this annoying argument keeps popping up...

[Oliver'sMom]

and I'm always taken aback when it does. "you won't circumcise your son, but you neutered your dog! that's just wrong!"

first of all, they're completely unrelated arguments. I usually ask them "would you circumcise your dog?", which almost always brings laughs like "are you crazy?"

But I want a much better comeback. Can you think of one? I know there are many benefits to neutering and there are NONE to circumcision, but I can't help but feel like a bit of a hypocrite

[Oubliette8]

I would point out that your son is NOT a dog. You're completely responsible for your dog for its entire life. Your son you are merely a guardian until he becomes his own, autonomous adult. Thus while you can neuter your dog, crop its ears, cut of its tail, tattoo it etc, you do NOT have the same rights for a human child.

Ask them if they would neuter their child, after all, it would avoid a lot of problems that occur during and after adolescence! Ear cropping might not be a bad idea either, who wouldn't want a kid with Spock ears? Makes them look smarter And an identifying tattoo, if they ever got lost, the police could bring them right home.

It helps that ear cropping and tail docking tend to be controversial. If people think its wrong to do that to a dog, they may get the point about baby boys. Actually, this comes up semi regularly among dog people in cropping/docking debates (you think cropping/docking is wrong, what about circumcising your son? uh, yeah, I think thats wrong too thanks)

I like your response if they would circumcise their dog. Dogs have a prepuce as well, if a dogs prepuce needs no special care, and people think it is absurd to remove it, why should we remove the prepuce of little boys?

[Greg B]

You neutered your dog because the benefits outweighed the negatives. You will not circumcise your son because the negatives outweigh the benefits. Simple.

[Evergreen]

I think your reply is just fine! It's apples and oranges; actually it's apples and elephants. You wouldn't circumcise your dog nor would you neuter your son. The two are not even remotely connected.

[My*Scorpio]

Neutering for a human is called castration (for males) or hysterectomy (for females). I don't see how that's related.