# When to neuter?



## cheryl4237 (May 19, 2010)

When is the best age to neuter my pup? I've heard to do it after he's had all his shots, at around 5 months, but I've also heard not to do it til he has hit puberty, because it can interfere with his bone development. When does a dog even hit puberty? Any advice?


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## Purley (May 21, 2010)

I am certainly not an expert on this. Where I live the vets have a plan with the city and they pay something towards the spay/neuter surgery provided you have the puppy done between 6 and 8 months of age. On the other hand, on a dog board, a dog behaviour expert told me that to have my son's Standard cross neutered before his testicles had come down would affect his growth and make him hyper. However, my son decided to get him done at six months and whether it was just coincidence - he calmed down a lot. 

A lot of breeders are now doing pediatric spay/neuters because they have discovered that disreputable people are buying dogs on a no breeding contract and then going ahead and breeding anyway - and either not registering the puppies or else breeding them with other breeds and selling the mutts for a fortune. 

If it were up to me, I would do it around six months old becuase that is what my vet recommends.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I think no earlier then 6 months, but I also personally feel unless you are a responsible breeder to not wait much longer then that. 

Too many accidental breedings leave so many dogs to neglect, abuse and and being PTS because of the overcrowding of shelters. This is a growing problem. I personally don't agree waiting until they are 2 + years old - the statistics are not high enough for the alleged associated problems with spay/neutering. Also there are the same claims (cancer etc) for waiting too long to S&N so its always a debate.


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## spoosrule (Feb 16, 2008)

I've heard a lot of mixed opinions on this. Like you I've heard that neutering them too soon causes development problems. I don't know from personal experience but I'll be interested to see what others have to say.


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## Keithsomething (Oct 31, 2009)

I had Elphie spayed after her first heat, some people prefer to wait until the dog is fully mature and that was my plan but after 31 days of diaper changes and constant vigilance ((along with carrying a BIG stick on my walks with her)) I was done >.<


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## Marian (Oct 20, 2009)

Keithsomething said:


> I had Elphie spayed after her first heat, some people prefer to wait until the dog is fully mature and that was my plan but after 31 days of diaper changes and constant vigilance ((along with carrying a BIG stick on my walks with her)) I was done >.<


A little taste of what it might be like to have a teenage daughter? LOL


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## faerie (Mar 27, 2010)

i plan on taking my female in about 7 months or so. not even to the first heat. just. can't. deal. with. it.


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## Winnow (Jan 2, 2010)

If it is a bitch I would do it after there first heat witch can be from 6-14 months old.
With males I would do it as soon as they start to lift there legs to pee, I have neutered one male when he was 6 months old and had not started to lift his leg, now he always pees squatting down and pees on his front legs while doing it :S and he always smells of pee.


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## Keithsomething (Oct 31, 2009)

Marian said:


> A little taste of what it might be like to have a teenage daughter? LOL


LMAO
-notes in mind- ONLY adopt boys XD

honestly though I feel for breeders, I couldn't imagine having to do that 2-3x's year


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

I neutered Vinnie when he was 13 months - I wanted to wait until growth plates were closed - I xrayed before doing surgery. I needed to keep him under 18 inches if at all possible for agility.


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## first poodle (Jan 12, 2010)

I remember my daughter saying that if you wanted the bigger muscle mass etc in the male of any species you should wait to neuter 'til after the testerone has developed the secondary sex characteristics which may not be complete until after 2 years of age of a dog. (We were talking about gelding a horse though I think!!!lol) The primary sex characteristics happen between 7 months and a year if I remember correctly. Don't know if that helps and I am going from memory but I'm sure you could google to find out more about when those characteristics occur.


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

My breeder suggested no sooner than 11 months for my mini boy. I am hoping to wait that long, but may reconsider if we start to experience any behavior issues. So far, we have not had any problems.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

My breeder suggested no sooner than 7 months and my vet agrees with that.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

I wrestled with this question myself not that long ago. Chagall's breeder said to wait until at least six months, my vet is an advocate of _very_ early spay and neutering. I had Chagall neutered at six months and he's a year old now. Well, I might as well tell all...he still squats to pee but he's a clean boy and doesn't splatter himself. My vet contends early neutering lessens the problems of marking and humping. I've never had any marking issues and Chagall rarely (but occasionally) humps. He clearly does so for attention since he'll pull that nonsense only when I'm on a long phone call. I continue to work with him (putting him in a "down" and "stay") to curtail that behavior.


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## Salukie (Dec 18, 2009)

AgilityIG said:


> I neutered Vinnie when he was 13 months - I wanted to wait until growth plates were closed - I xrayed before doing surgery. I needed to keep him under 18 inches if at all possible for agility.



Hey AgilityIG,

Just curious, why does Vinnie need to be under 18 inches? If you got him neutered before his growth plates were closed, would that have made him grow taller? 
I always thought that neutering early made them a little smaller... ? :wacko:
I also heard that it was all a myth and that neutering had nothing to do with the size of the dog... hwell: were there any studies done on this? 

Now I'm really curious... sorry for all the questions!


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Salukie said:


> Hey AgilityIG,
> 
> Just curious, why does Vinnie need to be under 18 inches? If you got him neutered before his growth plates were closed, would that have made him grow taller?
> I always thought that neutering early made them a little smaller... ? :wacko:
> ...




I run my dogs in AKC agility and the cut off for the 16" class is 18 inches. Vinnie needs to measure 18 inches or under to jump 16". 

Neutering a dog before growth plates are closed MAY cause a dog to grow taller than if you wait until after they are closed. Once the growth plates are closed, the dog cannot grow taller. I knew Vinnie was going to be very close to the 18 inch limit, so I kept him intact until growth plates were closed. 

You'll have to look for studies - not sure what has been done. 

I also like my boys to look like boys (muscular and masculine looking). I do NOT like early neutering for my own dogs. I have had and seen dogs that were neutered right at six months and they were longer legged and I just didn't care for the look - I am thinking in particular of an IG that I had. If I had things to do over with Frank (the IG I am currently running), I probably would have left him intact longer. We did his neuter at 8 months when he had hip surgery. It was a convienence thing and I didn't want to put him out again. Wish I would have waited... :doh: He looks fine - he's gorgeous, but I would have liked him to have the benefit of the hormones for a while longer.


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## Salukie (Dec 18, 2009)

AgilityIG said:


> I am thinking in particular of an IG that I had.


Italian Greyhound?

I get confused when people refer to dog breeds in short form! LOL! :doh:

Thanks for answering my questions.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Salukie said:


> Italian Greyhound?
> 
> I get confused when people refer to dog breeds in short form! LOL! :doh:
> 
> Thanks for answering my questions.


oops... sorry! Yes - Italian Greyhound - I get so used to saying "IG" that I don't even think abou it.


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## cheryl4237 (May 19, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice. My vet wants me to do it at 5months. I don't want to interfere with his bone development, but I also don't want him jumping the fence to make a contribution to the doodle population=( Or God forbid, getting hit by a car in the process. I would like to wait at least until he is lifting his leg, for my husbands sake. He already thinks I talked him into a "nancy" dog=)


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