To spay/neuter or not to?

True. You don't tend to hear about Shelties chewing the windowsills to get to a bitch in season. Probably, this comes from some of our influencing sires (many years ago), one of whom was known to not be the most amorous dog. That translates into a whole bunch of male Shelties that don't necessarily care.

I've had three intact males. One didn't care about girls until they day they were ready to be bred, and then not again after that. I neutered him at 10 while I had some other work done. One I neutered at 3 because he's a fighter. The neutering did reduce that somewhat. One is still intact, and managed to live with a bitch in season without losing his mind.

My landlord kept her dog intact (younger half brother to my 10 year old), and at 8, he just had two perineal hernias fixed, and neutered. Add an enlarged prostate to that and he was a fine mess. Most of that is hormone triggered, and happened while my bitch was in season.

But yeah, some breeds scream for 21 days and rip open crates. But that's not the norm for Shelties, I think.
 
I would like to keep Flyer intact as his muscle mass, his weight, his "larger than life" personality is so much fun. However, he's a pain in the neck. :)
If he gets soft (loses muscle mass) and fat is it entirely my fault of is there a biologic/hormonal real loss of muscle?
 
On the advice of our vet, we took a wait-and-see attitude with Oberon. When he was about 6 months old he was marking EVERYTHING! To the point I couldn't take him anywhere. So, again on the advice of the vet, we did neuter him. And yes, the marking stopped. I think it['s an individual thing. If your dog isn't having problems, don't neuter. In our case, it was the right decision because I'd much rather be able to take Oberon with me than not.
 
I won't be altering Kupo unless it ends up being necessary. My breeder said to evaluate him at around a year and see how he's acting.
 
As for owner convenience... For me that is reason enough!!!! We neutered but later than my last one when they were recommending younger. We neutered at 7 1/2 months when boy teen behaviors were starting. I do not regret it. Shelties tend to not be as bonkers unneutered as many breeds if you don't but it was still a difference and my kids do not need him humping them or other things. I have other medical reasons too but it could be a toss up.
 
Cubby was neutered at 11 months. I couldn't hold off any longer. The unspayed females and the female coyotes where making him absolutely unbearable. He started blowing his focus in class too. Couldn't scent his way out of a paper bag except to find where a girl in heat had laid and peed on that. Anyway, fast forward to age 2-1/2. Cubby is extremely lean. I wouldn't know about muscle mass but everything feels good and his endurance and general physique is good. I'm doing as much minimally chemical and natural with him as I can, but I refuse to go so natural I don't like them or want to live with them.
 
Wow! This is an old thread resurrected!

We wait until growth is done. I like to let the growth plates fully close with all the hormones still in place.
 
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