Hi all, I've been asked if the pack are neutered and spayed as is the practice in the States. Well it is the pretty much the same here in terms of advice to do so, particularly for neutering. Is it common practice? - No I don't think it is yet, I still meet many full dogs out walking.
All my boys are neutered, this helps to prevent hormone-induced behaviour problems such as inter-male aggression - fuelled by raging hormone levels! I say "helps" as this does not work alone, I need to have them all as "equal followers" to prevent outbursts of "inter-male" aggression over alpha status, only since practising Cesar's philosophy of being the "Pack Leader" have fights between 3 of the male Terriers stopped! - Timmy, Mickey and Peter all similar in age and social climbers would have fights then naturally re-bond and relax together! So all the boys are now neutral :-)
As for the females, the older ones are spayed, the younger ones not yet! This is due in part to not experiencing problems between females due to hormones. The other part is financial - it costs so much more to have a female spayed. Add to that the greater risks of the surgical procedure we decided to neuter all males instead for now!
Problems keeping females together usually arise when there are too many in an environment. This is not a behaviour problem which can be helped through spaying so as such this is partly why I think it is not carried out as often as neutering. Also this does not relate to physical size of space, it means the number in the pack - even 2 females as only dogs may fight to rank as alpha female and not re-bond. Within our pack the ratio is 8 males to 5 females, as such we have had no problems. With Cesar's way of humans being Pack Leaders and taking the "alpha" rank then even if there are "too many females within the dogs environment" fights should not break-out or can at least be rehabilitated - the bond carefully re-established. I have read accounts of success with such problems from those who follow Cesar's ways. Unlike with males it is all about status and not hormone driven.
Though neutered my males would still perform the "mating ritual", now I don't allow this behaviour and they will ignore the female in season following an interruption from me the Pack Leader - I "Claim" the female as mine and they must leave her alone - WOW....it truly works!
With rescue centres over here they neuter and spay before re-homing. It is all too common in the UK for owners not to neuter/spay and not be in control of their dogs behaviour, which can lead to inter-breeding (genetic problems), roaming and an increase is stray dogs. The other reason, apart from deliberatey breeding of course, is that to own a "show" dog means no fixing allowed - they must be entire in order to qualify for the show ring unless there are proven medical grounds.
I have no plans to breed from my full females, so I employ strict control measures when they are in season! Wish I could say the same for my rabbits...I can now but that's after the accident of not correctly identifying their sex and 9 babies!
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