Huge dilema ( at least for me) - Pet forum for dogs cats and humans

Rottielover · #1 August 24th, 2005, 08:00 AM

Hi all you wise pet.ca people. I am hoping for some honest insight. Harley is now very close to 11 months old, and has been shown only once. My BF and I are split up, and he is all mine.....Now my dilema is that I have him scheduled to be neutered on sept 1. I am honestly having major 2nd thoughts, based on the fact I know he could excell in the show ring as well as OB if I got off my butt. It is something I found intriguing to watch, and now really want to partsipate in.
I do not know how many times he could go in a ring, based on I am a soon to be single parent. But if I neuter him, I really think I may regret it.
What are your takes on this situation. I will not be using him to stud. Already said no to many who have asked. Do you think I will have major regrets neutering him if I really would like to try confromation.
Oh ya went to the vet yesterday, and the cysts are no more than huge pimples that will go away with ointment

Beaglemom · #2 August 24th, 2005, 08:27 AM

Glad to hear that the cysts turned out to be nothing.

I too want to show a dog in conformation some day for fun, not for breeding purposes. Once my future dog is finished his show career, I will have him neutured.

If showing your dog is something that you really want to do and Harley has potential, than I say don't neuter him until after his conformation show career is done, once he obtains his Championship title (unless you are going to campaign him).

As for obedience, I was under the impression that spayed and neutered dogs could compete in trials, I may be wrong though.

StaceyB · #3 August 24th, 2005, 08:38 AM

Check your area for shows in the next 6 months. Then decide which ones you think you could go to. This will help you decide if you would even go to them.

Rottielover · #4 August 24th, 2005, 09:00 AM

I will be talking to a few people for handling classes, the show he did was a seiger show, where everything is natural. He has been to a few handling classes at 7 months old. Not since. So I think I will go there, then decide. In montreal they have a huge dog show united kennel club in NOV.

StaceyB · #5 August 24th, 2005, 09:05 AM

It sounds like you really do want to show him so I would postpone the neuter for now.

Rottielover · #6 August 24th, 2005, 09:07 AM

If my daughter was older, or daddy was in the picture, he would have been almost finished. But it is really hard with a 17 month old. Can not take her to the shows

doggy lover · #7 August 24th, 2005, 09:39 AM

Do you really have time for this, maybe it is something to look into at a later time in your life, if you are not going to show him I'd have it done. Maybe it is something to look into for your next dog?

mona_b · #8 August 24th, 2005, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doggy lover

Do you really have time for this, maybe it is something to look into at a later time in your life, if you are not going to show him I'd have it done. Maybe it is something to look into for your next dog?

I have to agree with this.

You definately need the time(and money) to show.I know a couple of friends who show/shown their dogs.And it is time consuming.The gas to travel,this could be every weekend,and across town.And the fees to enter him.And the cost of a Hotel

I agree with having him done now.Then think about it later down the road with your next one.

Heck,wait till your daughter is older and she can get into Junior Handler.

My nephew was a junior handler in his 4H Club.He used his Border Collie.

And by the way,you can do Obedience if your dog is altered.

Rottielover · #9 August 25th, 2005, 07:44 AM

I was up most of the night last night, loads of time to think. And what I have decided was OB we will continue with. So he will be neutered on the 1st of Sept. I will still be young enough, when my daughter is a bit older, to start with confromation. Unfortunetly, It will not be with Harley.
But I never planned on breeding him anyways, so........with the next one

doggy lover · #10 August 25th, 2005, 08:30 AM

I think you made a good choice and although we don't want to think about it we know our pets lives are numbered, but there is always room for another.

nymph · #11 August 25th, 2005, 11:10 AM

Not sure what the dilemma is to be honest. You are not going to breed him regardless of whether he's neutered or not, so exactly what could be wrong if you neuter him later?

dogs-n-me · #12 August 25th, 2005, 11:36 AM

The sad thing really is altered dogs cannot be shown. That is truly unfortunate. As for not breeding him, that is good, but there is always a way accidents happen. You might want to think about how much time and energy it takes to get a dog ready for show, the travelling to different shows, etc etc, and you as a single mom might find it too much. I would neuter

Rottielover · #13 August 25th, 2005, 11:50 AM

I have been to many shows with him. But he has only shown in one. Toronto seiger show. VSP. My deliema is, I know I really want to do confromation. I do..I do. But will I have the time to do it. Then what happens if 6 months down the line I do have time, will I really regret the neuter. But As I said before. I will neuter Harley, and wait to do confromation on my next dog, when Kayla is older to teach her to juniour handle.

Beaglemom · #14 August 25th, 2005, 12:02 PM

I think that you made a very responsible decision. I just have one question that hasn't come up yet. Have you discussed this with your breeder? If your breeder sold you Harley on the condition that he be shown, it could cause you problems.

I think that waiting is wise. Having a baby and showing your own dog all by yourself is going to be very tough. You will have to have a babysitter every show day. Waiting until Kayla is old enough to help out is a great idea.

For the time being, you could do the obedience trials. How about other fun activities with Harley like agility? There are alot of activities that you can do with Harley even with him being neutered.

Rottielover · #15 August 25th, 2005, 12:10 PM

My breeder and I are very close, she sees how much he means to my little family. She was with me when I showed him at the seiger, She has been one of my mentors, and I appreciate that.
When I purchased Harley, orginally he was just a pet to me. But he was her pick male. So we made an aggrement that I would try confromation with him to see if he and I enjoyed it. Needless to say she knows he could excell if we continued. But with her knowing my scenerio of BF leaving, and no person to watch the baby, she agreed to make a neuter contract.
I have also informed her that I will be doing his CGN, and HIC, and will be giving her the certs. Just so if anyone asks, she has proof of what she likes to do with her dogs. I do not mind.
She has been there for me every step of the way, and I respect her alot. She proved to me what a real COE breeder is like.
She just wants to make things as easy on us as possible so Harley can enjoy a full long life with us. Kayla and I. She was even willing to take him in for a month while we settle. I told her ty but no ty. I will need my cuddles every night

Lucky Rescue · #16 August 25th, 2005, 12:19 PM

Showing a dog to a championship (assuming Harley ever makes it that far) involves a lot of time, training, money and travel. Of course, if he hasn't been tested and cleared of any and all genetic defects common to the breed, that must be done too, although it is expensive. And if you cannot do the necessary travelling, you'll have to hire someone to take Harley and show him. But say you can somehow do all this as a single parent and Harley does achieve a championship.

After he is championed, if you want to breed him, of course you would only want to stud him to a bitch who has all the qualifications necessary to make a perfect match and improve the line and who is also a champion. This requires a good knowledge of genetics, and what the perfect specimen of the breed is - conformationally, temperamentally, and health-wise. Also, the perfect bitch may be on the other side of the country and you would have to have her shipped to you, or you would have to send semen to her.

Also, I"m sure you know that many biting incidents involve intact male dogs, so unless you are 100% sure you can and will do all of the above, I would have Harley neutered and enjoy him for the wonderful pet and companion he is!

There are lots of fun activities for neutered dogs. Agility, obedience, tracking, carting, herding etc!

Rottielover · #17 August 25th, 2005, 12:29 PM

AS I SAID he would never be bred......Never, too many unwanted rotties out there. could not ever imagine a pup of his out there homeless. The confromation is just for fun. Not to start a kennel. He is getting his prelims done anyways. And if I was to continue showing him, breeder already stated she pays for the OFA. Anyways. OB is what he really enjoys, it was more for me to go and meet new people with the same interest.
LR I know he can do it. He has already had an amazing critiq from a german judge, from germany. I so much prefer the seiger shows over the CKC anyday. Seiger shows the dogs go in natural.
Anyways one day...one day....Until then, he will be my little( ok not so little) baby. and the twinkle in my daughters eye

Beaglemom · #18 August 25th, 2005, 12:40 PM

Your breeder sounds like a very good person. It is nice that she is supporting you in your decision and understands what you are going through.

If you don't think you will have the time, money or energy to show Harley, then neutering him is the best way to go. It is definitely better for him. Just remember all the other activities that are open to neutered/spayed dogs. They are a lot of fun for both owner/handler and dog. In the meantime, he can be your loyal friend, guardian and companion.

LL1 · #19 August 27th, 2005, 09:12 PM

Showing a dog without breeding him actually makes no sense.You gave up your other dog in part due to financial issues and time,at least you posted that,showing takes a lot of money and time which you have posted you do not have.I would neuter your dog.

Prin · #20 August 27th, 2005, 09:14 PM

Aren't there people who do it for fun? I asked this in a previous thread because I didn't know that some people show for fun and not for breeding.

LL1 · #21 August 27th, 2005, 09:23 PM

Not much point in that.It is to determine the best of the breed,for breeding,I wouldnt do it if not for breeding.I would do the other fun things.Agility,flyball,obedience etc.

StaceyB · #22 August 28th, 2005, 01:30 AM

Many just want to see how there dog measures up against the standard, even those who do not intend to breed. Nothing wrong with any of the fun stuff either.

LL1 · #23 August 28th, 2005, 04:51 PM

The breeder should be able to tell them that.

StaceyB · #24 August 28th, 2005, 05:39 PM

If someone wants to show their dog regardless of whether they are going to breed should be up to them. It isn't pointless, it is time spent with their dog, no different from agility, obedience or any other.

LL1 · #25 August 28th, 2005, 10:08 PM

It is done to evaluate breeding stock.Same reason why they do not allow spayed or neutered dogs,there is no point to it.

Prin · #26 August 28th, 2005, 10:41 PM

How about for fun?

StaceyB · #27 August 28th, 2005, 10:49 PM

Yes for fun

Prin · #28 August 28th, 2005, 10:55 PM

Here's a post where Mona explained to me why people would show without breeding (I hope you don't mind, Mona. If you do I'll remove it) : http://www.pets.ca/forum/showpost.ph...9&postcount=46
From this thread: http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=15037