If Neutering is good then why are almost all Police and Service dogs not fixed?

Question

I heard that almost all Police and Service Dogs are un-neutered males. Even if they wont be bred in the future. Why is this if neutering is so good?

Then do you think California bill that will require any dog or cat to be neutered is a good thing, considering there is no exceptions for Police and Service Dogs?

Answer 1

Neutering is being legislated because people (as a whole) can't be counted on to be responsible in breeding dogs. Unfortunately, the responsible caring breeders are going to suffer because of the idiots. What else is new?

Police dogs aren't neutered because it is a macho professional and preconceived old fashioned ideas about testosterone being linked to prey drive die hard. They are false.

It is more about the men identifying too much with their dog's genitals and being unable to deal with it. Piffle.

When it comes to working police dogs, you need a dog with an incredibly stable temperament and who loves to work, work, work. The last thing a good police dog needs is more aggression. Nothing is more dangerous than a dog with that kind of training that takes matters into its own paws, so to speak.

Prey drive has nothing to do with it.

Answer 2

For the most part a majority of the working police dogs are intact males. Even though they are rarely used for breeding the testosterone plays a part in the dog’s drive and development. However, research shows if the dog’s aggression is high, being neutered does not show to much of a change, if any change in the dog's working ability. Hope this helped!

Answer 3

This question has brought up a host of opinions, some moronic and some that made more sense. After 27 years of importing, training and deploying police dogs, here is the real deal. Police dogs need to reach their full potential, physicaly and mentally. Testosterone does that. Police dogs need an aggression level that is higher then the average pet that sits on the couch, burping all day. Testosterone does that. Police dogs need the drive to work day after day. Neutering kills that drive. All these idiotic comments about balls being a macho thing and crap like that, shows the ignorance of some people. This has nothing to do with being macho and everything to do with being able to do a very difficult job, without having the hormones you were supposed to have running through your system. Police dog work is inherently dangerous. Police K-9 units have a higher chance of getting hurt then any other unit within an agency. Handlers need an animal that wants the "action", that looks forward to "engaging" a human who is breaking the law. That desire, that drive comes from the hormones that cource through the body of an "intact" male. How many athletes do you know, in a sport that requires a lot of aggression that have been neutered? How many of "you" are willing to go and fix your selves? 90% of police dogs will never be bred, but, they will need to stay in top physical and mental condition to face the rigors of their job. That cannot happen when your balls are removed. If that law passes in CA it will be the end of all service dogs in that State. Hope this helped and I welcome that thumbs down, it just proves my point.

Answer 4

I haven't heard this. I have seen that some service dogs are neutered. Not sure about police dogs.

I recommend neutering for everyone. Anyone who is a professional breeder will agree with me. Good breeding is hard work.

Neutering only stops dogs from having puppies. In my experience, it may not stop anything else ! Dogs may still try to mount, may still go after other dogs, may still mark, may still do everything else. Personality doesn't change.

BUt dogs will live longer, will not get some types of diseases.

They may gain weight, but feed them less and exercise takes care of that.

Answer 5

because entire male dogs have a slightly more aggressive nature than neutered male dogs in most cases
many of these dogs are chosen and also taken in as difficult dogs that have shown aggressive tendencies and that energy is then channelled into becoming good search or attack dogs

Answer 6

I know from expierence the Military Working Dogs, are usually not neutered to help encourage their aggression. I was a Veterinary Technician for the army where my mission was the care of the Military Working Dogs, who were highly trained, loved the wrap and very aggressive (always muzzled when not kenneled or working).

When they did neuter their working dogs, it was either medical reasons or the dog was too aggressive and had attacked his handlers or had too many unprovoked attacks.

I know that neutering your family pet dog will help reduce aggression on a balanced dog and decrease the chances of genital disease such as protate and testicular cancers.

Answer 7

There are opinions both ways on neutering. It's not always the safe and harmless procedure it's made out to be. While it may reduce agression toward other dogs, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it will reduce aggression toward people. I suspect the main reason that may K-9 and service dogs are not neutered would be to select really good ones for breeding.

The California bill is a terrible thing. It will likely do very little to reduce the pet overpopulation problem, and is being promoted by groups whose aim is to eliminate pet ownership, period. If you want to read more about it, check out the following link on the American Dog Owners Association.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

the truth: section 2 e
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Any person who , on or after April 1, 2008,
is in possession of any document issued by the local jurisdiction or
its authorized local animal control agency that permits the owner to
possess an unaltered cat or dog shall be deemed in compliance with
this act until the document expires , or January
1, 2009, whichever occurs first.
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After 2009 an intact permit no longer exempts the dog from spay/neuter requirements - it will decimate the working & show dog population of CA-....
I guess all CA dog will be the mexican street strays that the rescues are importing by the thousands already (because they are so overwealmed?)

Answer 10

The police dogs that are used to track and attact criminals are intact to increase body muscle mass, increase power, and boost agression in the face of being assaulted. Most of these dogs have passed rigorous testing both medically/physically as well as in the field working, and many are of excellent breeding quality, regardless of plans to breed in the future. Many that retire are neutered immediately, and some are kept for reproduction either by collecting/freezing sperm or breeding naturally.

Neuter/spay is the best, most effective means of controlling overpopulation, as well as reducing/eliminating risks of certain diseases such as pyometra (uterine infection), prostrate enlargement, breast cancer, and testicular cancer. Neuter also reduces certain behaviors, such as agression, roaming, and marking territory.

With the bill in California, I would be shocked if it passed without resolution of the police dogs issue, as well as the AKC breeders/competitors that must show their dogs intact. Such a broad, statewide requirement would have to be narrowed down significantly, although I do believe that all household pets should be neutered unless medically unable to have the procedure, such as a pet with a congenital heart condition that would make anesthesia too great of a risk.