Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How neutering dogs became the norm

moosenuggets.substack.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 233 posts

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#21

Post by jimbob45 »

ambivalents wrote: post #9

I'm faced with this decision now, and am leaning towards not neutering my pup. At the very least, I'll be waiting until he's one year old, when most of his sexual development has wound down. The vets I've been to have both encouraged I do it, at 6 months and at 9 months. And they have the financial incentive to do so. The whole practice feels archaic and somewhat cruel. I understand why people do it, but I wonder how…

Are you planning for him to have children? Are you willing to take care of those kids?

If not, is it because you’re against the pain of it?

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#22

Post by parliament32 »

>When I told one guy that I was thinking of keeping Moose intact, he picked up his Shih Tzu as though Moose was going to mount his precious Tiffany at any second. “As if,” I thought to myself. “Moose is gay.”

Wait, what? I'm 95% sure dogs can't be homosexual but someone correct me if I'm wrong..

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#23

Post by bigbubba »

chadlavi wrote: post #18
neolog wrote: post #3

Are there any places where dogs are not allowed as pets?

It's very common in NYC, at least among properties that target lower/lower-middle class incomes. Which is a real shame, honestly, because cats are almost always ok, and they're much more likely to make huge messes and actually damage finishes by clawing.

I don't think it's a matter of the pets scratching the place up. Dogs are much louder than cats.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#24

Post by auganov »

Neutering improves life expectancy across many species including cats and dogs. Behavioral changes will usually make for a nicer house pet too. If the owner plans on not letting the pet breed, there aren't many reasons not to neuter besides philosophical ones.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#25

Post by dfxm12 »

ambivalents wrote: post #9

I'm faced with this decision now, and am leaning towards not neutering my pup. At the very least, I'll be waiting until he's one year old, when most of his sexual development has wound down. The vets I've been to have both encouraged I do it, at 6 months and at 9 months. And they have the financial incentive to do so. The whole practice feels archaic and somewhat cruel. I understand why people do it, but I wonder how…

I'll be honest, I'm not really a pet person and I'm curious about the issue.

I think I understand the argument that animal rights activists make for spaying and neutering that it controls the population by making sure each pet has someone to care for it, reducing euthanasia rate and reducing strays that might attack people or other pets. The article argues this as well and explains that there's more to it than societal/vet pressure. Controlling the pet population via spaying or neutering seems humane to me, especially considering the alternative of putting pets down en masse.

Can you explain the other side of the argument? Why do you feel spaying or neutering pets is cruel?

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#26

Post by SamoyedFurFluff »

The author is claiming that dogs are rare in shelters now and that institutions are actively buying them from the same puppy mills that are being detracted. I can’t see that to be true- look at villa lobos rescue with over 130 pit bulls, and they have a nationwide show trying to adopt out their dogs. Hell my local aspca has 445 dogs looking for a new home within 25 miles of my zip code.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#27

Post by leetcrew »

chadlavi wrote: post #18
neolog wrote: post #3

Are there any places where dogs are not allowed as pets?

It's very common in NYC, at least among properties that target lower/lower-middle class incomes. Which is a real shame, honestly, because cats are almost always ok, and they're much more likely to make huge messes and actually damage finishes by clawing.

if damage is a concern, this can always be handled with an additional fee/deposit. cats are much less likely to disturb or threaten the other tenants, which is probably why they get more leeway.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#28

Post by fiftyfifty »

bluedino wrote: post #13

Neutering or spaying should be mandatory. So many people “breed” dogs thinking they are going to sell them, who have no business doing so. So many puppies and adult dogs fill our shelters, it’s very sad.

There are a number of health issues that have been associated with spaying/neutering dogs including obesity, diabetes, cancer, cognitive impairment (Alzheimers type diseases) and joint problems like hip dysplasia, torn acls etc:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4096726/

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsofSpayNe...

Male dogs especially seem to suffer significant long term health effects from being neutered. A much more humane option would be performing vasectomies and leaving female dogs their ovaries.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#29

Post by eximius »

parliament32 wrote: post #22

>When I told one guy that I was thinking of keeping Moose intact, he picked up his Shih Tzu as though Moose was going to mount his precious Tiffany at any second. “As if,” I thought to myself. “Moose is gay.” Wait, what? I'm 95% sure dogs can't be homosexual but someone correct me if I'm wrong..

I'm 100% sure dogs have no concept of sexual orientation as we know it. It was probably a joke.

Re: How neutering dogs became the norm

#30

Post by [deleted] »

parliament32 wrote: post #22

>When I told one guy that I was thinking of keeping Moose intact, he picked up his Shih Tzu as though Moose was going to mount his precious Tiffany at any second. “As if,” I thought to myself. “Moose is gay.” Wait, what? I'm 95% sure dogs can't be homosexual but someone correct me if I'm wrong..

[deleted]
Post reply on HN