Pro and Cons of Neutering Your JRT

Pros and Cons of Neutering Your JRT

In our previous post we looked at the pros and cons of spaying your female JRT.  It is just as important to look at the other side of the coin for your male JRT.  There are ups and downs, good and bad to be seen in neutering your JRT.  Hopefully this article, as well as the other, will better help you in deciding if this is the proper route for you and your companion.

           

Neutering of a male JRT is a process by which your companion has his testicles surgically removed.  Through this process the gland that produces testosterone is removed, preventing aggressive and reproductive tendencies in your JRT.

As with female spaying, there are those for and against this procedure.  In order to help you and your family make a more informed decision, this article will present the most common pros and cons of the situation.

            

The PROS

Aggressive behavior—many experts agree that the level of testosterone in a JRT’s system can dictate how aggressive that JRT will be.  If your JRT is neutered, then that aggression factor is reduced considerably.  This will also help to reduce any displays of dominance by your JRT.

Displays of affectioin—because a neutered male is usually more calm and less dominant, your JRT may be prone to more and more displays of affection as well as the added benefit of being much more gentle in nature.

Sexual displays—if your JRT male is neutered, he is less likely to exibit sexual tendencies towards inanimate objects, such as your child’s favorite teddy bear.  This can also cut down on the number of embarrassing situations that can crop up when he is “in the mood”.

Marking territory—as we all know, male JRT’s are masters at marking their territory.  Whether that territory be the great outdoors, or you family’s couch.  When neutered, this tendency to hike and mark is diminished substantially. 

Fighting—if your male JRT is frequently in contact with other dogs, being neutered will help keep down fights and thusly the resulting injuries.  Neutering lowers testosterone, thus lowering aggression.

Reproduction—finally, if your JRT male is around unsprayed females, they will not be as advancing towards the females, and thusly will not be getting into fights with other males over the said female.   Another benefit is that your JRT will not be constantly wondering off, in search of female companionship.

Now that we have looked at the most common pros of having your male JRT neutered, lets look some of the downsides that should also be considered when making a decision.

             

The CONS

Anesthesia—first and foremost, with any surgery there is the possible complications related to your JRT going under anesthesia.  It is important to remember that an estimated 1 in 5 dogs to react poorly to anesthesia, causing both short term and long term complications.  In some cases death has been reported. 

Reproduction—as mentioned above, the process of neutering removes your male JRT’s ability to procreate.  If you plan on breeding your JRT, then this is definitely not the procedure to have them undergo.

Competitions—if your JRT is a purebred, and you are planning on entering him into any competitions, then this procedure is not for him.  Contestants in almost all competitions are required to still be intact.

Health effects—having your male JRT neutered has a few health issues inherent in it.  Those may include obesity, hypothyroidism, and genetic dementia.

Neutering too early—if you chose to neuter your JRT and it is performed at too early an age, before his bones have time to grow and mature, your JRT could develop weak fragile bones and the illnesses that go along with them.

            Cancer—there is no definitive proof but many experts tend to believe that neutering of a male JRT can increase the risk of contraction of various cancers.

            Just because—finally, many people are neutering male JRT’s just because.  Some do it for the wrong reasons such as for physical appearance, without any real benefit other than that.

  

             

There are those experts that feel a male JRT can be raised just as well-trained, healthy, and non-aggressive as an altered one.  They even to so far that the neutering process does more harm, than good in the end. 

               

The main thing to keep in mind is that you look at the situation from all angles, and become as informed on the subject as you can.   Through learning all you can you will be able to make a more informed decision on what is your JRT’s and family’s best interest.