# What age to get your dog neutered?



## Guest (Sep 7, 2008)

The last time I mentioned this I got a lot of scary replies suggesting that I wanted to chop the dog before allowing him to mature... that I was choosing not to train him properly and relying on the castration to sort out any dominance issues etc. Can I make it clear that this is not the case... I'm a first-time dog owner who was advised by my vet to get him neutered at 6months. I now understand that this is too early but I'm still not really sure when is the right age - I've been given many conflicting opinions from 6months to any age over 18 months.

He is a labX. I would especially like to hear from those who have had their dogs neutered, if so how did it work out for you... what advice would you give, what were the benefits/negative aspects after the castration, etc...

thanks


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## Rosikus (Aug 10, 2008)

I'm also wondering about this, so would be good for me too to see replies.


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

hi ya.
i've never had a dog neutered..and i've never had any problems with them.you hear so many different things said about this subject,but my own oppion is why fix what isnt broken..
some say it calms a dog down.not allways the case. a friend of mine had her dog neutered about 3 months ago and wishes she had'nt.


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## cav (May 23, 2008)

I am not having my boy done he is 12 months old and a healthy male..but if i was i would not do it until i thought he was fully mature.
Most dogs marture around 18months -2 years


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## Natik (Mar 9, 2008)

I dont know exactly when its the best time to neuter but my breeder advised us to wait until our gsd is at least 2 years old. If we would neuter him too early he would kinda stay a bit "stupid" like a puppy and in this 2 years he would have time to develope his character properly and mature.

U should neuter early if the dog didnt develope the testicles as this could cause cancer but overall if u have only one dog (i dont know how many have  ) then there shouldnt be a problem with waiting.
But u will know urself whens the right time for u


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## jeanie (Nov 11, 2007)

None of my male dogs are done , my vet said why do them unless they are humping and going mad for a bitch , none of this has happened and they dont fight so i have left them they are 15mths old .


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

I think it comes down to your personal choice. For every argument for early neutering there is an equally strong one for waiting until the dog is over 2 years.
I had mine done early - Zipper was 10 months, one vet said a year, another said 2, another said any time after 8 months depending on the dog.
We decided to get him neutered at 10 months because he had become a real nusiance, I have teenage daughters and I could tell by Zippers reaction to their friends where they were in their monthly cycle . He would also hump any thing with fur - dog, cat, rabbit or toy.
So selfishly we did it for us. However it did calm him down and he has been fine.


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## Sgurr (Aug 24, 2008)

It is one of those how long is a piece of string questions.
Many vets in the USA have been castrating pups from eight weeks old for quite some years - they claim this is particularly appropriate for rescue pups and does not have adverse effects. Other vets say castrate once puberty is achieved and this is breed dependent - may be around two years for the largest breeds. And commonly, the vet says get it done at 6 months. So there is a whole spectrum of veterinary opinion about age but a solid concensus about having it done.

Generally, 
pros
eliminates risk of prostate and testicular cancers
ditto unwanted litters and reduces marking and straying behaviour
may help with dominance/agression issues (but that could have a thread by itself)

cons
risk associated with surgery/recovery
metabolic rate may be lowered so care needed with diet
lower status dog more susceptible to being mounted by dominant entire males

I've had two male dogs but neither of them have been castrated. The male I have now is a stud, the first one was never mated but I've not had hormone related problems with either of them. You have to make the decision that is right for your dog and your circumstances

Sgurr


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2008)

This link was posted on another forum I use.
I found it very interesting,vets won't tell you alot of the downsides to castrating.

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

My personal opinion is as long as they are healthy and don't have any issues to leave dogs entire.
I think it is sightly different for bitches as they can develop Pyometra which will and does kill bitches.


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## Mese (Jun 5, 2008)

My vet advised not getting Toffee done until he was 12 - 18 months old to give him time to mature 

Time for Toff that is , not the vet , lol


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## jackson (May 22, 2008)

sallyanne said:


> This link was posted on another forum I use.
> I found it very interesting,vets won't tell you alot of the downsides to castrating.
> 
> http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
> ...


Stop stealing my links! 

I think most people know my stance on this board. I do not believe in spaying my own bitches unless there is a specific reason to do so. (not breeding is NOT a reason as far as I am concerned, no need for unwanted litters if you're responsible) I don't own any dogs, but if I did, I would not have them neutered either, unless there was a specific reason to do so. Even then. what some vets feel is a reason, isn't.

Pyo IS a very real risk for unspayed bitches, and this is not meant to cause offense to anyone here, but I know mostly working bitches, naturally fed and kept very fit, and the number of bitches I have known to get pyo is extremely low, none of them being working bitches. The one bitch I knew of that did get pyo and died after a complication during spay surgery had had the mismate jab in her life, thought to increase the risk of pyo. I have always been closely involved/worked for our local hunt and have never known a working foxhound bitch get pyo. maybe if anyone knows any different to this, they can post?

I am ultra paranoid and also dose my girls with raspberry leaf tablets during a season, as this helps cleanse the uterus.

I do think if owners aren't so dog savvy, spaying is best (I know bitch owners who have never heard of pyo).

However, spaying or neutering is obviously personal choice. In answer tot he original question, I would probably be looking to neuter a dog at a round 2 and have a bitch spayed between her second and third seasons.


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2008)

jackson said:


> Stop stealing my links!
> 
> I think most people know my stance on this board. I do not believe in spaying my own bitches unless there is a specific reason to do so. (not breeding is NOT a reason as far as I am concerned, no need for unwanted litters if you're responsible) I don't own any dogs, but if I did, I would not have them neutered either, unless there was a specific reason to do so. Even then. what some vets feel is a reason, isn't.
> 
> ...


I know this is sightly off topic,do you know of any bitches that developed Pyo that were treated sucessfully with AB's and if it reoccured ?
I just wondered how sucessful it is ?


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## jackson (May 22, 2008)

sallyanne said:


> I know this is sightly off topic,do you know of any bitches that developed Pyo that were treated sucessfully with AB's and if it reoccured ?
> I just wondered how sucessful it is ?


I don't know any treated with AB's at all to be honest, but I only know two bitches that have developed pyo. (I know a LOT of bitches though, mostly unspayed) It is not something I would consider for one of my girls. If any of them got pyo that would be an immediate reason for me to get them spayed, I simply wouldn't risk it.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

well mine was neutred at 11 months as we had a major problem with the issue of him trying to hump every thing that moved including the cat if hed have had his way. We tried everything we could to stop it. 
As a registered child minder i had no option on the grounds of hygiene also the concerns of the childrens parents in my care.
He had the deed done and he slowly stopped the humping after around 3 months which is when the hormones are meant to settle. It was the right decission for us although our dog may not have agreed. Every situation is different and you have to way up your own dogs actions, behaviour, needs, The only other thing i noticed that ive had to adjust his diet a little as he did seem to put on weight more easily.


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

When I was deciding on getting my puppy I phoned the vets to find out how much it would cost me if I had a bitch as I didn't want to mate her. I was advised that Even if I got a dog (which I have now picked get him next Sunday  ) to also have him done. They told me that they do this at 16 weeks (Bitch or Dog). I have had dogs before and have never had them done. 
I think I will leave my new pup and see how he goes on.

Roll on next Sunday


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

Kaz65 said:


> When I was deciding on getting my puppy I phoned the vets to find out how much it would cost me if I had a bitch as I didn't want to mate her. I was advised that Even if I got a dog (which I have now picked get him next Sunday  ) to also have him done. They told me that they do this at 16 weeks (Bitch or Dog). I have had dogs before and have never had them done.
> I think I will leave my new pup and see how he goes on.
> 
> Roll on next Sunday


This still worries me as a friends dog was only 2 and choc full of mammary tumors of which is reduced greatly by getting your dog spayed early on. Its a hard one and people do have there on thoughts on this one.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

I do feel 16 weeks is very young but i know a few vets do reccomend it. To me your pup is still very much a baby. But again its what you feel you need to do.


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## jackson (May 22, 2008)

sullivan said:


> well mine was neutred at 11 months as we had a major problem with the issue of him trying to hump every thing that moved including the cat if hed have had his way. We tried everything we could to stop it.
> As a registered child minder i had no option on the grounds of hygiene also the concerns of the childrens parents in my care.
> He had the deed done and he slowly stopped the humping after around 3 months which is when the hormones are meant to settle. It was the right decission for us although our dog may not have agreed. Every situation is different and you have to way up your own dogs actions, behaviour, needs, The only other thing i noticed that ive had to adjust his diet a little as he did seem to put on weight more easily.


Despite what vets will tell you, humping (and other behaviours!) is not always cured by neutering. It is largely behavioural and can be stopped by dealing with it as such if you are knowledgable enough.

My friend has a 4 year old Dalmation, neutered early upon her vets advice. (she works in the vets) he humps anything and everything is sight. He also gets bladder crystals which are thought to be more common in male dals neutered early.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

i do agree that neutering wont always help with the humping, i did even go to dog trainers to try and sort this problem out but had no success. He how is gerally very well behaved and it did help us. I suppose every dog is so differnt and they dont all react the same after being neutered. I think bladder crystals were also caused through diet to. Or am i totally wrong. ?


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## widgetdog35 (Apr 25, 2008)

Hi 6 months is fine to have him done. A very good book to read is Bruce Fogle, The dog's mind, its written by a vet and has all the stages of development in the dogs brain. at the min just spend time taking him to see as much as you can and meet everyone and every thing he can. i have my boys done at 6months if i don't want to breed with them but my last retained a ball so left him untill he was a year, so cost more it was stuck! lol
at the end of the day your vet will always try and advice you the best they can with science to back them up. 
Also dominance comes in all shapes and sizes i would only really worry now if you had an really aggesive pup and then no matter what you do will change it.
If you join a puppy class you will not be going for wrong as there will be help and advice there too, as your vet or the KC for a goodone as there are cowboys out there.
Good luck and just enjoy your dog it sounds like your doing the right thing talking with the vet, no matter what you do in life there are always people that think differently from each other i'm not saying they are wrong in what they say at all just be carefull on what advice you take alot of people will not agree with mine but each to our own.
p.w i love his eye brows


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## jeanie (Nov 11, 2007)

Thats a great book to read , i have read it loads of times. sorry to go off topic.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2008)

Hi thanks for all your replies, got a bit of a hyper puppy to deal with at the min, ill reply in more detail later! xx


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## jenp (Jul 16, 2008)

Finn is my first male dog and I didn't want to get him neutered at all, although I had no plans to breed him, just me being a big girly about it, I guess.

When he was a pup the vet told me that around the time he started lifting his leg to wee would be the time to look at neutering.

Well that time came and went and I postponed .

However, the reason that I did it eventually (at around 2) was because, while Finn has never shown any of the typical 'anti-social' behaviour generally associated with un-neutered dogs, I did notice that he had become a target for other more aggro un-neutered dogs. ie they viewed him as a threat to their alpha male status and singled him out to let him know is place. 

Finn runs 10 miles from a fight with his tail between his legs all the way . It seemed unfair to have him continue to go through this, so I made the decision....

haven't noticed any change to his personality at all, but I have noticed that the alpha male dogs are now only interested in my female dog (much to her delight!).


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## Lolo (Sep 8, 2008)

poor dog do you imagine to neuter?....I have a dog (female) but before I had poodle male, I had never thought to do such a things and he was very''sexual'' at his 14 years  He always had girlfriends  he was running out from home and hide behind the door of house where was living the dog he ''loved'' ..then when they took their dog for a walk he start to walk with them and sometimes he was ''bothering'' her    and we always had argues with her owners  but it was really funny  and my dog was happy


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## Ladywiccana (Feb 24, 2008)

*My vet told me to w8 until ozzie is 1year old, what a birthday pressie eh bless, but needs must lol. He is soooooooooo in love wiv his blankets and towels at the min if ya know what i mean pmsl.
Hopefully it will calm him down slightly!
Its amazing how peoples opinions vary on this subject of when to be done!
Like my vet said 1year, the vet nurse said anytime now he is 7months old too young in my eyes, and my trainer also said now .

She also said that because her dog had been done he get nasty wiv ones that aint, (he only jealous lol) Have you come across this?*


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## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

_I'm also having this dilemma. I have booked Cola in for a spay in 3 weeks but I'm also having second thoughts.
She didnt seem bothered by her 1st season at all and Im wondering if I doing it for me and not her. It would be easier not having to deal with the blood and restricted walks during those times but thats kinda selfish to put her through the op ? Im also concerned about pyo and really dont know what to do. At the moment I will cancel the appointment until I make my mind up! I had a terrible experience with the vet who neutered my cat so Im a little unsure if I want her to be put at risk with the op however small._


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2008)

kittykat said:


> _I'm also having this dilemma. I have booked Cola in for a spay in 3 weeks but I'm also having second thoughts.
> She didnt seem bothered by her 1st season at all and Im wondering if I doing it for me and not her. It would be easier not having to deal with the blood and restricted walks during those times but thats kinda selfish to put her through the op ? Im also concerned about pyo and really dont know what to do. At the moment I will cancel the appointment until I make my mind up! I had a terrible experience with the vet who neutered my cat so Im a little unsure if I want her to be put at risk with the op however small._


It is entirely your choice but if I had no plans to show and breed I would without doubt spay a bitch.My bitch developed Pyo a few months back and we came within hours to loosing her.It was thankfully an open Pyo and we knew the symptoms.She was extremely poorly, it was a complicated op as the pyo was massive and had an overnight stay at the vets.
She came through fine although had me worried sick at the time.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2008)

i would say 12-18 month after the dog has metured its ment to carm them down abit and when we had 1 of our males done it carmed him down loads. i belive if you have a dog done before hes metured witch i no people that has they never seem to grow up the always act like puppies even now at the ages of 5. i have also had a bitch that was spained she is a jack russell we all no how hyper jack russells can be, but she still act as if she is about 3 moths she was also one that was spained before a year old... most people have different opions on it but as long as you belive its the right time for your dog/bitch and your vet agrees then it should be fine..xxx thanks..


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## guineapigqueen (Jan 12, 2008)

I am going to wait with Chance until he is around 4/5yrs old and then decide if I want him neutered, as I see no medical reason why I should neuter him before that but I can see medical reasons later in life leaving him entire. Sadly a good life for a Shar-Pei is 10ys old, so his clock is ticking, shall I say.

As a from the grooming side of things, some dogs coats can alter when neutered espcially if done young. I have been told that Irish Setters can loose their colour if neutered young, not sure on how 100% true this information is. Also I see alot of Spaniels, espcially Springer with a type of down on their coats, mainly on the liver colour as this is linked to neutering, I call it puppy down.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2008)

I would never neuter any dog until they are mature in both body and mind. For most dogs this doesn't occur until they are at least 18 months but this varies from breed to breed and every dog is an individual, even litter mates will vary.

Milo was neutered by the RSPCA before we got him and if it calmed him down then I'd hate to see what he was like before he was done. What calmed him down was firm and consistent training. I don't agree with neutering to sort out behaviour problems, behaviour problems are just that and should be altered with training. Milo wasn't mature mentally until he was over two years old and if he hadn't have already been done this is when I would have thought about neutering him.

Jayjay may be used at stud so obviously won't be done for some years if that is the case. If he's not to be used at stud I still won't consider neutering him until he's at least two years old, I don't know of any good reasons to neuter before they are mature, like I said above I don't think neutering should be used as a quick fix for behaviour problems, beyond that sometimes it might work but other times it might not.

Trinny our bitch will probably be done around 18 months. There are some nasty risks to keeping entire bitches, risks that can be eliminated or reduced by spaying. Pyometra, which Meg got, can kill very quickly and I'd personally rather not take the risk. Spayed bitches cannot get Pyometra.


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## jackson (May 22, 2008)

Spayed bitches CAN get pyo. A from called 'stump pyo'. It is very rare, bu the fact people often think they cannot get it and vets wouldn't usually suspect it in a spayed bitch makes it more dangerous, although i can't remeber the figures off hand and as usual can't find the figures I had! 

Approx 25% of entire bitches will get pyo, and approx 1% of that 25% will die because of it. Quite high figures! FAR less spayed bitches will get pyo, but figures of those who will die from it are around 90% if I remember correctly. 

As I said before, my experience of entire bitches is quite vast, but I have never known a working, entire bitch in hunt kennels that is naturally fed, get pyo and only known two get pyo, thankfully. I think vets have to assume that the average owner is ignorant when it comes to things such as pyo and therefore spaying is probably best in their eyes because of this. (or at least,t hat's a lrge part of the reason)


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## kittykat (Nov 2, 2007)

sallyanne said:


> It is entirely your choice but if I had no plans to show and breed I would without doubt spay a bitch.My bitch developed Pyo a few months back and we came within hours to loosing her.It was thankfully an open Pyo and we knew the symptoms.She was extremely poorly, it was a complicated op as the pyo was massive and had an overnight stay at the vets.
> She came through fine although had me worried sick at the time.


Thanks for your advice Sally, I'm glad Meg pulled through it ok. Cola was from a rescue but they left it up to me to get her spayed and I didnt think twice about it until recently there seems to be alot of posts about spaying etc and I guess it just made me look at both sides of the argument.

However I think I will go ahead with the appointment as pyo is a very real danger and I wouldnt forgive myself if anything happened and I had increased her chances by not getting her spayed.

I rang the vet today and told them I was going ahead and just asked them lots of questions such as aftercare meds etc so I feel a little more at ease now, thanks again.


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