Ah, there is no such thing as an uncomplicated pet, that's for sure!

We took Finzi (our Mini Schnauzer) to the vet to find out about some diarrhea problems he had been having, and also for a general puppy check-up. He received the rest of his shots, and we discussed neutering.

First, the vet asked if he had been neutered. Since Finzi is about 15 weeks old at this point, this seemed like an odd question - wouldn't she be able to tell? It turns out poor Finzi's testicles have not descended yet, so that makes more sense. The vet informed us that, because they are stuck up somewhere in his little body (!), his neutering might well be more complicated and also more expensive. If his testicles have not descended at this point, what are the chances of it happening before he is 6 months old? And how complicated and pricey is this surgery going to be?

Honey, time to find another vet! Sounds like he/she is gearing up to overcharge you for a simple surgery. Most males testicles don't descend fully until they are 6 months of age. That is why neutering is done around that time frame. The discussion you had with the vet would have made sense to me if Finzi was 6 months, but he is only 15 weeks. The fact that they haven't descended yet is not out of the norm at all. I am very disappointed in your vet.

Well, she said we would wait to take care of his neutering until he was 6 months. She said we should make an appointment the same day as his surgery is scheduled to see if they have descended. I guess she just wanted to give us the heads up that he has this issue, so I can't blame her just quite yet!

She did palpate one down into his scrotum, but it bounced right back, and the other one was nowhere to be found. From what I've been researching online, this seems like it will be less likely for both to come down at a "normal" age, whatever that is. The vet said she would get us a quote for the cryptorchid surgery, but then we moved on to Finzi's other issues, the diarrhea and things that were more pressing to solve and we forgot.

I was just wondering if this is some wildly complicated surgery where they will have to fillet my dog and go digging around for it, possibly never finding it, yet charging us a million dollars to play hide and seek in his tiny body! Also, I didn't know if postponing his surgery beyond 6 months could be advantageous at all, or if at that point, he is probably going to be an odd ball forever (lol). Poor guy!

Side note: he's been humping our 50 lb Rhodesian mix's neck and head. Perhaps this is the cause for the confusion! :)

He is unneutered, so your poor Rhodie is the receiver of the attention. You do need to correct him and stop him if your Rhodie is tolerating that behavior from him.

Sometimes, all it takes is an additional couple of months for the testicles to descend fully. I wouldn't be making an appointment for the neutering just yet. It really is too early. But, as an FYI, undescended testicles does make the surgery more complicated. As to how complicated, I can't answer that because each case is different. Fillet? LOL. No, they won't be doing that, but digging around does kind of creep into my mind. They will try to locate the testicles prior to the surgery. But, if I were you, I would wait to make sure that they are given every chance to descend on their own. Maybe they will descend at 8 months. That has been known to happen. Waiting a couple of additional months to see what happens is better for Finzi in the long run, than allowing the vet to perform the surgery at exactly 6 months, if they haven't descended. I know you found info on the net that says otherwise, but I think at 15 weeks, it is assuming too much too soon.

RubyPitbull is correct. I am wondering if there is was a misunderstanding. Puppies can be neutered at any age, but it is more difficult before the testicles descend. I don't think there is any good reason to do so sooner. Usually that is about 6 months, but it varies.

Mounting the other dog may be more dominance than sexual. He may need better leadership. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss He is younger than I would expose to so many strange dogs by taking him to a class. You can work on obedience out of a book. I start my 7 week olds on the way out of the kennel the day I pick them up. Here are some other ways better for a young puppy to show you are top dog:

''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.

Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.