lobbing his nuts off?
Discussion
I've got a 3 year old beagle who has basically turned into a t
t! Up until now he's been ok but recently he's become intolerable. My wife is 8 months pregnant and I'm working away a lot. Consequently his walks have reduced to whenever I'm home and when my in-laws take him out. His latest trick is to escape from the garden. We've observed where he's getting out from and have blocked up all the gaps in the fence but we now think he's some how climbing over a 5ft fence. Some might say this could be down to reduced walks but the other night I took him for a 5 mile bike ride. When we got back to the house his legs had fallen off! Within an hour he's escaped again. We've found in the summer he's happy to have shorter walks and sunbathe but in the winter his endurance is limitless. I've been known to take him on 25km bike rides and he's still going! Also his behaviour has become more aggressive over the last year, often growling at us when he's getting told off for the millionth time for harassing our 18 month old for food.
So people with experience, will chopping his nuts off change things? Or is there any other suggestions? We've always been against messing with dogs in that respect. Vets are always pro-neutering (they make £££ from it). The breeder we bought the tt from is very against neutering.
t! Up until now he's been ok but recently he's become intolerable. My wife is 8 months pregnant and I'm working away a lot. Consequently his walks have reduced to whenever I'm home and when my in-laws take him out. His latest trick is to escape from the garden. We've observed where he's getting out from and have blocked up all the gaps in the fence but we now think he's some how climbing over a 5ft fence. Some might say this could be down to reduced walks but the other night I took him for a 5 mile bike ride. When we got back to the house his legs had fallen off! Within an hour he's escaped again. We've found in the summer he's happy to have shorter walks and sunbathe but in the winter his endurance is limitless. I've been known to take him on 25km bike rides and he's still going! Also his behaviour has become more aggressive over the last year, often growling at us when he's getting told off for the millionth time for harassing our 18 month old for food. So people with experience, will chopping his nuts off change things? Or is there any other suggestions? We've always been against messing with dogs in that respect. Vets are always pro-neutering (they make £££ from it). The breeder we bought the t
t from is very against neutering. HTP99 said:
Aren't Beagles generally very hard work, almost impossible to train and great escape artists?
This is pretty much the general opinion about beagles, but to be fair to him his recall is better than most beagles. Most will tell you to never walk your beagle off a lead because they will just follow their nose. We have always lived in rural areas so walks have been in forests and along a canal tow path. We never walk him on a lead and we've never lost him so there are some aspects about him which are pretty good for a beagle. He's also not very vocal which isn't very beagle like.rovermorris999 said:
Unless you want to breed from a male then nuts off. All my dogs are neutered and I've never regretted it though they may disagree 
all my dogs have left this world with all bits intact. Never had any problems with them and they naturally settle down once they get to about 4 years old. I had Bull mastiffs and GSD's.never any issuesThere is evidence to suggest that a neutered male can be less aggressive and won't try and hump everything in site or go roaming when a bh is on heat, but neutering doesn't fix much else.
People seem to think neutering a male stops it being a boisterous ahole, but it's normally age that does that. I know people who've had dogs neutered at around 18 months old and swear that neutering was what helped 'calm it down'. I'd disagree with this point and say that the neutering coincided with the age of the dog naturally becoming less annoying!
Unless your dog goes roaming, I see little point in neutering. The pro''s and cons are pretty even, they both have positive points and negatives but from the evidence I've seen, I can't see an option that can be identified as being 'better' health wise than the other.
The trouble with trying to control a dogs behaviour around the house by exercising it harder is that it will need more and more exercise to get it to drop! You're just building a fitter dog so will be harder to wear it out.
h is on heat, but neutering doesn't fix much else.People seem to think neutering a male stops it being a boisterous a
hole, but it's normally age that does that. I know people who've had dogs neutered at around 18 months old and swear that neutering was what helped 'calm it down'. I'd disagree with this point and say that the neutering coincided with the age of the dog naturally becoming less annoying!Unless your dog goes roaming, I see little point in neutering. The pro''s and cons are pretty even, they both have positive points and negatives but from the evidence I've seen, I can't see an option that can be identified as being 'better' health wise than the other.
The trouble with trying to control a dogs behaviour around the house by exercising it harder is that it will need more and more exercise to get it to drop! You're just building a fitter dog so will be harder to wear it out.
Hmm, well in my experience you have nothing to gain to keep him entire at the age he is now. He is fully mature now.
Alarm bells are escaping and growling. If you're not sure re: the op at least seek a good behaviourist for advice first.
I would be concerned with the growling with a toddler and soon to arrive baby. This is not acceptable behaviour.
Oh and vets do not make any real profit from neutering, costs are kept down to encourage responsible pet ownership. Just watch his weight post neuter.
You could try chemical castration initially. It wears off but could give enough info to know if permanent op the way to go.
There are health issues linked to older male entire dogs aswell.
Alarm bells are escaping and growling. If you're not sure re: the op at least seek a good behaviourist for advice first.
I would be concerned with the growling with a toddler and soon to arrive baby. This is not acceptable behaviour.
Oh and vets do not make any real profit from neutering, costs are kept down to encourage responsible pet ownership. Just watch his weight post neuter.
You could try chemical castration initially. It wears off but could give enough info to know if permanent op the way to go.
There are health issues linked to older male entire dogs aswell.
Cheers for the replies. Some balanced views. His growling is only really towards me. I'm not home tonight but my wife has told me he's been charging at the door all evening. He goes out in the garden and makes for the part of the fence he can escape from. He's also marked in the house today, which is the first time in probably over a year. He's gone off to the in-laws while I'm away with work to see if his behaviour is any different in their house. We are beginning to think there is a bh on heat. I hear this can send them crazy?!
h on heat. I hear this can send them crazy?! 
for a long time! 2 is where I'm stopping! I'll be going up the dirt track from now on.Jamesgt said:
Cheers for the replies. Some balanced views. His growling is only really towards me. I'm not home tonight but my wife has told me he's been charging at the door all evening. He goes out in the garden and makes for the part of the fence he can escape from. He's also marked in the house today, which is the first time in probably over a year. He's gone off to the in-laws while I'm away with work to see if his behaviour is any different in their house. We are beginning to think there is a bh on heat. I hear this can send them crazy?!
Yep, drives the boys completely crazy!!!! So much so in fact, that we've had foxes at the door making a right racket!!h on heat. I hear this can send them crazy?! Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff