Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: Does Castrating Affect Working Ability?
As the title says really - would castrating my male dog (4yo) affect his ability to work? I use him mainly for picking up, but am also planning to do some working tests with him too.
Of course he would still work well I'm sure, but would I lose that little extra drive, determination and stamina that people say the testosterone gives them?
Has anyone any experiences or opinions either way? I just can't make my mind up, but as we have an entire bitch in the house too I'm going to have to make a decision!
My husband has had a number of dogs over the years and he castrated them with no problems. I think if you have an entire bitch in the house it is probably worse not to catrate him as during those weeks she is in season he will probably be going a bit bonkers too! But other may have more idea.
Both Hudson and Pasco are castrated and I can categorically state that it made absoloutely no difference to their working abilitys. Pasco still runs like the wind and still have more beans than the average can of heinz 57! He completed his first season picking up this year. Hudson still loves to eat the birds and will never make the grade as a picking up dog, but he's an enthusiastic beaters friend!!!!
Pasco was castrated at 7 months, Hudson 22 months. No noticeable change in anything what so ever! Not temprament, not speed, not stamina, not drive. Nothing. Its like nothing ever happened!
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Agree with all above, I have not seen any evidence that castration has changed male dog's attitude to work, or drive. On the contrary, it has been improvement for most handlers I've seen, in that the dog is more able to concentrate on the task in hand rather than 'bitching'...
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I'm going to have to make a decision!
). I feel a little trip to the vet coming on for the poor boy...
