Should we get our border collie fixed?

Question

My boyfriend and I are trying to decide if we should get our year-old border collie neutered. he has exhibited some aggressive behavior at the dog park, unlike our german shorthaired pointer, who is fixed, who is the most gentle dog in the world. I've heard neutering helps with aggressiveness. On the other hand, my boyfriend is afraid it is unethical to neuter him because he "doesn't have a choice," and it will "change his personality." Can someone please tell us some of the pros and cons of neutering? Thank you.

Answer 1

Honestly speaking, as an obedience instructor/trainer and breeder of over 20 years, I would have to say that this thread should be less about neutering and more about the bigger root issues that are causing your Border Collies aggression. But since you are only asking about neutering I’ll try to stay on topic.

The long and short of it is, there is no perfect answer. What you are looking at is a quick fix answer to a very typical problem for most people. I would (and the best vets would) begin by asking a laundry list of questions to find more about the history of this particular dog before assuming neutering really is the best and only option. But thanks to the over-simplification of neutering and it’s benefits by the general population of veterinarians, animal protection groups and animals rights groups, people have come to assume that this is all they have to do to solve the problems, but if there are any issues deeper, then you’re only masking the true problem.

As for the health benefits, it is interesting to note that some new studies are showing that spaying and neutering a dog/cat can actually increase the chances of some common cancers if done before the animal is physically mature (I believe the average is 2% depending on the type of cancer) and in male dogs, the chances of prostate cancer are increased by up to 10%. (Sorry, but these studies are not on the web yet.) At one year old your BC isn’t quite done growing yet. Though that’s another consideration. Your BC is still going through some changes that can affect his behavior and on any given day make him act in any given way. His personality is not yet set in stone or truly reliably predictable.

As for the change in behavior/personality…I have seen it cause mild depression in some dogs both male and female, but generally their personality will remain the same. Your job will be to make sure that you do not change the way you treat him typically. Don’t let him get away with inappropriate behavior “because he was just fixed” that normally you would not tolerate. Don’t give him a few extra scraps at dinner time because YOU feel bad for him. You must maintain his lifestyle as close to before surgery as possible though of course he does need appropriate time to recover and for a few days at least he will have to kept calm so as not to open the wound site. Getting fat and lazy after neutering typically has less to do with the hormones than it does the way the owners change towards the dog.

And remember that it is a surgical procedure with standard inherent risk. Border Collies belong to group of dogs that often do not do well with the traditional forms of anesthesia and medications. Border Collies, Collies, Silken Windhounds, Bearded Collies, to name but a few, commonly carry a genetic flaw that makes it difficult for them to pump medications and older anesthesia out of their brain. It goes in but doesn’t come out like it should. In some dogs that are affected, it can take only one dose of the wrong thing for serious side effects to occur. In mildly affected dogs, it can be several years before the toxins build up and a reaction is clearly seen. I have a link in "Sources" that takes you directly to the Washington State University site where vets originally discovered this mutation.

I would encourage you to talk to your vet if you decide to neuter and ask if they use the old anesthesia process or the gas method they use on humans. The gas method requires a trained anesthesiologist but is much safer and less likely to cause side effect than the old methods because all you have to do is take the gas off and the dog begins to wake up. In the old method you are injecting a solution that essentially causes the dog to go into a coma. It must be carefully measured by the weight of the dog or too much could kill them. Then, in order to wake them, the vet must again inject a solution to counteract the first drug. Once more it must be done carefully.

If you have him neutered watch for prolonged lethargy. A day being out of it is one thing, but three or four days of lackadaisical response is not a good sign. Initially after surgery the scrotum sack will be swollen (as if he hadn’t been neutered at all) and sore but the fluids within should be mostly absorbed within a few weeks. If at anytime within the following week or so the area of surgery gets red, hot, or hard or you see anything seeping from the incision area, contact your vet as there could be a chance of infection.

Spaying and neutering is not, unfortunately, a cure all for all the ills. It can, in some cases, be a perfectly viable option. But other times, it does nothing for the root issue which may have yet to be addressed. If you have issues of dominance, if your command hierarchy is not stable, if he only acts aggressive toward other dogs when they are near you, then you have bigger concerns that neutering will not make disappear. It may help, but then again, it may not. I’ve worked with neutered dogs that were just as easily aggressive (people/dog/animal) as any intact dog might be expected to be.

For the record, my first dog (Labrador/Samoyed mix) was very dominant and aggressive towards other dogs and some certain types of people. The vets (who are even today not required to take any behavioral training courses during their studies) assured me that spaying her would help. It didn’t. In fact, because it was not hormonally related aggression, it actually got worse. Extremely worse. For two years after her surgery I couldn’t take her anywhere without a full wire basket muzzle on.

It took two years of training, behavioral modification and slow careful re-socialization to transform her but by the end of it, she was allowing the very people she’d “gone after” to pet her and the very dogs she previously had wanted to tear apart walk by without a second look. It was a team effort however and I always had to admit when she really could not handle something and remove her rather than risk something serious. Her crowning glory however was her cameo appearance during my senior year in the high school musical. She was required to trot across the stage twice as someone “chased” her and then sit beside a young man (the type she previously did not like) while the principle lead sang a four minute song. She preformed flawlessly, taking her every cue from me behind the curtain up to 40 feet away, was more popular than the lead and was allowed into the restaurant where we had our cast party. She is the very reason I started training and instructing and looking into aggression and hormones.

My suggestion at this point is, if you’re going to neuter him, don’t assume that it will “fix” all his issues and remember that every dog is an individual and must be treated as such. Your dog may need more training so you can control him better during an altercation (or stop one from even starting), he may need time with gentler dogs before he can handle the more dominant types and in some cases dog parks are just not the place to take some dogs. If neutering does not stop the issues you are seeing, then you should consider discontinuing his visits to the park (so you don’t put your dog or anyone else’s at risk) until you have sought professional behavioral help.

Best of luck and I hope what ever route you and your boyfriend choose to follow with your Border Collie sees you much success and a lifetime of true companionship.

Answer 2

I am an All-American Male Mutt and the shelter where I resided for a while neutered me. It doesn't hurt. Because we can't talk (I'm speaking through a doggie interpreter), owners have to do the right thing on our behalf. I am lovable and am very happy now that I don't feel the need to defend my turf or chase after girl dogs, if you know what I mean. That doesn't mean that I still don't defend my home and bark when necessary. (Barking is a topic for another time.) Good luck with your Border Collie, but I suggest you get the operation done sooner rather than later while it is still a simple procedure.

Answer 3

Neutering does affect their behavior in a good way. They are less aggressive because they are not in heat and they are gentler! Plus if you get it neutered then you are saving a puppy's life because too many dogs in the world can lead to strays and eventually euthanizing!!!!!!!!!!

Your vet would definitely recommend neutering and so do I! You will be able to control him easier and he will treat others nicely!

If you don't see changes after the neutering, then I would highly recommend you send him to doggie school or train him very well!

You should watch Ceasar Millan (Huge Dog Expert)

Good Luck!!

Answer 4

Neuter him. There are more problems associated with him having testicles than without. Not to mention, that if you're not going to be breeding him, why let him have them?

Your dog will thank you down the road. Few prostate problems, no testicular cancer, no aggressive behavior that could lead to euthanasia (attacking a person or constantly attacking animals), no unwanted puppies, etc.

Answer 5

Geea only males have issues with neutering a dog like it somehow effects their manhood..

Definitely neuter your dog. He has testosteron in his system right now. Once he is N his testosteron level will drop off to almost nil in 30 days.

Dogs that are not neutered tend to be more aggressive, can develop testicular cancer (neutered dogs do not), tend to run away to find females and to be honest the balls are not attractive.

Answer 6

There are alot of things that a dog cannot have a choice in. You have to decide what you want from the dog. A nueterd dog is much safer than a non nueterd dog, but keep in mind they can stilll be just as aggressive if they desire to be. His personality will be the same. My beagle is nueterd and he is very playful and minds very well. Is calm and well mannered most of the time but gets aggressive sometimes I think to keep his ego up there.

Answer 7

There are really no cons to neutering.
In addition to reducing agression and hiking / marking it also keeps your petfrom straying when a female is in heat (and being injured in a fight or hit by a car) and of course prevents testicular cancer. DOES NOT make a dog fat or lazy - those are old wives tales.
Guys just have a thing about their jewels - the dog won't miss them. DO IT.
http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/why_you_should_spay_or_neuter_your_pet.html

Answer 8

It s a normal over-reaction, especially among men. I felt that way with my dog, too.

But in two days, it was as if nothing had happened. I was more concerned than he was. ... and I still had to keep him quiet for a few more days.

I know that it will reduce his chances of cancer and may increase his lifetime, as well as prevent getting other dogs pregnant..... But it did NOT change anything else... His personality did not change, his marking did not change, and he is a horn dog.... which he was not, at 6 mos, when I had him fixed... He also learned to lift his leg ... after I got him fixed. BTW, he is currently 7 years old, and not slowing down.

It will be easier to calm him down and socialize him after he is fixed.

So, it really does seem to bother us, more than them !

Answer 9

get him fixed.
unneutered males are often more aggressive and remember they can smell a female up to 5 miles away so seh doesn't have to be in teh park to spark a good dog fight.
A male has a more tendency to wonder off.
A unneutered male is more prone to getting certain cancers when not fixed.
that just to nome a few

Answer 10

Get it neutered!
It is important cause if it makes another dog pregnant those puppy could go without a home so get it ixed!

Answer 11

On the contrary. it is very humane to spay / neuter a pet.
It removes the one thing[ hormones] that has a tendency to create bully behavior, agressive behavior and some personality problems.
It allows the animal to be more attuned to its environment as opposed to being a victim to it's hormones.