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To snip or not to snip? That is the question.

Welcome to Pitbulls.org Forums Pit Bull Talk Health To snip or not to snip? That is the question.

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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  • #14322
    Calvin and Hobbes
    Participant

    I’ve had my buddy Hobbes for a little over two weeks now and a lot of people have come up to me asking “Are you gonna trim his ears?” or “Are you gonna cut his tail?”


    I’ve had my buddy Hobbes for a little over two weeks now and a lot of people have come up to me asking “Are you gonna trim his ears?” or “Are you gonna cut his tail?”

    Never, I would never change Hobbes. Hobbes and I are au naturel.

    Which brings me to the question “Should I neuter my dog?”

    Just thinking about chopping off his little nuts makes me wince and squirm. Though I have read that neutering cuts down on aggression, it just seems wrong to me.

    A friend of mine that used to work at a place called K-9s Only told me that neutering not only cuts aggression, but also reduces their chances of testicular cancer. I told him that cutting off his nuts also reduces his chances of having nuts.

    Help me please!

    Your comments are very much appreciated!

    #15511
    mhaze
    Participant

    You should do it for many reasons, including the ones you mentioned above. It’s what responsible owners do. I can tell you from my 37 years of experience with dogs, including working in veterinary hospitals, they recover very quickly from the procedure. It’s what smart people do, and they’re dogs for smart people, right?

    Read this:

    Should I spay/neuter?
    http://www.pbrc.net/speuter3.html

    Free/low cost spay/neuter programs:
    http://www.pbrc.net/speuter.html

    #15514
    Calvin and Hobbes
    Participant

    I’m not very smart, but for the sake of Hobbes and all pits I want to learn more about the procedure.

    Thank you very much for the reading material mhaze.

    Another question though:
    What age should I neuter my dog?

    I’m hearing “around 6 months” a lot.

    #15525
    Zr
    Participant

    I’m on the fence on the subject. Though it can increase territorial aggression and wanting to wander when there’s a bitch in heat around, it will not actually change the dog’s personality. That’s a myth. There are pros and cons to the operation; make sure you read up on both.

    For age, it depends. I’ve heard that spaying/neutering early can effect the growth of the dog, especially in giant breeds. They don’t get all the hormones that they need to develop muscle mass and the like.

    It also depends on what you want to do with your dog. If your plan to show him in UKC events or the like, he cannot be neutered. But if he’s just a pet, then it’s probably the best choice.

    However. I do feel that responsible people can keep intact pets. Dandi is not spayed and will not be until she’s a year or two older. As long as you keep track of heat cycles (if applicable), keep track of who your dog is playing with and keep it confined and leashed, there’s really no way for it to run off and have babies.

    #15554
    mhaze
    Participant

    You’ll find lots of debate on what the right age is. Personally, I think it’s somewhere between 6-12 months. My dog was altered at around 8 months of age. He has continued to put on muscle, but hadn’t started any adult male related habits, such as marking territory (like your furniture), and humping everything that moves, to name a couple!

    #15579
    Neversong
    Participant

    There is absolutely no reason not to neuter. I have a dog-aggressive un neutered male i can tell you I will never let a dog go intact again. Its the best decision you’ll ever make for you and your dog. Plus, you wont risk bringing more puppies into the world that will end in shelters. =

    Neuter the sooner the better. Depending on when testosterone starts flowing potential aggression will soon follow.

    #15581
    Taana
    Participant

    A male can smell a bitch in heat up to 3 miles away. You better keep him secure!.They are masters of escaping. My neighbor 2 doors down had a 6 foot cage with a board, and tires on top of the cage and locks down the opening and that guy still figured out a way to escape. He then dug under 2 fences and ripped out my bedroom screen to get into my house. I can’t tell you how many times my husband took “dennis the menace” home and by the time he returned the dog was already back at my house. If you are fearful of him not having his diddley’s you can get fake ones put in. They are very popular in Cali. It’s safer for you and him to be neutered. If cost is an issue contact your local SNAP or google low spay/neuter organizations in your area. Compare prices they vary. Also you can check out http://www.pbrc.net and they have grants offering low cost/free spay n neutering. You just need to apply.

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