I have never handled a neutered patrol dog. I have worked with several of them and have not observed any draw-backs.

The handlers of these dogs have told me that their dogs are less distracted than they were before the procedure. They claim that there has been no decline in drive or agression.

Any experiences that you have had, or any opinions that you have for or against neutering a healthy patrol dog would be helpful.

Also, is age a factor?

John,
My first PSD had a chronic case of prosthetitis. He had been working for about 3 years before the decision was made to have him neutured. As long as he kept working it didnt seem to noticeably affect him. When he retired though he lost some of his edge and easily put on weight. He was only 5 1/2 years old when he was replaced so he was still considered fairly young.

Age is a big factor, don't neuter a dog doing manwork before they are mature. After they are mature the impact is usually minimal.

If the dog has been properly selected, trained and is being handled properly, neutering won't have any effect on his work. If dogs are distracted because they're intact, something is wrong and surgery probably won't fix it. If selection has been done properly, then the problem is training or handling (which is usually another part of training).

Surgery is not a substitute for training or selection. I'd not expose a PSD to the dangers of surgery unless there was an immediate threat to his health.

VC, did you replace you last portrait with a new one or is that one of your dogs?

As far as neutering patrol dogs, any man married for 10 or more years can attest to the fact that nuetering does change your whole way of thinking!

Thanks everyone for the input so far.

Lou:

I'm with you on the selection and training issues.

The dog that I'm considering for a whack job is a super tough guy. His tracking, bitework, drug work etc. are all above average.

The dog is three years old and we are at a plateau in socializing him with our other dogs. His distraction with marking etc. is not debilitating--I would select him again without hesitation. If his interest in dog piss, being the alpha etc. could come down just a notch, it seems that an operation would be worth the expense. I understand that any surgery is risky but I have never heard of a dog going paws up after being hatcheted.

Assuming that the dog is productive, I'm wondering whether the procedure will soften the dog's edges at all or if I'm just donating $$ to our veterinary staff.

Thanks, Jon

If all he's doing is marking on trails and tracks, unless it's excessive and he loses interest in the search, I'd just ignore it. Of course, "excessive" is a relative thing.

I've lost a dog to spaying surgery so I'm more sensitive than most to the problems that can crop up. I'll never again s/n a dog unless there's an immediate medical reason to do so.

We have had to neuter two of our older patrol dogs due to prostrate problems. I also worked with another handler w/ a neighboring dept. that had to do the same.
All the dogs were older critters (6 and up). I would say that since it is major surgery only do it with an adult if it is necessary. Too much risk other wise.
We saw a loss of the edge on the dogs in general. But, was it due to age plus an added insult with the surgery?? or was it neutering??....it is hard to know.
I also have had some labs neutered due to marking...they were dope dogs and it really didn't change their behavior much, maybe a little.
What has worked best is to teach the dogs that mark that it is not acceptable to mark. I have the handlers take the dogs to places they know that have lots of dog smells and lots of dogs in the area. they teach the dogs an encouregemnt to pee and poop. When they start their outing they take them to a place to be encouraged to do their thing. Then they go for a walk. ALL doggie behavior are met with serious punishment. No marking, no eyeing other dogs, no attending to barking, nothin'. They are corrected for thinking about doggie stuff.
Since this is not in the guise of working (deployment) it doesn't effect their performance. But, once they can walk in strange neighborhoods and not mark, sniff, of pay any attention to other critters it boils over into not doing it during deployments.
My current youngster (Franko Fasanerie) was a marking fool at 12 months. No longer does he even think about it when we are out and about doing the work.
Too often handlers think that they will take away the dogs drives by crawloing up their butt for these behaviors but if you make it clear the only behaviors that will diminish are the ones that are getting in the way of the work and you will see the hunting and searching behaviors actually increase since the dog is no longer weighed down by the baggage of doing doggie stuff while out working.
Now a little caution: I worked with a guy that would use the nick on his e-collar to correct his dogs marking behavior. One of my more frustrating experiences was watching him miss the the timing so badly that the only thing the dog learned was to hurry up the marking behavior!!! Piss a bit really quick or get it was his game. he got really really fast at lifting his leg and squirting a drop. Handler just couldn't seem to get it that he had to be AHEAD of the actual marking behavior with the punisher!!!
It is a little easier for the novice to do it on leash with a no or fuey (or I growl at my dog for such behavior) before adding e-collar work to it. Then quickly tying in an apprehension or find into the work once the dog goes back to working after the punisher.
Often the e-collar won't even be needed if you identify the character trait that leads to marking.
Often the marking will go away as you assert your role as dominant character in the dog-man relationship as well.