Castration!!!

Last week, our daughter reminded us that it may be time to get Gizmo neutered. He just turned seven months. My wife scheduled the procedure mid February. Somehow I was not comfortable with that decision. So I did research (meaning Goggled) on neutering dogs. Just about every site I visited encourage castration. Even PETA highly encourages castration. Its the best thing for the dog and its the best thing for you.

The Humane Society presented the most logical argument for castration. Some sites are down right hostile to all males. Quotes include: You can no more effectively tell your male dog, "Always wear a rubber !" than you can tell your bitch or your neighbor's bitch "If you can't be good, be careful !" And my favorite: if your dog is neutered it tells the ladies that you are a man who is totally secure in his sexual identity. Funny stuff.

Basically, the argument for castration falls into three categories. First, it is good for the community. This is a none issue. Gizmo is a lap dog with no chance of escaping from the house and terrorizing the female dogs in the neighborhood. Second, it is good for the owner. Another none issue. Dont need to castrate Gizmo t make him more affectionate. He already is very loving. When we play he gives me love bites. Its male bonding. He never bites the girls in the house. Finally, its good for the dog - reduces cancer and prolongs his life. By how long? There doesnt seem to be any empirical evidence to support this. Are we talking an extension of 5 additional years? Highly unlikely.

I just dont see any real advantages for the dog to make castration worth it. I dont want Gizmo fatter and more docile. I love him the way he is right now. I grew up with a lot of dogs, none of which was castrated. They lived long and happy lives. It is unnatural to surgically change their behavior to make them easier to manage.