# Age of Neuter?



## golden77 (Sep 5, 2012)

I am getting mixed signals on this one. I have always spayed or neutered asap, but with this being my first non-rescue, going through the breeder, I am getting some different info. 
The breeder I purchased from provided me with a book, and also told me to wait until at least 1 year or 18months until neutering. The book, and some things I have read online say waiting decreases the chances of certain cancers and other issues because of allowing hormones to develop) 
The vet isn't convinced, and many other people, disagree, saying it shouldn't be delayed. 
I personally think the breeder has the dogs best interest at heart, but I am wondering what the "correct" age is? If there is one- Can you hurt them by waiting?
Thanks


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## IrisBramble (Oct 15, 2015)

I was told not to spay ours till at least 6 months of age but we go for her 1st well visit tomorrow and i will get a solid answer.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

It doesn't hurt to wait, especially with a male dog. With a female dog, there is the possibility of pregnancy and pyometra (as they get older), but that is not an issue with males.

My warranty is void if the puppy is spayed or neutered before the time I specify. I find that once the puppy owner explains that to the vet, they usually accept it. Vets are trained to insist on spaying and neutering. The vet schools seem to think that any unneutered or unspayed dog is going to get pregnant, and they are out to prevent pet over population, or so they think. The research is fairly new and many vets just aren't up on it or, because it goes against what they are taught, refuse to really absorb it. I do find the really good vets are on top of it, though.

It doesn't harm the dog to wait so what possible advantage is there to neutering sooner rather than later? Marking and humping are behaviors that can be affected by training, and many neutered males both mark and hump.

For pet bitches, I can accept spaying after the first heat, given that heat cycles can be hard for pet people to deal with, and for dogs, anytime after 2 (or never, in some cases).

Large dogs mature slowly and not all of their bones/joints are done growing at a year or even 18 months. Some one recently posted a chart on when the different bones and joints finished growing and it was an eye opener.

I liken it to the castrati, young boys who were castrated in Europe. It most definitely affected not only their voices, but their bodies as well.

And of course, you will want to check your breeder's contract.


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## BeehiveGolden (Oct 4, 2015)

You will always get mixed answers to this one. There is no "correct" cut and dry answer. It's based on the individual dog and owner. If you can guarantee against accidental breeding and the dog has no behavioral issues you can wait as long as you feel necessary. If there's any reservations in either area it's better to neuter sooner. As far as increased cancer risks there is plenty of info on the internet so I won't get into that.

This forum in particular seems to push waiting on spay/neuter. But that's far from the norm and it's almost a canned response with no thought to the individuals concerned. 

You'll have to make the decision for yourself based on which side you want to error on. There are many other factors that will affect his health and longevity (diet, exercise, training). Don't get too hung up on one piece of the puzzle.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

If you want to do what is best for YOUR dog, wait until he is at least two before considering altering him. Would you alter a human child before they reached adulthood? Of course not! The wouldn't develop as they normally would. The same applies to your pup, they won't develop normally as nature intended.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enPCZA1WFKY


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## wdadswell (Dec 17, 2015)

I'm sure, you will receive a lot of advice on this!! I worked at a Vet Clinic for many years. They always advised 6 months, no matter what breed etc. I always advised people in the same manner*** until now

If you read the study that the U of C Davis, did on Golden Retrievers, the results were shocking! I think it spanned 10 years, and 700 Goldens. There is so much info on the results of certain cancers-joint problems, etc. with neuter-spayed dogs-what age they were done at-versus late spay-neuter, or intact dogs.

You really need to read it. It was an eye opener for me. Personally, I don't plan to neuter Bodie until 2-if at all. I have a non-breeding contract and explained to my breeder, I want to give my pup the best shot, for a long healthy life. She was fine with it


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## golden77 (Sep 5, 2012)

Thank you, I just wanted some opinions and to do the right thing for Koda. (Although Im not sure he will appreciate this when the time comes.... My husband doesn't want to take him lol  
I was told that as far as any "humping" that I might see, it is just a puppy behavior and nothing sexual, because he is too young. 
I thought if anyone would have some good opinions/advice it would be here 
Thanks again....


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

If we had got a male golden we would of waited until two or maybe never. With a male there is really no reason to do it early. We got a female so we did spay at six months.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

golden77 said:


> Thank you, I just wanted some opinions and to do the right thing for Koda. (Although Im not sure he will appreciate this when the time comes.... My husband doesn't want to take him lol
> I was told that as far as any "humping" that I might see, it is just a puppy behavior and nothing sexual, because he is too young.
> I thought if anyone would have some good opinions/advice it would be here
> Thanks again....


Humping isn't sexual for dogs. This is the first misunderstanding that people have about dogs. 

Both male and female dogs demonstrate mounting behavior (humping). It is a non-aggressive canine way of determining the social status within the the social group. If you find it unacceptable in your home, teach your dog it is not acceptable. (And no, neutering won't stop it. It is a training issue.)


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

We chose to wait with Noah - he's now 11 months old and no behavioral issues that aren't training related. We simply do not allow him to practice behavior (humping for example) that we don't want. If need be, we remove him from the situation - when I was at my parents' house a couple weeks ago - he did well listening to me say "Noah - NO!" when I would see him exhibit behavior to me that indicated he was about to try to hump, and he'd stop. 

We originally were going to wait until 2 years old for his growth plates to close (with a high five from my vet for that decision). However, we are likely going to just keep him intact.

Oh - and by the way - your Koda is ADORABLE!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

The hormones associated with gonads are needed to keep your dog growing at the proper rate. It's been discovered that when the leg bones don't grow at proper rates, it throw the angles off and can cause joint issues. It's the reason why dogs neutered early tend to look so leggy. It's not a guaranteed sentence of hip dysplasia, but if there are other risk factors or inherited structural issues you are increasing your odds of HD. I've attached some links if you'd like to read through them and also a chart showing the approximate time of growth plate closure. It's pretty interesting.


Neutering dogs: effects on joint disorders and cancers in golden retrievers. - PubMed - NCBI
Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers


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