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Opinions on neutering?

k9kittylicking97 said:
Ok so if everyone is so against the neutering, I am but considering it due to the aggressiveness and dominance issues it causing. I’ve tried everything under the Sun the the dog is just so stubborn. Everyone says fixing him will help and calm him down a bit.
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Neutering doesn't fix aggression even though that is commonly believed and recommended.
I suggest reading this paper, Aggression toward Familiar People, Strangers, and Conspecifics in Gonadectomized and Intact Dogs and recommend referring people who suggest that as a solution for aggression to read it. There are reasons to neuter, but aggression is not one of them.

From the paper:
... there is no evidence that gonadectomy at any age alters aggressive behavior toward familiar people or dogs, and there is only a minimal increase in aggression toward strangers.
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I would recommend contacting a certified behaviorist, there are publications that cover the issue and recommended solutions.
I can give some references if you like, but agression is not a simple fix; it requires a solid understanding of behavior modification and rigorous methods or it can become dangerous and should not be attempted without a thorough understanding.
 
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None of my male dogs are neutered, they show no aggression towards me or to each other , only to strangers are they alerted and aggressive to protect my place , but they are healthy, functioning well.
 
k9kittylicking97 said:
Ok so if everyone is so against the neutering, I am but considering it due to the aggressiveness and dominance issues it causing. I’ve tried everything under the Sun the the dog is just so stubborn. Everyone says fixing him will help and calm him down a bit.
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i probably said that at some point, but this "everyone says fixing him solves everything" bullshit is just surreal how spread it is even tho there are public studies (such as the one @egoldstein provided) of why it's simply not true.
 
egoldstein said:
Neutering doesn't fix aggression even though that is commonly believed and recommended.
I suggest reading this paper, Aggression toward Familiar People, Strangers, and Conspecifics in Gonadectomized and Intact Dogs and recommend referring people who suggest that as a solution for aggression to read it. There are reasons to neuter, but aggression is not one of them.

From the paper:


I would recommend contacting a certified behaviorist, there are publications that cover the issue and recommended solutions.
I can give some references if you like, but agression is not a simple fix; it requires a solid understanding of behavior modification and rigorous methods or it can become dangerous and should not be attempted without a thorough understanding.
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I’m open to suggestions. I don’t really want to fix him.
 
k9kittylicking97 said:
I’m open to suggestions. I don’t really want to fix him.
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I would look for certified behaviorists in your area.
https://avsab.org/directory/

iaabc.org

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

iaabc.org iaabc.org


These should give a good overview of what to look for and what to look out for:

www.akc.org

What Is an Animal Behaviorist? Here's What Dog Owners Should Know

What is an animal behaviorist? If your dog is exhibiting serious problem behavior, ordinary training might not do the trick.
www.akc.org www.akc.org

findingatrainer - Dogtraining

DogTraining: A forum on dog training and behavior. Here you'll find content that will help you train your dogs. Dog training links, discussions...
old.reddit.com old.reddit.com

If you can't find any there, talk to the people at shelters, they often have some they work with. It can sometimes help to talk to people who aren't that close by, they may be aware of someone who's not active, but might be able to assist. Some will repeat what you've already been told, it's just the way information gets passed along, but if you share that paper with them anyone who continues to maintain that position without providing scientific evidence to the contrary should be disregarded...and if they do share such info, please reshare it here so we can all evaluate and benefit.

While certification doesn't mean they're the best, it does tend to set a level of expected understanding and quality, anyone can claim to be able to work with problems, but the proof is in the pudding as they say. Get references and anyone who's using force or talks about dominance should be avoided like the plague.

Failing all of that, one might need to learn how yourself, in which case I would refer you to read Brenda Aloff's "Aggression in dogs" and some of O'Heare's books on the subject as well as engaging with certified behaviorists online for more information and advice. This approach is not trivial and not recommened unless one is willing to make a serious investment into self education and advancement.

Edit: I'd like to add Donaldson's "Mine! A practical guide to resource guarding in dogs", that may or may not be at the root of your problems, but a similar structure and similar precautions apply and it's a good reference on such difficult to deal with topics.
 
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Why are so many people that I come across in my life so interested in my dog's balls? I swear, everyone who lays eyes on my pup's sack asks the same question: "Are you going to get him neutered?" or "You haven't gotten him neutered yet?"

What an odd question...I've never thought to ask a dog owner something like that. Mind ya business people...
 
GoldenGait said:
Why are so many people that I come across in my life so interested in my dog's balls?
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People are really weird about dogs still having their balls because of many old beliefs associated with them. Most people will think you are breeding him, that you are uneducated/don't care about the potential health risks (stupid imo cause I can't imagine most animals, including myself would agree to castration at the idea of a slightly longer life) OR they assume you were just too lazy/poor to do it. People also think that an unaltered male will be more aggressive, which may only be true if an intact female is around. On top of all of that, most people have never seen an unaltered male, and the balls likely come as a surprise when they turn around.

My vet actually refused to give me 2 different meds for Boots until I got him fixed. I told her to fuck off as kindly as possible, and much more specifically that friends don't cut off their friends balls. (The assistants face was priceless) Now when I call to make an appointment, I ask if it's doctor so and so.. If it is, I then make a point to let them know I have zero interest in a vet that doesn't take my pets health seriously, and then reschedule for a day when she is not there.
 
KnotSock said:
People are really weird about dogs still having their balls because of many old beliefs associated with them.
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I’m forced to wonder if these old beliefs had a lot to do with the profits to be made by performing these surgeries on animals. I can see ad campaigns for neutering your pets being funded by the folks profiting from the procedures. It’s hard not to see things through this lens.

I’m strongly resisting the urge to derail the conversation toward a parallel situation involving the paradoxical trust in pharmaceutical profit machines during the Covid pandemic…

Anyway…a little snip snip seems like a quick and easy way for a vet to make some good money.


In all this, my pup and I are blessed by his long, luscious, golden coat. While I’m not trying to hide his intactness, it is convenient that it’s not so on display as it could be. It helps with people minding their own business.
 
GoldenGait said:
Why are so many people that I come across in my life so interested in my dog's balls? I swear, everyone who lays eyes on my pup's sack asks the same question: "Are you going to get him neutered?" or "You haven't gotten him neutered yet?"

What an odd question...I've never thought to ask a dog owner something like that. Mind ya business people...
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First world problems lol
People here don't really care about neutering and see breeding as a good profit, but sadly the goverment is already doing free neutering campaigns. They have already claimed the balls of one of the very few dogs in my neighborhood.
 
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5legs said:
First world problems lol
People here don't care about neutering and everyone sees breeding as a good profit, but sadly the goverment is already doing free neutering campaigns.
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Ooohhhh snap, be careful when the government starts handing out free things haha!
 
You're stripping them of what is arguably life's most important organs just to force a gender less infantile furry baby in your home for Instagram likes. I don't believe in altering a natural animal at all. That includes docking ears

My dog is properly socialized. Imagine that. He can attend dog parks and meet new people and is never aggressive. I honestly don't know what neutering propaganda is even based off of anymore ?
 
bobbybobz said:
My family is much for neutering animals as a form of population and behavior control. I disagree, thinking neutering is pretty fucked up, because there are better alternatives like vasectomies or training your dog use a something else to mount on. When they need to release. (I’m just saying this because it’s not generally common for people to let dogs mount humans)

Idk, what are your opinions on this?
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Don't unless medically nessicary
 
Just be aware that vets sometimes use the "medical necessarity" as a scarecrow. Even if there are health issues, spay/neuter is not a proper/required solution for most of them.
 
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