Should I neuter dog

billdo5150 · Post by **billdo5150** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:38 pm

I have been kicking around the idea of getting my dog neuter. He is around 5 1/2 months old. And I’m not planning on breading him. Will this screw him up for being aggressive for hunting? I have heard that if you do neuter dog it calms them down. So I ask my fellow dog owner brothers. What should I do? Bill

Post by **ezzy333** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:41 pm

Wait till he is fully grown which mean near 2 years old or so. He needs to be completely grown and pretty well muscled before you do it.

Ezzy

billdo5150 · Post by **billdo5150** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:53 pm

I was thinking about that. But the vet say he should have it done soon.

romeo212000 · Post by **romeo212000** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:07 pm

Does your vet work with unting dogs very much? For a common house dog its okay to do it early because it doesnt matter about how much prey drive they develop, or really how well their muscles develop. However, with a hunting dog it is very important. I would wait until at least he is fully grown and developed and been hunted a season or two. Besides he may turn out to be such an awesome dog you may want to breed him later even though you dont want to now.

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:43 pm

In this instance I would say your vet is wrong. I seriously doubt they've read the more recently published data about how much higher the incidence of tendon and ligament damage is in dogs neutered or spayed before they reach sexual maturity.

The odds of having health problems CAUSED by early spay/neuter are far higher than health issues being prevented by early spay/neuter, particularly in highly athletic dogs.

Elimination of the primary producers of the "sex hormones" also alters their psychological development if done early.

In spite of what's politically correct all higher mammals are quite dependant on their sex hormones at least through full maturity and when the gonads are gone you eliminate the primary producers of them. CR

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:59 pm

more and more studies are showing that for your athletic dogs ones that are going to be excersised not just occasional go for a walk couch potato pet ..it is better to wait till they mature bone and muscle before spaying

for you common pet companion it doesn't matter as much

but i know many dogs that ahve been altered young and it didn't effect the hunt if they had the desire before being altered as the sex organs are not attached to the prey drive sector of a dog or the nose

gwgdog66 · Post by **gwgdog66** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:05 pm

I agree with the others. My vet does own bird dogs and he told me his experence was to wait until my male was between two and three years.

alaskantruck · Post by **alaskantruck** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:06 am

I had my GSP neutered at 3 months of age per my vets recommendations. When he was 14 months old he tore his left cruciate ligament and 4 months later he tore his right. I am getting another older pup in April and will not neuter until he is at least 2 years of age.

TheClash · Post by **TheClash** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:21 pm

i did my ridgeback at 10 months...as my vet recommended. he had bird dogs and hunts...and is also one of the few vets i know that has tried to sort through all the info on ligaments etc.....i run my RR hard everyday and he has never had a problem...but i was told to wait past 6 months at least....but before he starts to "mark".....has worked for me....

rstbkt69 · Post by **rstbkt69** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:39 pm

Is this the same rule of thumb for a female as it is for a male. The Vets have already mentioned it to me and my wife thinks she knows that it needs to be done, if nothing else because she is a house dog and does not want to put up with the chance of ruining the upholstery. I had often thought that she needed to be grown before she was fixed.

powderski14 · Post by **powderski14** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:48 pm

we did our lab when she was about 8 months

Maverick · Post by **Maverick** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:25 am

Have a look at the below thread from a few weeks ago.
I truely believe you should let a dog reach 2 years of age before spaying or neutering. There is some excellent information in the below thread.

viewtopic.php?t=9975

Mav.....

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:12 am

[quote="rstbkt69"] and does not want to put up with the chance of ruining the upholstery. quote]
You might look into getting some spankies for her. It's, essentially, a diaper.

Best, Greg J.

Reech · Post by **Reech** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:41 am

I had my female spayed at 4 months. She is now 10 months old. I talked to my vet about my concerns. He also has Hunting dogs. He hunts upland and waterfowl.

I will keep you updated on her condition should she develope any problems.

I do condition my dog everyday 2 - 4 miles a day - everyday. Except when the wind chill is - 24 (Like today!) Last weekend I hunted her on saturday for 8 hrs with an hr and a half break for lunch. At the end of the day she was just tired.

Please, I am not trying to start an arguement. I May end up learning a lesson the hard way or I may not.

Reech

Post by **ezzy333** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:55 am

Reech,

Not every dog is going to have problems. All we are saying is the possibility of problems is much greater when you nueter at an early age. Chances are pretty good your dog will be fine but we do know early nuetering can mess up the growth pattern and along with that possibly weaken the ligaments.

I think all that has been stated is a recommendation to wait and that sure seems reasonable. Do watch your dog and let us know if any problems develop.

Ezzy

markerdown · Post by **markerdown** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:45 am

Oh man, don't get me started!!!

I have spent over $7500 on TPLO ACL repairs on two GSPs that were spayed/neutered @6 months per my vet’s recommendations. He decline to pay for the ACL repairs on my recommendations and I reminded him he was an advocate of early spay/neuter and this was a result of his advocacy of a ridiculous mindset. He is no longer my vet!

My advice to you is to wait until your dog is at least 2 years old and has physically matured. My present pup is an intact male @ 20 months. There is a world of muscle mass difference between him and the dogs that were neutered early, and they all get the same exercise regiment and hunt.

Early spay/neuter is ok for lap dogs, but not for hunting /sporting dogs. This BS mindset spay neuter @6 months proliferated by animal activists has brainwashed vets and most dog owners. And you will get arguments from both sides, vets included. You wouldn't neuter a human child right before the onset of puberty and expect him/her to be a star athlete would you. Just think what a body goes thru during puberty. Some folks just don't get it!

I see the results of early spay/neuter every day in my two GSP. Great dogs and hunters and up to their full potential with the handicap of the effects of an early spay/neuter, but my intact male pup, physical performance wise, outshines both of them.

3 GSPs, 3 different breed lines.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox,

Just my .02……………………………….marker down

Reech · Post by **Reech** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:01 pm

ezzy333 wrote:Reech,

Not every dog is going to have problems. All we are saying is the possibility of problems is much greater when you nueter at an early age. Chances are pretty good your dog will be fine but we do know early nuetering can mess up the growth pattern and along with that possibly weaken the ligaments.

I think all that has been stated is a recommendation to wait and that sure seems reasonable. Do watch your dog and let us know if any problems develop.

Ezzy

I will definately let you know if any problems occur. I really hope not, It would break my heart if anything happened to this dog. She is an amazing hunter and companion. Best birthday present I ever got!

Reech