# neutering



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

The research is tending to indicate that the later you neuter males, the better:
Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs
http://www.vizslacanada.ca/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf
I personally would not neuter a dog until he was fully mature - and probably showing just the behaviours you want to avoid!


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## sarahmurphy (Mar 22, 2012)

Aside from the research, which is pretty conclusive, the people we know who have waited for full maturity, or even never neutered, seem to have healthier dogs that live longer. I don't know anyone with an intact male who has an untrained or untrainable dog. I think too many people use it as an excuse for poorly disciplined people when it comes to training. I've also heard that intact males will have all sorts of behaviour problems, but I don't find the behaviours in the dog any more difficult to deal with than in my son (14) or my husband (well past puberty...) I'm also not sure neutering any of them would "Fix" anything... (insert emoticon here...) 

If you look at the history of human castrati, they died sooner, and with more health problems, than men who are not castrated. 

Our last dog was neutered, and although he never marked in the house, he marked everything when we were out - I mean every blade of grass, every everything! Any other dog came in our yard and he had to go IMMEDIATELY and pee in that place! 

I'm not sure it's not just hype. If you want a girl dog, you should get a girl dog. There are definitely temperament differences based on gender. 

sarah


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## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

I would ask your vet. Mine recommended at 6 months. I haven't heard of one that recommended any sooner.


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

I presented the research to my vet, and ... it's not conclusive. We could debate it all day long. (let's not).

Very few vets are willing to do pediatric spay/neuter. Most will recommend at 6 months old. If your goal is to prevent male behavior, then before 9 months is the time to do it.

My puppy is 9 months old and I'm starting to see those behaviors coming in faintly. While there is enough research to make me interested in delaying neutering, preventing the male behavior is far more important to me at this time in my life and for the work that he does.


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Beau was neutered a few weeks before his first birthday. He never exhibited any undesireable "boy behaviors" before or since. Still squats to pee, for example, and has never marked or humped. Of course YMMV, but I'm glad we waited as long as we did.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I too am in the wait to neuter camp, especially since I have standards. My dog is 21 months and unneutered. He still squats to pee. He gets humped by my spayed female far more often than he humps anything. He never pees/marks when we go for walks. On the other hand, my mom's male standard poodle who was neutered at 6 months lifts his leg and pees on any and every tree, pole, or hydrant he can find!


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## Apres Argent (Aug 9, 2010)

This is a interesting article about desexing and behavior, not what we have been told......

http://www.vizslacanada.ca/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf


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## PlayfulPup (Aug 8, 2012)

Interesting articles... For a lot of people, leaving the dog intact is not an option... that is if you are rescuing a dog or buying "pet quality" from a responsible breeder. When we got our min pin, we had to prove he was fixed before a year old. Not sure what is typical. I know our breeder probably would have made an exception if we talked to her about it, but since we are looking at getting a poodle and not another min pin, that does not help me much!

Our min pin was fixed at 6m, and at 2 years old started marking -inside and out. It started because our neighbor let their dog outside to roam free and he decided our yard was the best spot to eliminate -all the time. Makes me wonder if it would have happened if he was fixed later, or not at all? He is such a mix of trying to be dominate (likes to jump on laps even when not invited -we always correct- and obviously the marking, but at the same point he refuses to walk through a doorway before you unless commanded to do so.) We can deal with correcting other issues, but correcting marking behavior is sooooo much harder than the other stuff! We had originally decided we would only get females here on out; however, I am always looking for information on the topic to find out if I really need to place gender before temperament when looking for a puppy to be my therapy dog.


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## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

My mom's dog was neutered at 4mos. because she got him at the pound and they did it before letting him go. His face grayed out by 4 years old and he did have health issues, I don't know that was the cause, but she always felt that it was.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

My vet recommended waiting until at least a year, for the same reasons mentioned above, as long as there are no unwanted behaviors. Better waiting --- none may occur and you will do the pup a favor by waiting.


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## papoodles (Jun 27, 2011)

*I'd wait..*

What a coincidence! My brother has a nine month old spoo that he was planning on having neutered after her first heat, on my advice.His vet was definitely not on board, and so yesterday I asked my breeder's opinion.Here is her response:

" I have had a clause in my contract forever that dogs shouldn't be spayed or neutered until at least a year of age"

She includes the following printouts on spay/neuter in her puppies folder when they go home.

Spay, Neuter, and Cancer: Revisiting and Old Trinity
Canine Sports Productions: Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete
http://www.naiaonline.org/uploads/WhitePapers/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

He is now waiting until Zena is a year old.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Spunky said:


> Interesting articles... For a lot of people, leaving the dog intact is not an option... that is if you are rescuing a dog or buying "pet quality" from a responsible breeder. When we got our min pin, we had to prove he was fixed before a year old. Not sure what is typical. I know our breeder probably would have made an exception if we talked to her about it, but since we are looking at getting a poodle and not another min pin, that does not help me much!


Most experienced poodle breeders I have spoken with strongly recommend waiting to spay/neuter the pets they sell.


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## Kor1029 (Aug 9, 2012)

Thank you guys so much. i talked it over with my boyfriend and told him all the things ya'll have mentioned, and we have decided to wait until his 1st birthday. . my other dog Jack developed very fast and even fathered a liter off puppies when he was about 5 months. but again thank you guys :adore:


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Full maturity if you can stand waiting. My sister in law had every intention of waiting until her boy was at least a year. At 9 months his behavior changed dramatically and she couldn't stand it and had him neutered. Try to wait until a year old like you say, but give yourself an out if he gets koo koo. Hers started marking in the house after not peeing in the house for months and months.


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

My terrietoypoomix, Charlie, is neutered at 5 months old. Our vet recommends him to be neuter between 4 - 6 months old. Before neutered, he is a picky eater and doing a few markings outside. Afterwards, he eats like a pig but I still see him marking outside a few times, not all the time. He still squats to pee on his wee wee pad, although one time he did pee standing up but thats the only time it happens so I brushed it off as him peeing on his sleepy mode. I don't mind him marking as long as he is doing it outside. 

Good luck on your puppy.


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