# Neutering at 12 months or 18 months - what's the difference?



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Thanks for asking this question. Brady will be 13 months this week and I had originally had plans to neuter him this month, but now I am thinking 18 months, too.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm no expert but I think the waiting is to let them fill out to the full head size and body breadth of a show golden. If all is going well and the marking is kept in check then you should wait. I had Oakly neutered at 6 months only because I didn't know any better at the time. If I had it to do over I would have waited longer.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

I know this is bad but Jack is almost 3 years old and he is still not neutered. Just keep pushing it of. There is no marking or aggression at all.
Guess I'm still hoping that Jack give me a puppy.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Heidi36oh said:


> I know this is bad but Jack is almost 3 years old and he is still not neutered. Just keep pushing it of. There is no marking or aggression at all.
> Guess I'm still hoping that Jack give me a puppy.


Ummm.... Heidi... you do know that boy dogs can't give you a puppy... right?


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

For me it would be 18 to 24 months to make sure all the growth plates have matured.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> For me it would be 18 to 24 months to make sure all the growth plates have matured.


Going with what my breeder says here. He know more than I do. LOL
Thanks Hooch!!!


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## foreveramber (Feb 25, 2007)

i just neutered jake...hes 14 months, but has some minor aggession issues (due to my bad parenting...i didnt socialize him enough) which is why i decided to not wait any longer.


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## jm2319 (Dec 14, 2007)

We waited until 18 months, it was in our contract with the breeder to wait. I'm pretty sure it was so he could develop the full head size, etc. like others have said. I'm glad we waited cause we love his look, but I remember the waiting and all the antics that went along with it and celebrated the day he turned 18 months! We had my mom's golden over a lot, (and still do), so he was well socialized during that time with another male dog (who was and is in the alpha position over Jensen).


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

jm2319.... just curious about the "antics" you saw with waiting so long to neuter. 

Camden will be 9 months 1/6/08 and I was planning on waiting until after a year... possibly a bit longer, as of everything I've read on here, and other places. I'm running in to some questioning from my husband however. Basically to lay it all out... and anyone else feel free to give me some input... 

Camden is a very independent dog, we knew that when we first got him. He has a high prey drive, and tends to become very focused and fixated on objects and will forget everything else in the world. (Example: Leaf blowing on the road, will not take his eyes off, pulls on leash to get at, ignores every command). Camden seems to be getting at the heart of the testing limits phase, and often turns a deaf ear on what you tell him. Even at home. Give him the sit command. "Hmmmmm, hestitate... do I really want to sit? Oh... okay". Although we've taken two classes with Camden and are starting our third next week, training with him has been very relaxed... not as much at home as been done with him. (I know, I know what was I thinking)
Parker on the other hand, kind of the middle of the road guy... easy going, not overly dominant. Park.would rather sleep on the couch than chase anything. Parker is 2 1/2 and responds to what you tell him the majority of the time. Parker was in classes and was worked with almost every day at home on commands because Andy and I worked opposite shifts at work and I had absolutely no life.

So... situation. We're out at my parents house which is in the middle of no where. My parents have cows. With cows comes corn/grain. With corn/grain comes deer! So, the boys are outside and of course there are a few deer across the one field, close to our house and the dogs catch a whiff and take off! Andy yells, Park hesitates... but comes back to him. Andy yells again... Camden keeps going. To make a long story short Camden didn't listen, and continued to pursuit. It was a bit scary, I won't lie. Thank goodness our nearest neighbor is a mile away and there's no traffic on our road. Was I scared he would get lost in the woods... of course, who wouldn't be? 
Anyway, he came back on his own while we were out looking for him. On the way home we got into a big discussion about "why" he did that. I feel that being 9 months old, not having a strong recall, and having a high prey drive probably have a lot to do with it... however he questioned him being intact. 

Any thoughts on this? I really was intending to wait until 12-14 months, and have come to terms with the fact that he is not going to be able to be off leash anymore until he is more reliable. Period. Neutered or not. I've started to see that more and more in the past few days, just with his behavior. For the longest time he wouldn't stray from Park... now, we know otherwise, and I won't make that mistake again.
I guess basically I'm just asking... what am I in for with waiting, and is it worth "fighting" with DH on this?


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I was told to wait at least 24 months.....and now Samson is 28 months, and I really don't see the point in doing it at all....


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

hgatesy: I'm not an expert, but I would say that until your dog has a reliable recall, whether he is fixed or not, he's still going to chase that deer. Neutering isn't a miracle cure for all behavior issues, and I think it is likely that your dog will retain a very decent prey drive even after he is fixed. The only way to overcome this is to teach him that it is more important to follow your command than his prey. I would suggest a long line for now, until you can trust him not to take off.

Julie and Jersey


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

We waited until 20 months. 
I had no plans to breed him and just wanted him neutered to reduce the likelihood of his ever breaking through our electronic fence if he smelled a female in heat. He had no "problem behaviors" I thought I would remedy by getting him neutered and I saw no change in his personality after he was.
He sounds alot like your dog, hgatesy, in the way he isn't as "eager to please" us as driven by things he is interested in sometimes. We do let him off leash in the woods where we walk and a couple of times he has disappeared for about 10 minutes (and, like you, I was very nervous). I think more rigorous training could make our dogs more obedient....but frankly I don't mind his personality as it is.


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

Jersey's Mom.... I completely agree with you. I guess maybe I'm looking for another opinion on things ... not so much so I can say "see I'm right DH!" but also because ..... well, no.... to say more would be a lie. I want to say I'm right!    
Because lets face it... who doesnt' like to be right!? 

lgnutah... I agree and think the more rigorous training would have a big impact on things. I need to get off my butt and do some more work. Sometimes I want to smack myself because I did so much training with Parker, and with Camden I have been way to relaxed and just worked on the basics, and what I needed to do to only get by.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Happy I could help you say "I told you so"... haha. But on a serious note, good luck with whatever path you choose... especially if it's trying to reason with the DH (ok, I've been wondering this forever and I'm finally going to ask... I know it refers to your husband, but what exactly does "DH" mean?????)

Julie and Jersey


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## MisterBailey (Jun 28, 2007)

Baileys now 9 months old and not neutered. Someone asked me recently when I was planning on getting him done, and I realised I had no idea! I guess closer to 2 years, but then I also think, whats the point after waiting that long to do it?

Baileys pretty laidback. Submissive with other dogs, and hes well socialised. Not possessive of toys or food at all. He does mark outside, but hasn't tried it inside (thank goodness!). I think sometimes that hes a little out of control when he gets hyped up, but I've had other owners (including those with goldens) says hes really good for his age. The only concern I have is that another male may go for him since hes still intact.

He loves chasing a ball thats thrown for him, but he has ZERO prey drive. There was a rabbit not 10 feet away from him and he didn't even notice. :doh: The only thing hes chased is a butterfly. Or, to be exact, the butterflies SHADOW. :uhoh: Hey, I never said he was the brightest! lol!


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I'm not entirely opposed to breeding Samson if the situation arose, and I could get clearances on him..... I don't know much about his line though, so I don't know if I would ever do it. But the idea of having a puppy of Samson's is very appealing to me.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I am not opposed to nuetering young at all. IMO, if you want to do him early 12 months is more then long enough time.


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Here are the health reasons cited.

Some of the studies used are based on the Golden Retriever Health Survey from Purdue University.

It's an interesting read and should answer some of the questions about spaying/neutering, such as when, and even if.

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


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

I've read arguments for both sides....


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

I have too.....but if you read the report and data, it explains the statistical probabilities for one health issue versus another. 

You can reach your own conclusions based on the data. After reading that study, I hate the thought of spaying/neutering at all!


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

Now that Samson is over two years old, I just don't see the point. I suppose if behavioral issues come up that could be corrected by neutering, we might consider it....but at this point, I just don't know why we would....


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I have read both sides too. I would rather have my puppy people spay and nueter early then have accidents. Its just a big relief when you don't have to worry about those things.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I have also read both sides of the argument. All 3 of my dogs were done at around 4 months, my newest foster puppy was just done at a few days shy of 3 months, and all of my foster kittens are done at 8 weeks. I will never have an unaltered animal in my house.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I breath a little easier now that Lucky is nuetered...but I'm glad I waited. When the neighbors moved in with two unspade females it was stressful....


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## Lawbear (Apr 26, 2007)

I too prefer to wait until all the growth plates are completed (whatever the hell that means). As a man, the idea of neutering a male dog at all gives me the creeps, but I know it has to be done.

For me, a primary consideration, which nobody has mentioned, is that nowadays most boarding kennels or even daycare places will not take unneutered dogs after 8 months. Sometimes when you have to travel for work or whatever, it is difficult to find a place which will accept an unneutered dog, even for a few hours of daycare. I understand their reasons, but it does make things difficult.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

Lawbear said:


> I too prefer to wait until all the growth plates are completed (whatever the hell that means). As a man, the idea of neutering a male dog at all gives me the creeps, but I know it has to be done.quote]
> 
> You would not want to be around when they geld (nueter) a stallion LOL.


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

Or when I have to go out and help my dad band the calves! 

When I was dating my dad would always make my boyfriends help. Kind of like having the.... "if you touch my daughter this is what I'll do to you" talk... but in a round-a-bout-way. Yeah... after about the first two guys that had to do that, nobody wanted to date me anymore!


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

LOL that is so funny I would banding is probably worse then just gelding a horse. Lots of guys I know that have been around it for a while are kind of like "if there not mine it doesn't bug me". I get a kick out making them hold the horse with the crunching and bleeding cracks me to watch the guys react there is always the face and crossed legs, TMI sorry guys LOL.


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

I think Andy and I have come to a conclusion for now by the way. We're going to talk to our obedience trainer this week when Camden starts class back up. She has Dogo Argentinos (she was actually in the recent dog fancy magazine!) and she has some males that are not neutered that she does breed. 
So... Andy would like to talk to her and get some information about what we're going to be dealing with as far as behavior if we do wait. So, for the moment Camden's balls are safe!


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

Ash.... actually you might win with that! Banding sounds so much simplier! The worst part is just getting the little bugger to hold still while you try to find the testicles to put the band around. NO blood... no noises (except the calf mooing). Yeah... I bet any guy on here might say that's worse!!


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## super_nova (Dec 9, 2007)

Ardeagold said:


> Here are the health reasons cited.
> 
> Some of the studies used are based on the Golden Retriever Health Survey from Purdue University.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much for posting that link. It has some really interesting information in it. I was planning on neutering at 6 months, but I am really hoping to wait until Byron is at least 12 months now. I guess I will just have to wait and see how behavioural issue come along. I don't want him trying to escape if he smells a bitch on heat or anything.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

I have been thinking of this issue for awhile now because Sasha is almost 8 mo old and usually I have had my dogs nuetured/spayed at around 6-7 mo. She is very small for her age so when I look at her I forget that she is as old as she is and getting her spayed sort of slipped my mind with the holiday chaos. Now I'm thinking of waiting just because I wish I had waited until Biscuit was older as I think it affected how his bones were growing. It did mellow out his personality a little and that was good but I still wish I had waited. Now I'm wondering how it affects a female to go thru a heat before spaying. I have no plans on breeding Sasha-ever so it's just a matter of waiting for the best time.

For anyone in the Massachusetts area I just heard that Tuft's Vet College has a *"free spay program"*. I live in the same town as Tuft's so I was surprised to hear about this on Craigslist. The surgery is done by 3rd year vet students and the dog has to be over 6 mo and less than 8 yrs old, healthy, etc. I wouldn't hesitate to bring Sasha to Tuft's to get spayed as I always use them in emergencies anway and would use them all the time except they are so-o-o expensive. The person to contact about the free spay program is Sue Carbone at 508-887-4326 or [email protected]


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## wagondog (Aug 24, 2007)

I absolutley defer to the more experienced people on the forum and their opinions on neutering but, My breeder Janice Provenzano has had her breeding program for 40 years. When I went to pick up little Harley she took me out to the kennel and the field where 12 dogs m/f were romping together. He dogs are all intact, social, don't run off, marking? not sure off. Her opinion on the usual vet threat of testicular cancer was that it is fact that if they don't have testicals they cannot become cancerous. However, she has had 9 generations of dogs without one ever suffering from testicular cancer. I too am a believer that although neutering has its place in society for many reasons, some vets use health concerns and the fears of cancer as a way to solicit unnecessary surgery.
So now I defer to the better minds here.........is my breeder right?


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