Am I doing the right thing

[nickyshep]

I've got a 17month old golden working cocker called Mitch and I know its in his breeding and his age but he is getting more and more excitable, marking his territory and not being very responsive to me at Agility training. They asked me how old he was and suggested I should get him done! (my words not theirs) and they did give me all the fors to having it done. I would like him to carry on with his Agility but at the minute we seem to have hit a brick wall as he seems to not  want to jump that much, he gets a bit bored and runs sniffing round the field!! Its only been in the last 2 weeks he's been doing it because up until then he's been brill apart from the weaves and I know he can do it, its great and I know he really enjoys it too. When I suggested putting him for stud they said because he's not working and a family pet it would mix all the genes and everything about, he has got an excellent pedigree from his papers but it was suggested it would change him if we gave him a bite of the cherry so to speak as he would always be looking for it, which I think it would really get on my nerves.
I would be grateful for anyones views on this as I would welcome any advice.
Thanks

Nicky

[angelbaby]

i personally would not let him do it either? and i wouldnt breed from a dog that wasnt a field champ himself iyswim, there is a new method out which invloves a micro chip like thing which has the effect of castration on the dog and can be reversed, hes reaching the age now of full maturity now too, does he show any other signs that you may think would stop with snipping his bits off? aggression, humping that sort of stuff?

[Cob-Web]

Nicky - I sympathise with your agility experience; spaniels of both genders, entire and neutered, can be a challenge; I have struggled with both of mine (one entire dog, and one spayed bitch  )

I agree with the comments made about not using a pet dog for stud (it can change their outlook on life, and only the most exceptional examples of the breed in terms of health, temperament and conformity/skill should be used in breeding programmes) - I am not as keen on the "chop 'em off" approach as some  .

Keep working on the bond between you, and in the long term, weeks or months, he is likely to refocus on you whether or not he is castrated   



I never thought I'd get to the stage when I could take Molo to a unfamiliar grass course, and run him without fault at a display; he was too keen on finding scents to follow - but we did a few weeks ago, after nearly two years of practice, and I was SOOO proud of him 

[Cazzie]

I await the hammers  But in my opinion I think it borders on cruelty to keep a male entire if he actively comes in contact with lots of other dogs. Plain and simple 

[Cob-Web]

I await the hammers  But in my opinion I think it borders on cruelty to keep a male entire if he actively comes in contact with lots of other dogs. Plain and simple 

Really?  I thought you were planning to show Otter? 

[Cazzie]

I await the hammers  But in my opinion I think it borders on cruelty to keep a male entire if he actively comes in contact with lots of other dogs. Plain and simple 

Really?  I thought you were planning to show Otter? 

I thought I was planning on showing him too but I believe you cant if their done  Such a shame 

[sarah25]

I await the hammers  But in my opinion I think it borders on cruelty to keep a male entire if he actively comes in contact with lots of other dogs. Plain and simple 

Really?  I thought you were planning to show Otter? 

I thought I was planning on showing him too but I believe you cant if their done  Such a shame 

I think you can but you just need to get permission form the Kennel Club (To show them)

[Cazzie]

I await the hammers  But in my opinion I think it borders on cruelty to keep a male entire if he actively comes in contact with lots of other dogs. Plain and simple 

Really?  I thought you were planning to show Otter? 

I thought I was planning on showing him too but I believe you cant if their done  Such a shame 

I think you can but you just need to get permission form the Kennel Club (To show them)

Its ok as im not going down that route with Otter, for me to show him id have to wait about 3 years as im showing at crufts in the gamekeepers class's and the dog has to have worked for the past season and for Otter that will be quite a way off. I am however showing Belle (who is spayed but was done for health reasons) and a friend of mine's dogs who are all entire 

[Jane S]

You don't need permission to show a neutered dog - you just need to inform the KC (there's a form on their website) & that's it. A friend of mine used to show a neutered Gordon Setter and even won a CC with him but it isn't easy showing a neutered male - much easier showing a spayed bitch (unless a coated breed) as the neutering isn't obvious.

[Cazzie]

You don't need permission to show a neutered dog - you just need to inform the KC (there's a form on their website) & that's it. A friend of mine used to show a neutered Gordon Setter and even won a CC with him but it isn't easy showing a neutered male - much easier showing a spayed bitch (unless a coated breed) as the neutering isn't obvious.

Thanks for that Jane 

[loujo]

Robbie was castrated due to health problems and we informed the Kennel Club who gave us a letter to show any judge, etc that we had informed the KC and we had permission.  Unfortuneatly Robbie's coat blew after being castrated and we had to stop showing him 

[Cob-Web]

I agree that it would be cruel to regularly expose any dog to any situation that cause them to be stressed or anxious.

I'm sure that anyone with experience of a wide range of dogs would agree that not all entire males are a mass of uncontrollable hormones, though   

I (unsurprisingly, as I own an entire dog) do not agree that it is cruel to leave a dog entire, it depends on the dog and their reactions to varying circumstances. The medical benefits of castration are not yet established and there is some evidence which suggests that it may actually increase the risk of some diseases 

[PennyB]

I've got a 17month old golden working cocker called Mitch and I know its in his breeding and his age but he is getting more and more excitable, marking his territory and not being very responsive to me at Agility training.

Why do you want to breed him though.

It sounds like if he's like this now he may be worse if you do put him to stud but also you may be only able to put him to stud with people who are backyard breeders etc. (people who just flood the market with substandard dogs that could easily end up in rescue or worse) as a breeder who looks it breeding properly will not consider your dog at all because of his background

[Cazzie]

Id get him done and both carry on and enjoy your agility  When im at a shoot Goose my eldest male Lab (Castrated) has not one once of inclination to wander off to sniff pee or the girls and mingles with them all and is happy having fun without alarm signs going off in his brain  . The entire males at a shoot are a ruddy pest  Being on the recieving end of entire male dogs bitching after Belle and dragging her to the ground is enough for me im afraid  Otter my youngest male Lab is still entire, he is 8 months and is slowly starting to show interest in the girls and as I have been advised to wait till he is at least 14 months old to have him done (due to his big bone structure) but if he is becoming a handful then he will have to be done earlier possibly 

[nickyshep]

Thanks for you're advice, I really do appreciate it, I think I had almost made up my mind about it but it is always useful to get some advice from people who know and that I am grateful for being the novice that I am.
I will let you know how I get on and you never know we could be at Crufts competing one day

Nicky