lefty's random dog thread.

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by Stazy

The daycare is $12 a day but I think it's worth it. He's supervised, exercised, socialized and comes home exhausted. A tired basenji is much easier to deal with plus it takes some of the responsibility off me to walk him every night, etc.

Wow, that is some inexpensive doggie day care!!

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by lefty

None of my animals have ever been altered and none of them have bred indiscriminately.

If you can't prevent a dog under your care from not breeding you shouldn't own that animal.

lefty

Some dogs are better neutered as it can make them less aggressive. Not conjecture, a fact. I agree with your latter point.

 

[JLibourel]

^On the other hand, spayed bitches are statistically more likely to be involved in incidents of biting children than intact bitches, I've heard. I know my ***** Tosa Jessie definitely became more aggressive after we had her spayed...but then it may simply have been a matter of getting older.

 

[ClambakeSkate]

I used to bring my Aussie to doggy day care almost every day since both my wife and I work until he came home with a huge cut on his face (they kept him in the crate most of the day and he tried to eat his way out!) and he puked about 3 days worth of food that wasn't even the same color of the food that we feed him. NOT GOOD. That day care has since been seized by the city. GOOD.

Definitely be careful when selecting your doggy day care. I will be very reluctant to send him to another one, even if it has great reviews. When I go on vacation he goes to camp upstate which he seems to like. He comes back extremely dirty, but it's to be expected since he's running around all day outside and sleeping on a barn floor usually.

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by gnatty8

Some dogs are better neutered as it can make them less aggressive. Not conjecture, a fact. I agree with your latter point.

That's overblown. Obviously you will have some problems with rank males, but it's all easily controlled and there is strong evidence that castration increases aggression, as Jan pointed out. Old Dog Men knew that a spayed ***** was a great family protector.

There are also number of serious health considerations to early spay/castration.

I appreciate Stazy's breeder's position - too many people would breed this dog, but if he has a window in the contract to neuter I would wait as long as possible.

lefty

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by Stazy

There was a neutering clause in the purchase contract from the breeder since I bought him as a pet and not a show dog. I don't know about other breeds but it's a pretty standard practice amongst basenji breeders. Irresponsible basenji breeding seems to be rather common place and I think the neutering clause is just an attempt to curtail it.



Yup. Most places have tiered pricing structures. The more days you buy the cheaper it is. I'm going to be switching to a closer daycare and it costs $18 but it's still worth it.

Could you just ignore the clause?

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

^On the other hand, spayed bitches are statistically more likely to be involved in incidents of biting children than intact bitches, I've heard. I know my ***** Tosa Jessie definitely became more aggressive after we had her spayed...but then it may simply have been a matter of getting older.

Interesting. My airedale is natural and she is a doll with the new baby. I was not planning on getting her spayed anytime soon but perhaps I'll consider passing entirely.

The one time I could see you having an excuse for not being able to control your dog's breeding is when you have a true country dog. We used to leave our dog alone on 150 acres when we went out for the day and she ran well further than that. I suppose you should know when your ***** is in heat but I could imagine missing it at the beginning.

BTW any pro tips to insure you don't miss her going into heat?

The breeder I bought from actually seemed to favor leaving her natural, or at the very least until she was of age.
She gets a little more attention at the beach from time to time but she handles her suitors pretty well (chomp chomp).

 

[lefty]

He probably wouldn't get the dog's registration and may even set a situation where the dog could be reclaimed by the breeder.

lefty

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by lefty

He probably wouldn't get the dog's registration and may even set a situation where the dog could be reclaimed by the breeder.

lefty

Damn. That's harsh. The more I learn the more I realize I lucked out with my breeder.

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by NorCal

Interesting. My airedale is natural and she is a doll with the new baby. I was not planning on getting her spayed anytime soon but perhaps I'll consider passing entirely.

The one time I could see you having an excuse for not being able to control your dog's breeding is when you have a true country dog. We used to leave our dog alone on 150 acres when we went out for the day and she ran well further than that.


A dog that runs free in the country is a very different situation. A kennel is necessary.

Originally Posted by NorCal

I suppose you should know when your ***** is in heat but I could imagine missing it at the beginning.

BTW any pro tips to insure you don't miss her going into heat?

When she looks at you with love in her eyes, lock her up.

Originally Posted by NorCal

The breeder I bought from actually seemed to favor leaving her natural, or at the very least until she was of age.
She gets a little more attention at the beach from time to time but she handles her suitors pretty well (chomp chomp).

You have a good and responsible breeder. It makes we want to take another look at an Airedale. I'd like to see her when I come down.

lefty

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by NorCal

Damn. That's harsh. The more I learn the more I realize I lucked out with my breeder.

It could happen. Depends on the contract. But I doubt they would travel up to Canada to get the dog.

lefty

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by lefty

That's overblown. Obviously you will have some problems with rank males, but it's all easily controlled and there is strong evidence that castration increases aggression, as Jan pointed out. Old Dog Men knew that a spayed ***** was a great family protector.

There are also number of serious health considerations to early spay/castration.

I appreciate Stazy's breeder's position - too many people would breed this dog, but if he has a window in the contract to neuter I would wait as long as possible.

lefty

I am not sure I agree it's overblown, as there is a good deal of research to support this claim. There are also a number of other good reasons, testicular cancer being one (yes, dogs get it too, testicular tumors are the second most common tumor found in male dogs), it can reduce the urge to mark territory, as well as the urge to roam, ostensibly to find a mate. I think everybody needs to educate themselves about the pros and cons of neutering their pet and decide accordingly. I do agree with you though that one should be careful not to have a dog neutered too early though for a number of other reasons, potential increase in other risks being the main one.

 

[NorCal]

Originally Posted by lefty

It makes we want to take another look at an Airedale. I'd like to see her when I come down.

lefty

Sounds good. She's always happy to meet new folks.

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by gnatty8

I am not sure I agree it's overblown, as there is a good deal of research to support this claim. There are also a number of other good reasons, testicular cancer being one (yes, dogs get it too, testicular tumors are the second most common tumor found in male dogs), it can reduce the urge to mark territory, as well as the urge to roam, ostensibly to find a mate. I think everybody needs to educate themselves about the pros and cons of neutering their pet and decide accordingly. I do agree with you though that one should be careful not to have a dog neutered too early though for a number of other reasons, potential increase in other risks being the main one.
Those behavior problems you're talking about are not actually problems. Testicular cancer is easily caught early and not that big of a deal. Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete = One Veterinarian's Opinion  2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP

A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.(2) The sex hormones, by communicating with a number of other growth-related hormones, promote the closure of the growth plates at puberty (3), so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow.

A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males

The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early.

A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. The most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression.

About 2% of neutered male dogs eventually develop prostate cancer, compared to less than 0.6% of intact males.[18][19] The evidence is most conclusive for Bouviers.[20]

In a study of 29 intact male dogs and 47 castrated males aged 11–14, the neutered males were significantly more likely to progress from one geriatric cognitive impairment condition (out of the four conditions – disorientation in the house or outdoors, changes in social interactions with human family members, loss of house training, and changes in the sleep-wake cycle) to two or more conditions. Testosterone in intact males is thought to slow the progression of cognitive impairment, at least in dogs that already have mild impairment.[21]

Sorry, Stazy. I didn't mean to call you out on your personal decision, but if you do have the opportunity to talk to your breeder about concerns (if you have them) you may be able to wait for a bit. Is he lifting his leg yet? lefty

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by lefty

Those behavior problems you're talking about are not actually problems. Testicular cancer is easily caught early and not that big of a deal.

Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete = One Veterinarian's Opinion
 2005 Chris Zink DVM, PhD, DACVP

I think this is key in the "evidence" you've posted. If I wanted to spend the time, I am sure I could produce equally compelling evidence supporting neutering. It's up to everyone making the decision which risks they wish to take and which they do not. It's like circumcision in children, there are pluses and minuses and responsible parents need to educate themselves. However, saying neutering is wrong period is, well, wrong period. It has pluses and minuses, and it's up to each dog owner to weigh those responsibly. I wouldn't think of keeping a male dog intact, but I am making that decision on an informed basis, and after many, many years of owning many breeds of dogs.