doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New pup decision...

Eightbore,
I agree with your logic. Trouble is, the vets who claim such "scientific" knowledge get paid to neuter pets. I am unaware of large scale double blind type scientific studies on the subject. Do you know of an unbiased source of information? Jake

This forum ain't rocket science (or any other kind). Matt didn't ask for studies - he asked for the experiences of other hunters. And the anecdotal answers from others who have "gone this route" are almost unanimous: no, neutering does not affect hunting desire.

There will always be very positive and very negative experiences on both sides of the debate. What you hear will depend on whom you ask. You just have to make up your mind and take your lumps if it doesn't come out right. The most pertinent post I remember is from the guy who blames the negligent owner on fat altered dogs. Without endorsing altering bird dogs, I agree with that poster. If you have a fat bird dog, you're feeding him too much or working him too little. Comment?

I have an 8 y/o unneutered male GWP. To date, he has not experienced any health problems nor has he exhibited any negative behavior problems that can be associated with his "intactness" (note--you can see neutered dogs humping each other).
Since virtually everyone I come across spays their bitches, there has never been an issue with him running off to find romance (deer were another issue).
I can't imagine that a hunter would be nutty enough to hunt a female in heat, especially on public land.
Not being a breeder, I would always spay a female, purely as a matter of convenience.

Welcome to the board. You have a very hard question on your hand to decide.. You have heard a lot of good/bad points. It seems that females (dogs) that are fixed, doesn't seem to show any disadvantages. Males however can be agressive and then very sullen after being fixed. The points you have to weigh are, do I ever want to breed my dog if he becomes good. Do I take a chance on him becoming non-agressive in the field and at home.
I do believe that females not spayed and not having a litter have more of a chance on getting cancer because of toxins built up during the times they come in heat.
You do have a decision to make, and a hard one. Personnaly I don't want my male squatting like a female, and no I didn't have my 17+ month old setter fixed.

Funny how this keeps coming up about my dog. She's now 2 yrs old and a 52lb slick, slim Lab that has tons of energy, endurance and desire. Everyone keeps asking me what weight she'll be when she 'grows up'. Personally, I think she's all done growing. I think these that are asking about her weight are used to seeing common backyard Labs that are badly overweight. Even the other friends I have that bought commonly bred Labs, keep their dogs heavier than what I believe is a healthy weight. I consulted my vet many times about her weight (not my vet's weight, she looks pretty good as she is) and I keep a close eye on my dog's muscle/fat ratio. Everyone that I have respect for their dog knowledge tells me heavy weight causes or can lead to all kinds of muscular/skeletal probs. I weigh her regularly also to keep a perspective of what weight matches the visual indicators. I never intend my dog to get that 'mature' Lab fat look. I've seen older well kept hunting and field trials Labs that were lean and agile in their older yrs. That's my goal.

I guess there's a genetic disposition as well, Chuck, in dogs and us; if we don't watch it we go to pot. Hunting dogs are like professional fighters who should train year-round in yearly pursuit of birds. My Labs remain lithe and lean to the end of their days. My current four-year-old Lab, an 84-pound greyhound, is recovering from major TPLO surgery to repair a blow-out on his left hind leg. At my age, he's my last dog. But if I'm upright eight or nine years from now, I'd get a smaller Lab scaled to smaller needs. I was looking at some beauties from Aussie stock last week. (Jake's recovery looks good; he placed his weight on his wounded leg to pee at 10 days post-op.)

Bad link

WOW! What a discussion...
Some talk like the nuetering is going to happen to them!

Then there is the ...I don't want me dog "squating to pee like a girl" group.

I am not a vet... but speying a female will reduce the chance for cancers in the female parts that are removed for sure...the same goes for males and there parts.

Every Vet I have known says it will reduce the risk of cancers in females.

I have always nuetered my dogs. My springers could hunt with the best of them. None were fat becuase I watched there diet. As a big time duck hunter, I have seen many, many, many fat male and female labs that were not nuetered.

I now have a gordon setter. He was showing so much promise when he was a pup, I had visions of the breeder (Norm Sorby) wanting to use him as an ocasional stud. I refused to neuter him until he kept sraying everywhere, including in the house! My wife "convinced" me I had to do it. He is now a LEAN, FANTASIC, Hunting MACHINE. When I need another dog, I'll call Norm.

I would love to hear from a vet and see some scientic studies.

Jerry