did I neuter too early?

[Barb04]

The dog rescue league I went to in NY spays/neuters by 8 weeks of age.

[mrose_s]

buster was done at 6 months. I've heard of some people don't neuter large breed dogs till later on to allow them to fill out more, then there are breeders that have all pups desexed before they go to their new home.

I believe to that if your neuter later your dog may become more "manly" if thats the word. Therefore maybe less tolerance to intact males, more doinance etc. But thats a guess, I'm not sure

[Dekka]

If you neuter early the growth plates close late, so the dog ends up taller and lankier. IMO (not directed at the OP) is that if a person can't keep their male dog away from girls in heat, and vice versa, for a year or more, then they aren't responsible enough, and shouldn't own a dog. The more I have learned about the role of hormones (and we don't even know all the interactions) I am hesitant about lopping off, or removing hormone producing body parts before a dog is done growing.

[ToscasMom]

Tosca was spayed at six months, right after she started becoming overly affectionate with inanimate objects. I just figured if she set her sights on a cat, she was going to lose an eye.

She is now 18 months old and doesn't appear to be oversized for her breed and gender, far as I can see.

[DanL]

TM we all know your dog is a floozy anyway...

Dekka, I totally agree with your post, that is exactly the reason why Gunnar isn't neutered.

As far as dominance or aggression- Gunnar is less dog aggressive now than he was a year ago, and he's never tried to be dominant. Those are all training issues, not hormone issues.

[mrose_s]

i personally like the look of lankier dogs over bigger builds, so I would have no issues with neutering early. and as harry has proved, keeping boys away form girls they really want to get to can be harder than expected. i was talking to someone that lost a wire crate to an intact boy, we just lost a screen door.

[Dekka]

Its not a matter of looks, its a matter of health and longevity. The dogs that are neutered early (esp in juvile spay/neuters) have less bone denisty, and much much higher risk of bone cancer. The only advantage (other than its less messy and you don't have to be as diligent) in fixing dogs, is that females have a lower insidents of mammary cancer. But some studies are finding that there are more risks of other cancers in altered dogs. (these studies are not frequent, as they tend to be independently funded. Spaying and neutering is good for the vets and drug companies, and is considered socially responsible(..why removing god given (or nature given) parts of an animal so we don't have to be as accountable is considered socially responsible is beyond me)

To me looks are the least important issue with pets/performance dogs. (stucture being separate from pretty)

[ToscasMom]

Well Dekka, I am reading here that size ..um..matters.. if you spay or neuter early, so "looks" ARE relevent.

I had three dogs other than Tosca in my life and everyone of them lived to ripe old ages but for one who ingested an entire choclate easter egg during times when nobody even knew about chocolate being toxic. The last one I had lived to age 18. They were all neutered at six months. My friend's Golden and my counsin's Akita were both neutered at six months and they are both in ripe old age right now. In other words, there are just as many stories of dog's living long lives being neutered early as otherwise. I would say it is also logical that genetics, breed tendencies can play just as important a role as anything else.

Spaying and neutering is not just good for vets. As a matter of fact, I signed a contract with my breeder that specified that I would do it and I honored my contract. I do not intend to breed my dog and I see no reason why spaying her is such a big problem. Perhaps if more people did it, we wouldn't see hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats killed each year. While I know that some people are just plain PERFECT and their dogs will NEVER get out of the home, some of us just aren't that perfect, particularly at a time when some dogs in heat can be very resourceful. I had a friend whose unneutered male went through a glass door to get out of the house. I also see no reason why a dog should be in discomfort with the need to breed when the owner has no intention of making that happen. Imagine if you could never mate but wanted to. It's kinda like that.

Edited because I realize now that I wasn't being referred to in the comment I commented on.

[ToscasMom]

TM we all know your dog is a floozy anyway...

Harumph! She says to tell Gunnar thanks for last night, though.

[labman]

I've always been told 5-6 months too.From experience,my Chessapeake bay retriever was left uncut untill he got a few testicle injuries,he was about ten at the time.He filled out evenly and lived to 15 yrs.My second male-a black lab I decided to neuter at 6 months.He turned out real mellow,but has alot of joint and hip problems later in life,i'm thinking it is related to neutering too early.My third male lab is 5 months today and I have decided to wait atleast two yrs. and just see how things go.Of course i'll have to be more watchful and keep him in a secure kennal at nights etc..