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We all known the standard spay/neuter debate, so don't think this is one of those. I have a situation that I am quite perplexed about.Personally, I'm all for Joe Schmo spaying or neutering his dog. I think that unless you're knowledgeable and competent enough to be diligent in avoiding unwanted pups with an intact dog or bitch you should have your animal(s) desexed. However if you are an attentive, responsible owner there is no reason you can't have an intact dog.My question to all of you is situational, however. I hope to get some opinions here.I have found myself in the position of possibly acquiring an intact male dog to add to my family. This is huge for us, the dog is healthy with a good lineage (Labradoodle, F3) and excellent temperament. As of yet he is unnamed, but you bet if this all works out and he joins Cody and me in the family you'll all get LOTS of pictures!He's about 1.5 yrs and a healthy 60 lbs, so he's quite a bit of dog (that's two Codys!). he is up to date on all vaccinations, is on heartworm prevention and flea prevention, and even has a microchip. he is, however, also unaltered (intact).when i learned this about him (and since I'm going through a private adoption there is no mandatory spay/neuter) I was immediately washed in this feeling of warm fuzzies at the possibilities. Although I love Cody with all my heart and soul, he is neutered and I have always wanted to experience the joy of owning an intact dog. My immediate knee-jerk reaction was "YES! he'll be my ball-bearing boy!" I have realized that due to my situation there are possible complications.First of all, I live in a house with folks who are not primarily dog owners. One wants a dog but has never had the opportunity and the other has always had cats and is currently fostering a dog for the first time (and doesn't think it'll happen again). While that's not bad at all and everybody LOVES Cody without question, the side effect of all that is that there isn't much education going on. We all share the duties of taking out the dogs for their walks, and I'm not sure my housemates could manage a 60 lb intact dog if he caught the scent of a female in heat. I don't know if they'd even recognize mounting behavior when we went to the dog park.Second, my dog(s) go back to Illinois during the school year. this means that i'm putting the burden of responsibility on my family to keep him in check and ensure that no illicit behavior occurs without their knowledge. that's a lot of pressure on them.so basically this comes down to responsibility. Would it be irresponsible of me to choose NOT to neuter this dog, considering that for a portion of the year I wouldn't even be in the same state to take responsibility for his possible actions? since my only reason for keeping him intact is pretty selfish, should I just suck it up and have him neutered?Thanks for any/all opinions!
Before the anti-snipping crowd chimes in, I'd like to say thank you for putting proper thought into your situation. I think its a hard choice... I can see myself in quite a quandry with it. It may very well be best in your situation to neuter. The only thing I can suggest is talking to your family and see what they say. They may just shrug it off and say its not an issue at all, in which case you are in the free to consider your own motivations on the issue and make a choice based on that. Good luck!
My thought is having an intact dog REQUIRES a large, quality dog run, with shelter, shade, mats on the ground, drainage, bedding--the whole 9 yards. You can't watch one 24/7/365, but you have to be responsible for every second. Such a run, and leash-only activities when you are not there, and I would have no reservations about an intact dog. BUT-- if the other people there are not dependable enough for you to have confidence in them to be responsible, that's a serious catch. Your call.
Well, I would usually tell someone in school that getting a dog during school isn't really ideal... there are some situations that would work, but I'm not sure if yours is one of them. It can be hard on a dog to be going back and forth between homes and honestly, if I had to do that, I wouldn't even get a dog, intact or not. Sure, you may hit some less then ideal situations during a dog's lifespan, but starting out that way can be prevented... and I would always do I all could before the dog left my care. Why is your dog going back in the school year anyways? Why not just find a dog friendly place?
gryph, you bring up very legitimate concerns.Cody has been with me for 9 years. My family and I considered my college-bound nature when we adopted him. At the time I was 12.When I adopt a dog I adopt him/her for life. Cody has moved with us from Australia to Arkansas to Illinois and now with me to Savannah, all on my dime (and quarantine into the US is not cheap, especially not when paying for it in full at the age of 15). I take my responsibility to him and his welfare very seriously.Unfortunately, I am not privileged enough to have help with financing my higher education. I am doing well enough to support myself and all my pets, however due to my scholarship I hold with the school I am forced to live on campus. Moving off campus would cut my scholarship by 1/3 and would make it financially impossible for me to attend.Because I do take my responsibility to Cody so seriously (a lifelong commitment is a lifelong commitment, no two ways about it) I have done everything in my power to give him the best life that I can. Unless something drastic happens that renders my current plan impossible it is the best that I can do for him and for me. I am able to continue my higher education and pursue my degree and he has the love and attention that he deserves, just not from me at certain times of the year. My family has done a great job of caring for him in my absence and for that I am extremely grateful.Cody is getting to an age where there is a visible difference in everything about him when he is in a pack sort of situation. Being in the company of a younger dog energizes him, makes him run faster and play harder and just look and 'feel' happier. It puts that gleam back in his eyes in a way that I have been unable to do. It gives him a job and a place and a sense of community that I alone cannot give him. That's really the only reason I am even considering this opportunity.I know it is less-than-ideal and I am working hard to change that. but in the grand scheme of things is this really a 'bad' situation for the potential new dog? He gets love and attention 12 months of the year. He gets grain-free, high quality holistic food, bi-annual vet care, regular grooming, proper exercise and playtime, daily trips to the off-leash park, the benefit of a pack hierarchy and canine companion, and 6 months out of the year receives daily obedience training and rigorous exercise. compared to most of America's dogs that only know life at the end of a chain or the back of a cell in animal control I like to think that I'm still offering him a pretty comfortable life. it just so happens that sometimes I'm there and sometimes I'm not.So I really appreciate you bringing up what you did. I hope I was able to make some sense of my situation for you. If you have any input on the actual neutering question I would also appreciate that, since that's more of what I was hoping to discuss here.As an update, however, the old owner and I have worked out an excellent compromise. I will take him until September while she and her family move (which was the big reason she was interested in finding him a new home), at which point she will take him back for the few months that I cannot give him the attention he deserves. In November we will discuss where his forever home will be based on the experiences we have had during these times.So while I am still very much interested in your responses to my original question, whatever decision we come to will be postponed until November when we have to grapple with the final forever home. Until then I intend to leave him the way I received him; intact and beautiful.again, thanks gryph for your concern. my pup appreciates that there's someone looking out for him.
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