfully. Someone with good sense about this issue. After 40 years of owning Pyrenees, I never have, and would never, ever do that to any of mine.
Wow-loaded question. My bottom line is “it depends”. It depends on the owner. Why did they choose a particular breed? The owner’s plans for the dog-hunting, breeding, showing? Depends on the owners knowledge and willingness to train and work with the dog. Some breeds need a lot of work to ensure that the dog is mindful, comes on command and demonstrates respect for the owner,family and community. Called socialization which is the owner’ responsibility. Depends on the environment. Urban living or rural living. It depends.
I spent a lot of time in the field with cows and heifers on dairy farms in Wisconsin. Not one farmer wanted to keep a bull on the farm. Some told of the old days when bulls were routinely kept on a farm for stud. They shared tales of instances in the farming community where someone on the farm was killed by a bull. Today the majority or dairy farmers raise and own steers. While I could go in the fields and walk with with cows and heifers I was told not to go out with the steers.
Same goes for stallions vs geldings. As a kid I rode geldings.
I support and do not judge dog owners who have seriously weighed out the pros and cons of not neutering and decided it is best for the dog and the owners relationship with the dog. I also support and do not judge dog owners who have seriously weighed out the pros and cons of neutering and decided it was best for the dog and their relationship with the dog.
My point is that opinions one way or the other are valid, but I would qualify the decisioning process as “it depends”.
You are hilarious. 😂 Great analogy! I’ll remember that one the next time my husband mentions that we should get our dog fixed. 😁 Thank you for your videos!
Thank you for watching!
We had an intact male boxer who was a fantastic, gentle dog. Until he turned 3. One day he got a crazy look in his eyes and stood statue still, eyes fixated on me. I am not weak, and am always pack leader. He decided to challenge me that day. Got him neutered very shortly after and never had another issue. Back to my best bud.
Stonnie, are your thoughts on spaying female dogs the same?
Living in Norway where spaying/neutering, cropping, docking, declawing and debarking is illegal. Thankfully:) They still go to dog daycare and there are seldom any issues with male dogs being together. If there are any females smelling good, we take away the female and the males have no issues being together what so ever. Most agression that we see stems from poor socialization and training.
One more reason to love Norway 🙌🏼 🇳🇴
yeah and you also have a long list of banned breeds, plus people tend to adhere to leash laws. I’m not sure you would feel the same way if you lived among boerboerls and pressa canarios in an area where owners didn’t bother leashing their dogs. After the first few times your dog gets 10+ flesh wounds from unclipped males you might change your mind. I know I did.
@@egle4652 Yes We also thankfully have leash laws:) So having any dog of leash with owners that don't have controll over their dogs and especially if they are attacking other pets and people the dog will be put down and owner will get fined or jail time. Rightfully so! Theese laws are made to make people think twice about being careless aholes:) The list of dogs are not that long: The Pit Bull Terrier, The American Staffordshire Terrier, The Fila Brasileiro, The Toso Inu, The Dogo Argentino and The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog:) Furthermore, it is forbidden to hold, import or breed dogs that are trained to attack or defend themselves or their owners against people, or to attack other dogs. So there is that. Presa Canario, Cane corso, boerboel and the other mastiff breeds are very much legal. There are many of wanna be gansters that should never own any of theese dogs, sadly theese are the breeds they choose and they are careless about it🥲 The damage is already done. You see what is happening to the xl bully and mixes alike in england. All over the place attacking and killing people. I saw a man being eaten alive by two. We really dont need theese dogs roaming the streets. If it happens with other breeds they will also be on the danger list in the future.
Chip implant birth control sterilization is done in Norway. You really should mention this. Also, spay neuter isn't exactly illegal. Vets in Norway still perform both procedures. All they have to do is note a "medical" reason. Its not something strictly enforced. Some people go to Sweden to have their dog altered. Also cats are routinely sterilized in Norway, as in spay/neuter. Norway is impressive 👏! It's the culture! That's why you all don't have a serious dog neglect problem. Norway banned the breeding of English Bulldogs and King Cavaliers due to the fact its obvious these breeds face undue preventable suffering because of how people chose a warped aesthetic over health. Animal welfare in Norway is taken more seriously. People like to say Norway's climate is why no strays roam. Well if that were true, Canada's Northern Territories in Manitoba would not have strays. It's arctic there! They have a stray problem. Norway technically has slightly more mild climate compared to the Northern Territories of Canada due to the Gulf Stream. Canada has been recently doing sterilization implant chips to try to control stray population in the Northern Territories. I have not really looked at the recent data to see the effectiveness. As a final note, the Netherlands has made an impressive effort at reducing stray dogs to none. The Netherlands can make this claim. Whatever they're doing it is effective. Germany too. Ive loved being there. I cant recall ever worrying I would see a neglected dog in Germany. Unfortunately Portugal is crap (unbelievable number of strays)! Romania is absolutely crap (dystopian and barbaric place)! Spain is an unfavorable place to me despite the beautiful architecture and amazing Andalusian horses there. Too much senseless dog abuse. Read it yourself regarding the Galgos. That is insanely disturbing and unacceptable! But Norway is an impressive model of responsibility in this case to be commended! Sweden is quite nice too! It's great to have a model to point out. I can say oh, look at Norway. No stray problem. No kill shelters like Riverside in California. It's way too lax here! I think Delaware is the only state that can claim to have zero kill shelters. It's a teeny tiny state. Texas sadly is a crisis for irresponsible dog ownership and over-breeding carelessness.
@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 100% with you!
My 18 month old field Lab is intact. My vet advised that if we decide to neuter, to wait until he is fully developed because they need those hormones to develop muscles and bones properly. He is such a mellow and well behaved dog that I have decided to "not fix what ain't broke."
Same with my 21 month old field lab! I had asked the breeder about neutering and he highly advised against it until at least a year and a half old. Well, he's 3 months past that now and is a well-trained therapy dog, who is very non-reactive, and one of the best behaved dogs in our community when interacting with other dogs. He is a very happy and healthy dog. The trade-off is that I need to exercise and engage him enough each day to keep him well-behaved and calm when I need him to be. However, even without testicles, I would still need to exercise and engage him to keep him happy and well adjusted, I figure
@@raisedbywolves72 Exactly. Though I think my guy is mellower than most field labs, but he does have a German Shepherd best friend the wrestles with on his walk each morning. That takes a lot out of him.
Let's face it, anyone watching Stonnie's channel is going to be taking proper care of their dogs. The spay and neuter message goes out to the rest of the population who really shouldn't be having dogs in the first place.
Good.for you, the whole fixing thing just irritates me. They are perfect, and.once settled and trained why would you want.to mess.with that. Good for you.
Yeah my 4 yo brittany still has his balls and he's fine. The only thing he's hunched in his life is my nylon laundry bag, and he has confidence around other domineering cut males he wouldn't otherwise have. His behavior isn't flawless, he's a britt, everything is a negotiation, but none of that has to do with his nuts. He was also a runt and he really needed the hormone dictation to keep him from overgrowing.
I am so glad people are waking up to the fact that neutering is not always the answer, neutering before fully developed can cause problems down the road, particularly in larger dogs. I do not let my nerds out to roam! Am putting a game fence to be sure my jumper (Mal) cannot get out.
Stonie dropping the knowledge once again 🙌🏼 thank you sir.
Hey Stonnie, completely agree on male dogs. Please share your thoughts on female dogs or point me to the previous discussion.
Great video! Love the analogy and I agree with you 100%
Been waiting a while for this video! Thank you uncle stonnie!
Best analogy ever! Thank you. 41 years living with dogs and now with #8 and #9. my girlies were perfect, intact and blessed with long healthy lifespan. And you one boy, my son‘s pug was also „uncut“.
Good one !!!! Thanks for that candid view , most appreciated.
Stonnie, thanks for bringing that up. Couldn't agree more!
Finally, someone with common sense on this subject!
I’m the exception, at 71 years old I’m still walking every day, I don’t have much daily needs for my testicles unfortunately
You need them more than you know. Even trace amounts of hormones matter.
That’s so funny! I’m 72, and would like to keep my feet Thank you.
Absolutely love this!! 😂 Wish more people thought this way
Thank you for this. I've always had male dogs and none of them have been neutered. And they've been great dogs. No pregnancies. I appreciate all of your videos, and this is another one that is really well done!
Thank you! Always wondered why. Programming is the key! Excellent video. 22D all Love, Peace and Joy Forever! 💞
Wonderfully explained!!
Damn right. Great analogy. I've always felt the same way.
Best video ever! I always say, “it isn’t testicles that make a dog a jerk, it is lack of training!”
Right again Stonnie!!!!!! Love your point of view!
thank you for this video. my 18 month old lab will appreciate this.
I think this isn't a simple issue. The decision depends on a combination of factors for the family/pack and the dog. I appreciate this perspective and would advise anyone thinking about neutering their dog to watch the video.
Okay, not a simple issue in every household, but the problem is that the American veterinarians lie and present the procedure as standard, required and without any side effects. The bad side effects actually outweigh the exaggerated advantages in most cases and the dog's health is the casualty. Of course, the more problems that develop from desexing, the more profit to the vet industry. I hope stop spare my new boy the pain of ripped tendons, joint problems, obesity, endocrine disease and hemangiosarcoma increased risk so I will not be neutering him. He is three and if some behavioral or medical condition occurs that can be eased by neutering then I will consider it. But, luckily for him I have learned over the last 25 years of dog ownership to not blindly trust what veterinarians advise.
AGREED! LOVE THIS TAKE!
Our sweet Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is intact and we plan to keep him that way. He is 9 months old and already 28” at the shoulder and 120 pounds 😅 Stonnie, your video on Tucker the Swissy was a great informative video when we were learning more about the breed! Our boy Judge is just wonderful 🙌🏼
Right on Stoney. You analogy is spot on.
Great video, love it. Keep it up Uncle Stonnie
I’ve spayed or neutered every dog I’ve ever had with zero problems. I like to wait until they’ve grown a little or whenever my vet recommended it. However I got my current golden retriever when he was a year old and his first owner had him neutered at 8 weeks which is crazy young IMO. He is 4 now and seemingly very healthy and no problems so far.
Super divergent point...I love your view on this...I think i will follow your lead.
This is gold. Finally someone said what I’ve felt
Brilliantly explained 👍
I work in the veterinary industry, i'm against neutering males but with females it is more complex due to some getting phantom pregnancies after every season which can be distressing for the dog, cause them to loose weight and seem miserable. Also there have been lots of studies from data collected from norway where they are against spaying and by 10 years old 20% of un-spayed females will get an infection called a pyometra which can be deadly if not caught early enough, it can be treated by spaying when they get a pyometra but in severe cases dogs can go into toxic shock.
I have a 9 month old female labrador and waiting to see if she has a bad phantom pregnancy after her first few seasons to decide when to spay her, my current idea is to spay her at close to 2 years old when fully grown at the moment.
Good points. The video should ideally have talked male v female, or made clear advice was same for both.
I waited until my F lab was 2 before I spayed her. I had a sweet mixed breed that I literally adopted from a parking lot (she sat down by my car and wouldn’t budge-turns out she had Parvo, btw, so that was fun) anyway, she had terrible tumors that supposedly would have been avoided if she had been spayed earlier (before I adopted her).
Now I’m questioning everything medical ppl say, so IDK if I’d still spay my lab at all.
With males intact, it's not all carefree. Need to keep aware of potential prostate issues. Now Retriever boy don't mistake your balls for a tennis ball!
My random dumb joke made me lol!
Have you considered an Ovary Sparing Spay? We are considering it for our Aussie.
I had a vet try to tell me my dog had pyo. SHE DID NOT!!! I wish there were some honest vets in my area, there are no more. Of the 2 I knew, one died and the other retired and sold the business to a corporation.
The sad thing is though, that most dog owners should be cat owners, or own no pets at all. They simply aren't qualified, and will make no real effort to become qualified. Neutering is often the lesser of two (or more) evils, unfortunately.
85% of people should not own dogs. They are too lazy to train them, too lazy to exercise them, too lazy to interact with them, too lazy to look after them when they are on a walk. They too selfish to select the correct dog for their home, their garden space, or their body strength. I have spent years of coming in contact with out of control dogs, almost every other day in fact. After typing all that, the good dog owners have a lot in common, mainly they are nice people with respect for other dog owners and their dogs. Now am I perfect? No, but I make an effort to be a good dog owner.
@@Chequr_Prostate Couldn't agree more with everything you said. The sad truth is, the people who watch videos like on this channel, in order to become better handlers, are outnumbered a million to 1 by people who dont. Etc.
And they do a worse job with their children.😢
What is it with people not understanding the huge commitment of time, energy, and money that goes into dog ownership?
When my husband and I retired we had the conversation about how that would look-traveling extensively to fabulous places or dog ownership?
😅. We picked dog ownership and we have 2 black labs that are a lot of work, honestly, but we chose wisely 😊
Great way of putting it. Hats off. I’m gonna use that one
@@Chequr_Prostatevery well said !
I love your analogy
If you can prevent contributing to the high number of healthy dogs being disgustingly killed for SPACE in shelters, if you can capably secure your dog, then you are a rare individual that can keep your male dogs intact (females are a different matter). Stonnie should discuss this while we all see dogs getting their vein pumped with death as the healthy dog shows nothing but trust. If that doesn't bother you, you really are NOT worthy of your dog's loyalty. What's happening to these dogs in shelters is an *ultimate betrayal* Places that impose spay neuter for most dogs do see a drop in the influx at shelters. Most people are nothing like Stonnie. Most people really should be doing spay/neuter. The guys I know at my Retriever club are not most people. I generally trust them to never cause a problem contributing to all the dogs playing Russian Roulette in packed kill shelters as shelter staff have to pick who dies every few days to make space. That's man's best friend!!!! Dogs have such a noble symbiotic relationship with us! They help us. They're our guide dogs! Our military dogs! Our best friends! Dogs only end up in shelters because some low life dumped their responsibility onto others! Among my Retriever friends, some of their Retrievers are altered, particularly working females they are no longer breeding. The reality is that spaying a female makes life easier. Heat cycles are not a joy. You must be extra vigilant securing an intact female. The average person is just NOT typically dedicated enough to have that responsibility.
There are alternatives to conventional spay neuter. Vasectomies and ovary sparing spay is an option a vet can do.
Once you've seen beautiful healthy dogs that have no behavior issures killed for space across this country, especially in Texas and California, you will be thinking pragmatically. I, too, prefer to leave male dogs intact. The b.s. about neutering creating better behavior is not exactly true. As for spaying, only keep females intact that you think you may breed. So, first 4 years you might be managing an intact female. 4 years is ample time to assess if you want this dog's genes preserved in your future lines. If not, spay! Make life easier! If you don't want to do a full spay, do the ovarian sparing alternative. But managing an intact female means you accept full responsibility!!! You cant dump your responsibility upon others.
This country has a severe irresponsibly problem regarding the deplorable carelessness creating high numbers of dogs flooding onto shelters that are being killed for space. That's unacceptable. Its all preventable.
Need awareness? Look on Facebook (or TikTok) at *Raising the Bar: Urgent DFW Shelter Dogs*
There are hardworking volunteers evaluating and promoting these code red (euth listed) dogs as best they can. If you have EYES and canine experience, and a decent beating ❤ heart, you will see this is tragic. Packed shelters kill man's best friend. That's betrayal! These dogs would never dump you there.
If you all have no clue what euthanasia of perfectly healthy dogs looks like, there is an old 80's documentary that will give you an honest glimpse. It's called *Kiss the Animals Goodbye* If you claim to love dogs like they love you, you will find that video unbearable to watch. Dogs are not throwaways. Ive had recues and reputable breeder (the life long dedicated kind) sourced dogs ( mainly field line Retrievers). They have all been wonderful. One of my best field Labs was a rescue! I had him 17 years!
Now that Im on this topic, Id love to see Stonnie feature shelter sourced dogs. He can bring along some rescues as adoptables. It would make it all more interesting. He could feature foster dogs (you get a bigger audience, hello?). Stonnie has the knowledge and skill! Ive got ample friends that have trained their shelter sourced finds into multi-titled dogs. AKC is open to mutts (and non-mutts that are absolutely in shelters especially Shepherds!!!!). AKC is not just for recognized breeds (that's way too limiting! AKC figured that out!).
Stonnie come on you have to have seen some shelter sourced dogs that have impressed you.
Ive got a "mutt" I got as a freebie from out in the countryside of Tennessee. He came to me emaciated full of parasites. They get that way due to irresponsible humans!!! He is now 85 lbs of easy keeper healthy! Ive had him Embark DNA tested. Turns out he is a Golden Retriever × Treeing Walker Coonhound. He looks like a shorthaired chocolate Lab. He sure can tree squirrels!!!! Great dog! I hate to imagine if a dog like him had ended up in a high kill shelter 💔. These shelters are 😥 PACKED!!!! That is a betrayal!!! It's why I absolutely advocate spay neuter for nearly everyone's dogs. Exceptions can be made if you can prove you have the track record and secure facilities to keep intact dogs. Stonnie you're a far cry from the average person that casually gets a dog. You can manage intact dogs. I have no faith in the average person doing the same! Look at the disgusting shelter kill numbers out there 😢!!! I helped get a pair of hunting pointers into rescue in Fort Worth, TX. Angers me to no end how selfish irresponsible too many people can be! Dogs are not throwaways ever! Until this country has far lower euthanasia rates at shelters, preferably zero, Im on board with widely enforced spay neuter of most dogs. As I said there can be approved exceptions like those that obtain a breeder license, or pay for the privilege to keep an intact dogs.
Just yesterday I was too late 💔 helping a group in California trying to make tough decisions which dogs they could pull from Riverside which is one of the worst high kill shelters in the country! The dog I couldn't save was named Rocko. He looked like a 9 -12 month old Retriever x German Shorthair Pointer. Seeing his innocent face in those video clips is going to haunt me 💔. The shelter euthanized him. I was absolutely out of my mind angry! That dog had so much potential!
At this time spay neuter for most people's dogs is absolutely necessary! Get rid of low end backyard breeders that don't microchip ID their pups to trace back to them for life! Get rid of Amish puppy factories! As I said exceptions to spay neuter can be made. Most of my Retriever friends (hunt test titled microchip and DNA ID'd dogs) are proof that responsibile people can maintain intact dogs. Everyone else? No!
If your dogs aren't in a proper secure fence they cannot escape, you spay/neuter! Gee look at Stonnie's facility? It is FENCED!
@Starry_Night_Sky: Thank you!
Sound logic to me! I’m convinced
Right On!
My right foot is on its way UPS since my left foot is what I kick with. Love the analogy.
Would you give up your left foot instead of your testicles though?
Love this
Brilliant analogy, Stonnie. I always thought the practice of neutering a pet as a racket for the vet industry.
Along with yearly vaccines. Both procedures have negative impact on health.
@@YSLRDabsolutely. Vet sends me “reminders” every year for my GSPs about these arbitrary vaccines. Most I do is Heartguard because the skeeters are bad where I live.
Ask your vet why he didn’t offer to do a titer (inexpensive screening for antibodies in the blood) most dogs are good for years after their initial shots. Don’t let the vet over vaccinate your dog!
There can be alternatives to heart guard as well.
@@KR-os6nn absolutely our boy here in Florida (lots of mosquitoes) never used any tick/ flea drugs or heart worm meds just a balanced raw diet STRONG IMMUNE system and hawthorn berry is good for the heart worms. 7 years perfect checkups the vet has no clue lol
So my wife wanted to have our Golden Retriever neutered….. I said “ honey! He’s already missing his front paw! Why would I take his testicles? He doesn’t really roam , never been in a dog fight, and he as chill as a dog can get! He’ll sleep till noon if we let him!! True story…… his name is Tipper. For obvious reasons
I agree with you.
Thank you Stonnie for addressing this issue! Everyone pushes to neuter for the exact same reasons you talked about but for the exact same reasons! Why should I chop off healthy body parts of my Dutch Shepherd if I am a decent dog owner, trainer, and work hard to manage my dog responsibly :-) thank you thank you!
Congrats on being owned by a Dutch Shepherd. I've heard conflicting versions on how the breed Association feels about altering them. What has been your experience? Asking because I would love to share my heart and home with one of these amazing dogs. Trying to get as much info ad possible.
hello:) My first reply is don't get a DS unless you don't have a job :))) They are a full time responsibility! I don't know anything about nor do I care what an Association recommends. I don't mean that in a harsh way - just that my baby was invested in for very specific reasons for my very specific wants and needs:) I am privileged enough to have gone down this path with my primary trainer and several police personnel that have and have had experience with this breed. I signed an agreement not to breed my dog with the breeder unless an arrangement was made with her consent-I do not foresee going down that road as I am not a breeder. The two veterinarians that I use both gave the same stock advice to wait about 2 years before neutering. My cursory investigations bring up the same answers that Stonnie gives - no hard scientific evidence that supports neutering at random. My guy is 17 mos and I've decided not to neuter. Best wishes for you on your journey:)@@tobygrimes9633
@@audracapriola9243 I'm actually on disability (pretty much blind in my right eye) so time isn't an issue. I used to have GSD's about 12 years ago. Lost my last one to a snake bite. Have a catahoula now and he's wonderful. Just fascinated with DS slightly smaller and much healthier than GSD. Trying to learn as much as possible about the breed from wherever I can. Thanks for the reply it's much appreciated.
Another subject that I would love to hear your perspective is proper dog Nutrition.
Avoid all kibble! Watch a documentary called “pet fooled “ free on google and Dr Karen Becker (not a Karen lol) makes great videos about alternative diets besides raw feeding (which is best but impractical for most)
Exactly!
Thank you for opening the discussion. City Vets promote neutering for all the reasons you mentioned and insist for licensing. Had a city vet really try to insist that my dog would get cancer if I didn't neuter him. Last time I saw that vet.
This is why Leerburg (Ed Frawley) said”many vets don’t deserve your respect or your business “( one of the reasons)
This video is so timely for me. I waited until 2 yrs old for my male mini Aussie at the advice of his breeder and many friends involved in dog sports. Recently made an appointment for him, but I still wonder if it’s the right move for his long term health. The biggest issue for most dog owners is that the average boarding facility won’t take intact dogs. I’m lucky to have dog connections that will keep my guy, but in an emergency it could be an issue.
I’m enjoying my 5th un-neutered lab. I think Bob Barker (RIP) did a good job convincing folks that it’s necessary. None of my dogs ever had accidental breeding incidents or health issues because they weren’t neutered.
Anecdotal reports are not helpful as far as predicting what might be best for most dogs. For that we need to turn to science. What does science say about this issue?
@@CakewalkHootenanny🙄🙄🙄
I have a solid black DDR GSD - he just turned 3 yrs and has all of his bits. He’s awesomely handsome, athletic and never roams (we live in the woods and he has ample opportunity. He prefers to stick around his family because we give him tons of frisbee throws; adventures, training, love and high quality freeze dried raw treats/ homemade food,
My large Aussiedoodle Max is 6 months old and everyone is pushing to nuter him , i run him miles everyday and hes an house dog too i figure they grew down there for a reason im glad i held off
When I adopted my wolf dog, I did get him neutered. He was naturally aggressive and it helped lessen it. Now I have 2 husky mixes, brothers, and chose not to. They are happy and sweet. Great dogs with a great disposition and highly trainable. I don’t see any reason to do that to them. Thank you so much for you video!
We got a rescue Caucasian Ovcharka at 9 months old and the SPCA had "done" him the day before. I was choked that they would do that to a giant breed at such a young age but the vet said it was "policy".
I told her I thought they were here to help and protect helpless animals, she said if you don't want him leave.
He is just over two and 150lbs still growing and that is always in the back of my mind, "hope they didn't screw up his life"
One of my favorite breeds😢 One of the many reasons I preach Shop Don’t Adopt is because shelters are liars and schemers.
I’ve wondered about whether a vet might prescribe replacement hormones for shelter dogs that are spayed/neutered too young.
Studies are now showing it increases the odds of bad outcomes to spay/neuter too early (much less pediatric spays/neuters!) so I think if you had a good relationship with your vet, it might be something to discuss.
@@Silver_Ever That’s ascribing to maliciousness what is more likely due to desperation, I think. Remember, the shelters depend on innocent (ignorant) newbies to adopt their dogs- people who may never have owned a pet before, much less a dog. The shelters have clearly done the calculation that a health hit to the dogs is the poison they are picking, because the new dog owners are, in the main, likely ill equipped to competently prevent unplanned pregnancies.
Lots of posts here heap scorn on “the 80% of dog owners who should have a cat. Or a stuffed animal.” But these are a good percentage of the folks offering homes to desperate shelter dogs. The shelters’ calculation only breaks down when an adopter has lots of experience training and managing dogs- but the shelter doesn’t know you. They are dealing with their understanding of the lowest common denominator. And if dogs are adopted without sterilization, the shelters will absolutely have a lot more unplanned puppies cycling back to the shelter, and a lot more euthanasias of healthy dogs. So, even though more studies are showing the increased health risks and shortened lifespans that result from early spay/neuter, I really doubt the shelters will change their approach.
However- my hope is that the canine medical community will come up with appropriate hormone replacement therapies, so the shelter dogs that adopters fall in love with can live longer, healthier lives, even though they were sterilized too young. What if every dog owner who cares about this subject goes and talks about it with their vet? Maybe we can show that there is a market for some way to help repair the damage of early spays and neuters.
I have a 3 yo Chocolate registered lab. He is intact and a wonderful dog except for marking indoors occasionally. I’ve heard that neutering him will stop this behavior? I prefer to not neuter him but I can’t take him anywhere indoors without a belly band. Ideas or recommendations?
Would love a video on dog nutrition for the master himself please
As you said at the start Stonnie, I agree, it's 'nuanced'. I've rehomed unwanted rescue male dogs for 37 years in the U.K. They all needed re-homing 'cos no-one had neutered their dogs. Male dogs, just like humans, naturally, after 50 (hormones change!), may be a little calmer, a little less eager to fight when they have a few less testosterone hormones. For anyone who wants to care for a dog that they don't plan to breed, good exercise, good management and training and good contraception makes a good, responsible dog owner.
Thank you for this information. I have two 1.5 year old Anatolian Shepards and have been considering if I need to neuter and gastropexy once fully grown.
Will you address digging dogs in a video? My dogs are excavating their runs and I’ve put out no less than 75 bags of concrete but there’s always a new hole. They go for obedience and fun walks every day and literally have hours of intense playtime and still dig.
What suggestions for a dog that was neutered at the shelter at 14 weeks and now has some fear reactivity(6 months). Training him...but will he have lifelong behavioral and medical impacts?
I lost my last balgiun she was spayed and died few days later I am not spayed the 2 I have now I listen to you alot I have had alot of dogs in my life but I learned more listening
Never done it. Agree without even watching vid. But great vid to fwd Tony mates.
Thank you for the great video. I would be very interested in hearing your view on female neutering, especially in relation to behaviour. Thank you!
When we had our first dog (lab/border collie mix) we had him neutered right at six months at the urging of a big city vet under a monthly "health plan." Needless to say the dog developed arthritis at a very early age and we spent his whole changing up his diet and working to find supplements to ease the pain and increase motility. We found out along the way from another vet that neutering a dog especially a large breed (if you're going to do it at all) should not been done until at least until 1.5 or 2 years old (after the growth plates on the bones have healed over). Genetics may also have been at play with that dog, but it was sad to see a lab mix who at about seven years old no longer wanted to go on walks out of the yard because it literally pained him to do so. We came up with other yard games like catch as well as tossing him a large ball so he could jump and bonk it off his mouth back to you to keep him engaged. Our current dog (GSP/lab mix) is approaching a year and a half and is intact and will remain so likely forever. The issue with that is that in the city it is very difficult to find a kennel that will take an intact dog who is older than six months.
Shame on those kennels!
We have a 2 year old intact male spaniel. We did some research before we got him as a puppy, spoke to anyone we came across with intact dogs and the vet we intended to register him with. He was checked and weighed monthly in his first year with us, as is normal practice at the vet. We took notice of how he interacted with other dogs, people and animals and his general attitude to learning and life. We now know he will always be intact unless there is a medical reason to not be.
Does he have his tail?
@@vikingdogmanship He does. If he was born with it, he's got it 😂
@@ilearn8950 100%
interestingly, the fact that he has his tail is the thing we get most comments about. We have a 6 month old female spaniel who came to us with her tail docked. It makes Conker's even more noticeable.
I am so glad to hear that you are against neutering dogs because most people aren't and it breaks my heart. The reason why is because i find it cruel that people are willing to neuter their own dogs just to make their own lives easier. I mean it is such a self righteous act how come you can be comfortable with making that decision for your dog.
That’s why they attack us “intact owners “ viciously, deep down they feel guilty!
Stonnie, what about Spay?
How to you feel about in tact females? Being around in tact males?
Man Stonnie is the goat
Mr Dennis you have been a God send for me and my two 18 month old Black Lab/Weimaraner pups. I have been watching your videos as we have gone through the training them to be respectful pups. You and I seem to aways have the same philosophy--let Gus and Earl have full and fun lives. Again this video is so timely for us. We started taking them to the dog park at 5 months. They were great with all the other dogs. I started noticing that neutered dogs were approaching especially Earl and trying to challenge him. Earl would just stare straight ahead and usually I would shoo the other dog away. About 2 months ago Earl decided to growl back. So because Earl is not neutered the "Karens" of the dog park berated me for not having Gus and Earl neutered. Anyway did some research and my eyes were opened. There is a huge thing for neutered dogs to be aggressive to unneutered dogs. I had been witnessing it but I had been brainwashed to believe the opposite. We had planned to neuter them at 2 years but I was having second thoughts. Your video confirmed what I was feeling. To my Vets credit he is not pushing me to do it. He seemed almost reluctant and that reinforced my thoughts too. I have so often wanted to ask your thoughts on this---glad somebody did. I would love for Gus and Earl to visit that great place you have. For now we will keep finding adventures for them and watching your videos
I've met enough Karens at the dog park that unfortunately for my dog I've sworn off dog parks.
Always trust your gut! Lucky for you your vet has some scruples.
We have also stopped the dog park visits. I can control my pups but not others. So not going to put Earl into situations that learns to be aggressive. We go when it is raining and no one else is there. They love it . Mudadors!!
My intact Black Lab is 3 yrs old and the most well-behaved stud, BUT I'm a responsible owner that is aware of females in my area and their heat cycle. He is the first Lab that I've left intact and he's mellow, gorgeous square head and physique, and content as can be! I'm happy that he can be his full self both in development and demeanor.
Absolutely brilliant! Had me in stitches! 🤣 love it! Totally agree, poor excuse to do that. Long live testicles! 🍒
I'll keep my foot thank you! ❤
🇮🇪 brilliant video sharing
P.s. we had Bear Bear an unneutered golden lab that was as dumb as a snail, full of nothing but kindness and he lived to 15 and weighed 90 lbs. and we adored him! He was my inheritance! ❤
I have a 5 month old lab. We are thinking about neutering him coz my brother has a female N Innuit so we are worried once he matures what will happen. I am not for the neutering. Looking for advise.
Yes! I was pressured from when my male lab was young to do it and never heard a good scientific reason. I’m on top of him and its never been an issue, still has his jewels 3 years later. Only thing I see that may be related is excessive sniffing/marking when we go to the park. But no reason close to justifying me neutering him.
I think excessive sniffing and marking is just a thing with some dogs in general - I've had a few neutered males that way outdid my in tact males in that area, even humping was particularly worse in one of them.
Same here. I've had 4 male labs, the first two were neutered and the other two were not. All 4 with excessive sniffing and marking. One of the neutered humped every dog he encountered. @@Nil-tz6gy
I'm a woman, and I'd surely give up my ovaries over my left foot! But I've already had my 4 children so I'm sure that figures into the equation!
We got our first dog several years ago, and waited as long as we could to get him neutered. Our neighbors got a dog that drove our dog crazy (in heat, maybe?) and I really feared he might break the glass sliding door trying to get outside!
I am glad that he was nearly 2 when we got it done, as that's supposed to help protect the joints from what I've read.
Left foot… not even a question…. Great analogy.
I've had three male dogs over the course of my life, and they were all intact. They were all GOOD dogs, therefore I saw no need to have them "fixed". The worst "leg humper" dog in the family was my mother's female poodle, which had been "fixed".
We have a leg humper spayed female poodle too lol! And an intact male retriever, who weighs twice as much and yet she is constantly "dominating" him.
So glad you commented on this! Homer (Mastiff) is almost 4 years old and living his best life (NOT overweight) muscular, lean, and still active. After doing some research I came to the conclusion that what is best for HIM and HIS quality of life would be not to neuter. It seems like there are a ton of people being pressured and told what to do with weak and mindless arguments. I was reading how in Europe most dogs are not neutered (considered inhumane), their vets are trained to do vasectomy versus in the States that isn’t even being taught to our vets. As a man that has sons, I truly believe there is a war on masculinity in all forms (including dogs) based on fear and incorrect information. Lord help our nation!
100%
Amen
True! You can find holistic vets who will do vasectomies, if you find that it’s necessary, but I agree, good nutrition, proper training, being a good owner are all first responses. Once those things are addressed and consistently managed, any issues will be resolved.
I got my beautiful female dog from a shelter and its rules made me neuter her or else i could not take ownership. SADNESS.
@@StonnieDennis - This is a ridiculous analogy. Why? Because humans can do something with their sex drives. Your dog will NEVER be allowed to have sex. Would you want a high sex drive if you were never allowed to release that drive? I wouldn't. Also there is no social stigma against castrated dogs like there would be with a castrated human. Good dog trainers know better than to anthropomorphize dogs. And neutered dogs are just as happy as intact dogs.
Also, managing works to prevent pregnancies until it doesn't. My grandfather's male dog would jump a six foot wooden fence cross a highway and jump another fence to mate with a female in heat a mile away. Accidents happen. I volunteer at the local pound and we are overflowing with dogs. We don't need more accident puppies from owners "managing" their intact dogs.
And people don't think neutering is good because they have been programed for anti-mascultiy. What kind of conservative propaganda has Stonnie been mindlessly ingesting. If anything they have been "programmed" to think neutering helps unwanted pregnancies. And they are right.
Stonnie, there over 3 million dogs sitting in shelters right now and millions more stray. Over half a million dogs are euthanized every year. Do you think you are helping the problem or making it worse? You didn't even mention vasectomy like the commenter above. Get out of your conservative propaganda and use some common sense
This is a topic I sincerely wish veterinarians cared more about - in relation to what’s REALLY best for a dog health-wise. Instead, it’s an easy money maker. And of course, when you rescue/adopt, you are given no choice but to neuter/spay.
Some increased health risks in dogs who ARE neutered, both too early or in general:
Cushings disease, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumors, and canine cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in neutered dogs.
The most profound observations were in hip dysplasia in male dogs when comparing early and late-neutering. The risk of development of hip dysplasia doubles, and disease occurs at a younger age in the early-neuter group compared to both the intact and late-neuter group. No occurrence of CCL disease was observed in intact male or intact female dogs, or in late-neutered females.
I was not informed on any of this when I spayed my puppy back in 2018. And my other was a rescue who was neutered far too early at 8 weeks. I had no say in that. But his energy tanked at 3 years old already. He went from a lively puppy up through 2 years old, and by 3, he stopped playing altogether outside and walks became slower and slower. He’s almost 8 now, and is the laziest dog I’ve ever seen. I just pray he doesn’t develop any diseases and I pray my Malinois who I was told to spay if she wasn’t going to have pups anyway, doesn’t suffer anything more severe than she already has. I don’t know if it’s related or not, but her teeth are way too brittle. She also is taller than most, which they say comes from spaying/neutering before they are fully developed.
I now have a new Malinois puppy and before I got him, I had done enough of this research to know I WILL NOT neuter him.
❤
I have a 10 year old unaltered chocolate lab. I am glad I never neutered him. He is my first dog which I did not neuter. Previously always listened to the vet and neutered my dogs. I am glad I did not listen to my vet now that we know more about health drawbacks. Our old vet recommended early neuter around 6 months, so I quickly found a different vet.
I was always taught from a young age that the reason to neuter a dog was that if you don’t intend to breed them you’re inviting problems.
Same as if you get a herding dog but train it it’s whole life to ignore those instincts it’s cruel. If you have a dog who’s instincts say to procreate but you train it to ignore that it’s cruel.
Not saying that’s right. It’s just what I was taught. The foot thing makes good common sense and I’ll have to chew on that in future.
I’ve taken my intact dominant 140 pound male Great Pyrenees out in public every day for the last 7 years and the first thing people always tell me is “that’s the happiest dog I’ve ever seen “ He’s never bred and never will.
Lots of manipulation has been done on people to compel them to make decisions out of “compassion” or rather in the name of compassion but for ulterior motives.
We will not neuter or spay another dog. It really makes no sense to remove organs which alter the dogs' body chemistries, not to mention the surgeries, anesthesia, and heal-time. The foot analogy was great!
We have been changing everything about how we use veterinary services in the past 4 years. We have decided against all but the first set of DHPP shots (for puppies). Our dogs are quite isolated, being rural, and don't go into dog communities so they have very minimal exposures. In our state, we are mandated to get Rabies shots but we postpone as long as possible. Our 7 month old Silver Lab still does not have a Rabies shot.
After our 5 year old male Labradoodle was diagnosed with Lymphoma this past January, we took a very serious look at ANY causative agents that could have caused the Lymphoma for a dog this young. We only have 1 answer, aside from genetics. We are very suspicious of the Lyme vaccines we gave this dog, at the recommendation of our trusted vet. The more we learned, the more leery we have become...and not just with vaccines but with unnecessary treatments/surgeries, and commercial dog foods (which we do not use).
Note: Our Labradoodle underwent the chemotherapy (CHOP protocol) for Lymphoma and is now in remission. Having a beloved dog get a 'death sentence' will shake a dog owner to the bones. We have made big changes in our veterinary recommendations.
Good for you! Sorry that happened though.
Stonnie,
I have commented on your videos frequently About how much I appreciate your techniques and training and thoughts about raising Periods. I have 2 English labs,1 black Female , 1 black male... My vet Advised us to wait until1 years old For the hormones Hormones and muscle growth2 developed. So that's what we did and every boarding school Daycare Always want them to be neutered. I felt like we didn't have a choice. So I went through the process. I sometimes regret doing that, however We do live in a neighborhood full of dogs. I trained my dogs just the way you doWith the exception of a beautiful facility like yours.
Thank you for your opinion I agree with it , Play black labs as you say are the best type of dog, LOl, Are the best type of dog! Thanks again for your advice.
Sincerely,
Eric Tilson
I have 2 intact male dogs in my home. When the younger reached puberty. He attacked my older male. He's attacked him several times since. Now I have to keep them separate. My trainer advised I neuter him and then start retraining 6 weeks after surgery. Any thoughts?
Watch the video posted in the comments below
Get a better trainer
"if you neuter a dog it won't roam" Also "Never met a husky" hahaha
I can say I fully regretted getting my dog neutered under pressure from the vet. Before he had it done he was so friendly and loved every dog he met. After he was like a different dog! Aggressive with other dogs and some children! I brought it up with my vet and they laughed it all off! Upon further research I found that this can happen to some dogs after neutering 😢 I was heartbroken for him.
The prevention of testicular cancer via neutering has an efficacy rate of 100.00000000% owing to the surgically imposed absence of said testes.
What about the hormonal changes ? The negative effects on muscle mass, bone density, joint health and so on ? If you believe cutting the balls of a 6 month dog is a great preventative measure you are an idiot.
Should all men have their testes removed?
Take my right foot. I can live without the rear brake but I need to be able to shift gears!
I think I'll take my left foot over my Balls LMAO Idk. But great info! Keeping my intact Yellow Lab, he's a trooper!
Just curious, how old are you?
@@StonnieDennis 29 years young sir! lol Thanks for the great content as always👍🏽
I’m 63 but “the boys” are staying lol
My left foot is already messed up.
Very interesting video and I like the way you presented it! All my dogs in my past were never neutered. Fast forward to 9 years ago on Black Friday my gal brought home a beautiful black lab male, long story, and close to a year and a half we neutered him. It definitely didn’t stunt his growth/muscularity as he’s 110 pounds, and his personality is very gentle, kind, and loving to everyone and every creature…that being said, if I were to do it again, I would not neuter him. I do have a question though, my sister has a year and a half spaniel and she’s thinking about possibly having her dog get a vasectomy….is that a good idea?
They actually get bigger if you spay or neuter too early, because their growth plates never fuse.
@@Nil-tz6gy females get bigger if you spay too early because they're meant to grow up to be smaller and their hormones have been altered. By the same token, males, if castrated too early, will be smaller than they should be.
One of my neighbors has mother and daughter cats. The mother, obviously, was spayed after she'd matured and is very petite. Her daughter, whom my friend took in because the owner was abusing her, was spayed as a kitten and is massive compared to her mother. In all fairness, they're both healthy.
The vasectomy has no advantage for you dog. Additionally, it will be time consuming and very expensive for you to source a vet who will do the procedure and just because a vet says they will do it for a high price does not mean they are experienced. So, my thought is don't pay a high price to risk your dog for a procedure that does not benefit him. If people look at you with disdain and accuse you of being an irresponsible owner, just tell them he had a vasectomy.
I love this channel! I have miniature poodles but love to look at beautiful, hunting, retrieving and other big dogs in action. Because my first miniature poodle died of a ruptured, spleen hemagiosarcoma, I did a lot of research online to determine the risk factors for this cancer. There is a study that shows a 6 fold increase in risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered vs. unneutered male dogs. I don't recall that the study investigated age of neutering as another variable. In my research, I found Dr. Karen Becker's (DVM) video on yt discussing all the cons of neutering that most veterinarians never mention. According to my vet, I need to get my current poodle neutered ASAP because he could get testicular cancer. True, any part that is not removed could eventually develop cancer including the back left paw, LOL.
My current dog is 3 and he has vibrant health and is not overweight-- All my former miniature poodles put on weight following de-sexing. American veterinarians do recognize the risk factors of obesity in dogs and they will gladly sell their clients a bag of garbage kibble that is mainly sawdust and carbs for overweight dogs.
My other current poodle is overweight as he was neutered at age 2. I tried very hard for two months to cut down his food (I feed a very well researched, varied, raw and gently cooked commercial and home cooked diet. I only feed human grade, inspected foods that are listed on "The List" by consumer advocate, Susan Thixton. Her site is TruthAboutPetFood (dot com)). After two months of one meal a day feeding, he lost a measly 6 ounces. And, the price he paid was reduced nutrition and unhappiness. I no longer diet him because it was the fixing that caused this and very difficult to fix. Both of my boys get daily, long, rigorous walks and the food is species appropriate so very low carb.
I highly recommend that dog owners do not feed kibble, do not over-vaccinate and only fix your dog after doing a lot of research. There is no hurry. A number of holistic veterinarians are recommending that people wait several years before spaying a female dog and skipping neutering a male dog unless necessary (danger of wandering because of nearby intact females, etc.).
All the longest lived dogs I know were either not fixed or fixed later like after 3 to 6 years. Dr. Becker had a Rottie female who she fixed after adopting her at age 6 and she lived to 16 and had very good health but then had an accident that required Dr. Becker to euthanize her. Dr. Becker gives many more examples of this health fact.
I would be curious to know your views on spaying a female. My first dog was a border collie greyhound mix. I loved and adored her. She was 12 months when I got her from the shelter. Somehow she was a mess from them. No shots were done and she had worms, fleas,ticks and severe separation anxiety.She also wasn't spayed. We never got her spayed. I looked into best ways to train her and in less then a month separation anxiety wasn't an issue. She was super smart and trained herself in things I have never heard of a dog doing before. We had a vet fix her up to get rid of all of her problems. She became my kids guardian and my best friend.
She was 17 when she passed away. She had breast cancer as well as a heart attack. I did learn the longer you wait to spay, the more expensive it can become. I also learned the pricing goes off of size and age of your dog. I kept her on the healthiest/best dog food I could and she loved life.
I miss her every day but I wanted to continue to share this love for animals with other dogs. I adopted a malamute border collie mix. He is a big boy but they neutered him before I adopted him. He is 4 years old. I now have 3 cats as well as the dog. Oreo will forever be in my heart though and my kids since they grew up together. I often wondered if I had gotten her spayed, would she have lived longer or at least not suffered in the end.
Yay! We have a kangal and my husband and I are older. he's a tough 82 year old marine and great with all our dogs and I'm a younger than him horse person who handles stallions. We won't fix Gunner. He loves everyone and his worst problem is he might knock you over with love. We have to manage him and our fences are high and his best buddy is an 18 year old cat. He's a gentle giant and there is but one person in his little life he hasn't loved! 🥰 we had an akitas dad and he was amazing and then we had his daughter that was the ying to my yang. Akitas and kangals are completely different and similarly intelligent and loyal. I'm not going to heaven unless my dogs are there!!!! 🎉 don't fix your males unless you have to! ❤😂
Imagine that; I grew up with dogs all my life thus far and neutering them was never something that even came to mind to correct or prevent any behavior or health issues. Exercise, solid diet, and very basic training was all I would do; never have I been unable to address these issues that neutering supposedly addresses just by doubling down on training, exercise, discipline, and structure. I have had temporary problems with some dogs solely based on personality and I have later in life witnessed the same issues arising with neutered dogs that individuals claim that it fixes. This all leads me to believe that these issues lay primarily with the owners of these dogs. Outside of a sudden medical condition that arises that requires the procedure for the health and well-being of the dog I just can’t see the need. I can’t imagine a dog not being it’s healthiest when fully intact and well cared for. Sometimes you do everything right and shit happens; doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it all over again given the chance. Adjusting for a future you are guessing could be is truly pointless. There is a reason they say hindsight is 20/20; only when things unfold can there be any clarity. 😊