# Neutering?



## ZiggyRuffy (Jul 2, 2012)

Hey Everyone! I have an 8 and a half month old German Shepherd. I was wondering whether neutering will halt or slow down his growth?he is about 27 inches tall and weighs 100 lbs. he isn't fat at all and loves to play. Anyway, Ive been reading the other threads about neutering and I read that neutering makes your dog more "feminine"..... Is that true?can anyone attest to it? Also, I want to neuter my dog for financial reasons, the licensing fee is just to crazy in California ($100). That's not a lot, however, I'm a college student now, so it definitely adds up.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

You're going to get a mixed bag here, most of it opinions, a few studies bandied about but personal experience is best. 

At his age, it would not harm him at all to be neutered, no, and that's my opinion but also after doing the past 6 yrs. as a rescuer and neutering hundreds of male dogs. 
Even if he "looked" a bit more feminine (and again the jury is out on that, genetics play a larger role than neutering) is that a decent trade off for cheaper licensing and perhaps even avoiding some of those nasty "boy" behaviors like marking his territory?


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## ZiggyRuffy (Jul 2, 2012)

I also read about dogs more prone to allergies. Is that due to neutering or could signs of anpllergies show up later in a dog's life?


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Neutering has nothing to do with allergies, no. 
Allergies can be hereditary, so if you purchased from a responsible breeder who only breeds the best of the best (which would mean no allergies) then you could be fairly certain your dog won't suffer from them.


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## ZiggyRuffy (Jul 2, 2012)

Yeah, my dog is happy and healthy. So I'm going to go through with it then. Thanks for your help!


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## ZiggyRuffy (Jul 2, 2012)

Oh should I wait until he is a year or pull the trigger now?


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## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

Neutering young will cause your dog to grow taller due to delayed closing of the growth plates. Anyway, that's what they say. Google "neutering growth plates".


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

ZiggyRuffy said:


> Oh should I wait until he is a year or pull the trigger now?


It's really your personal preference. Your dog is already taller than the standard and I'm betting at his age his growth plates are closed already - testosterone starts about now.


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## Doc (Jan 13, 2009)

The most recent studies recommend waiting until at least 2.5 years old.


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## ZiggyRuffy (Jul 2, 2012)

Does neutering make your dog less protective? Or not?


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I have never noticed a dog not be protective after neutering. That has nothing to do with hormones and everything to do with instincts and the underlying temperament of the dog.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

ZiggyRuffy said:


> I also read about dogs more prone to allergies. Is that due to neutering or could signs of anpllergies show up later in a dog's life?





msvette2u said:


> Neutering has nothing to do with allergies, no.
> Allergies can be hereditary, so if you purchased from a responsible breeder who only breeds the best of the best (which would mean no allergies) then you could be fairly certain your dog won't suffer from them.


Allergies could be hereditary, although wouldn't think that is the underlying problem.

Article about plus's and minus's so you can weigh the risks and make an informed decision. Also note under negative reason's to alter before a year old - increases risk of adverse reaction to vaccines - so yeah, there could very well be an allergy syndrome as a result. Protein allergies such as chicken or eggs, some vax. are grown on chicken embrios, beef - bovine serum, fetusis...the adjuvants in vaccines would relate to enviromental allergies - mercury, aluminum, formaldhyde amongst others..."allergies" are a symptom of the immune sytem gone awry. 

neuter/spay article  Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

Neutering can cause some behavior problems to diminish. Will he be less protective not necessarily but some of the irritability and possible aggression when searching for a mate can diminish.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

TommyB681 said:


> Neutering can cause some behavior problems to diminish. Will he be less protective not necessarily but some of the irritability and possible aggression when searching for a mate can diminish.


Lack of testosterone can make boy (dogs) easier to deal with yes 
Think about it - in all farm animals not used for breeding, they are castrated and as young as possible.

What you'll have to do is weigh the potential problems with the benefits you'll see with neutering now vs. later.

In your case you have a few incentives to go ahead and do it now, not the least of which is cheaper licensing. 

For the average pet owner, neutering/spaying is recommended in all cases.


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

If he's 8 mo old I don't think it will make a difference between choosing to neuter now or at 1 year. So just do it now if that's what you want to do. There would be a difference if it were between 8 months and 3 years. Personally I would wait, but either way your dog will be fine. Can he have a more feminine build due to lack of testosterone? Sure, I wouldn't be surprised if that happened since he's still got some maturing to do. Will it affect his "protectiveness"? I think that's more genetic then related to neutering.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

The article only ref's before a year and the increases related to. A year is a guidline, not comparative to 8mnths vs. 1yr. a dog is still a baby at a yr. old. they don't stop growing until approx. 2 yrs.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Hans's breeder and many breeders here I have PM'd all said to wait until 2, at the very least. 

What you do is up to you, however.


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

He's already quite big for his age and if he's just a pet I see no reason not to neuter him now. Genetics will determine his ultimate size and behaviour and neutering will only possibly stop testosterone related behaviour. It will likely make him a slightly more manageable and fun loving pup, and maybe his chest will be 1/4" less deep than it would have been but I doubt at his size any one will mistake him for a female. I'd neuter him now and get it done with and you never have to worry about it again


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Early Dog Spaying and Neutering Effects

Surgical Sterilization Could Reduce Rottweiler Lifespan

Common sense tells us, and research proves there are a number of health benefits associated with the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) produced by ovaries and testicles. These advantages vary with the age, gender and breed of each animal.

Halting production of these hormones through spaying and neutering has been found to increase the risk of certain specific diseases and conditions in dogs, including:

Hemangiosarcoma, a highly malignant form of cancer, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), and transitional cell carcinoma (bladder cancer), both sexes
Prostatic cancer in male dogs
Autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism, both sexes
Urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections in females
Obesity, both sexes
Endocrine dysfunction, adrenal disease
.....Your dog should be old enough to be considered balanced both physically and mentally. Generally speaking, this balance isn’t achieved until a dog has reached at least one year of age. Although some breeds reach maturity faster than others, many giant breed dogs are still developing at 2 years of age.

Dr. Beker recommends....Talk with reputable breeders and other experienced dog owners, and consult a holistic veterinarian


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

There are reasons to leave a dog intact until later, but they're not necessarily pertinent to every dog owner. 

For extreme athletes, sport dogs, agility dogs, sled dogs, etc., testosterone strengthens and toughens the bones, muscles, and connective tissues, so it can be desireable if the dog is doing hard physical work. For the majority of pet owners who do not work their dogs, it's probably not an issue.

If the dog is neutered before physical maturity, his bones will grow quicker and longer, resulting in a slightly taller, leggier dog. The chest, neck and head on intact dogs continues to grow wider in maturity, resulting in a stockier, more "masculine" look. Neutering before maturity arrests these secondary male characterists. This may be a big deal to some, but not everyone cares about the size of their dog's head. 

There are some cancer risks that are decreased with neutering, and others that seem to be increased with neutering. IMO, the risks sort of balance each other.

Neutering before maturity tends to take the "edge" off a dog, makes him a bit more compliant, and less likely to exhibit male behaviors like marking, roaming, challenging other males, etc. People whose dogs are doing bitework WANT that extra edge of aggression, so they leave their dogs intact. But neutered animals are generally easier for the average pet owner to handle and train.

The most important reason to neuter IMO is to prevent accidental litters. If you can keep your dog securely contained and do not allow him access to females in season, this may or may not be an issue.

My personal feeling is that neutering is a good idea for the majority of dog owners. It just makes things easier on everyone. If you are responsible and feel you are capable of handling an intact dog without EVER siring an unwanted litter, then I have no particular issues with leaving a dog intact. 

Most pet owners neuter at 6-8 months, others wait 2 years, some don't neuter at all even if the dog will never be used for breeding. If I get a male pup, I will probably split the difference and wait as long as I can stand it before neutering; sooner if he's being a hormonal butthead, and later if he remains a gentleman, but I think I will try to wait at least a year.


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