Best age to neuter, need opinions!

[Punkygirl0101]

We want to get Gunnar neutered sooner rather than later.Hes about 4 months old, he humps like crazy, especially the girls even though
They are all spayed. He hasnt started marking yet, but hes not around my two unaltered males very often so hasnt learned that bad habit yet.

What are your opinions? I know a lot of people say 6 months or older due to growth issues, but hes a small breed and wont be getting much bigger than he already is.

 

[Saeleofu]

I personally wouldn't neuter before 18 months, but opinions vary. I'd post some sources, but it's late and I'm tired. If nobody else posts links by morning, I'll go find some for you.

Ultimately, though, you have to balance the pros and cons. I would do it later because I need a fully mature and developed dog for what I need a dog for and the activities I want to do with a dog. If you're more worried about other things, you'll have to consider that. "Male" behaviors can be prevented and/or trained out without a neuter.

About "not getting much bigger." Let's say your dog weighs 10 pounds, and it will only grow another 4 pounds before it's at its adult size. That's not the same as a 100 pound dog having to gain another 4 pounds. It's like that 100 pound dog gaining another 40 pounds before its mature. Size is relative. At 4 months, your dog is not at its adult size.

 

[Romy]

Small breed dogs seem to have a lower risk of orthopedic problems from early spay/neuter than large breed dogs do. Supposedly they finish growing by 8-12 months old, but don't quote me on that. Foxy or someone who works with toy breeds would know better. I wouldn't think it would be a big deal for smaller breeds though.

Something to keep in mind is that his behavior isn't totally hormonal. We own two intact males and an intact female, and I have seen zero humping among our crew, ever. Our boys mark outside, but never ever in the house. On the other hand, my aunt's spayed poodle comes to visit and her dog decides to hump everything in sight. At his age I would guess that mostly it's puppy play. Humping is fun, so he's going to do it. When we first brought our puppy home at 9 weeks she humped all her toys. We redirected her to a different activity, because I didn't want it to become a habit, and she stopped after a few days. I'm pretty sure that at 9 weeks she wasn't humping because of hormones. 4 months is still very much a baby.

If you decide to get him neutered now, expect it to take about a month for his hormones to get out of his system.

 

[ihartgonzo]

I would wait until 18 months+, if I had the chance. (ie not a rescue dog)

Humping is a rude behavioral issue, more than anything! Especially with a 4 month old who isn't sexually mature. Get a squirt bottle to deter him every time he's humping, teach him a really solid "leave it" and recall, and get him into puppy play classes, puppy kindergarten and around dogs who will apropriately tell him off for humping.

 

[puppydog]

24 months is my personal minimum. Train now or foever hold your leash.

 

[Mjjean]

I prefer to wait until full maturity for two reasons. First, we do not totally understand the role hormones play in growth and physical development nor do we fully understand the role hormones play in mental development. Second, I think that the behavioral issues many claim will be fixed by neutering can be fixed without neutering and may not be fixed with a neuter alone. I believe dogs that aren't intentionally being bred should be spayed or neutered, just not until the dog reaches adulthood.

Puppies/dogs are said to hump in an attempt to assert dominance and find their place in the heirarchy. So, I would work on training the dog not to hump and neuter at between 12 and 18 months.

 

[FoxyWench]

personally for an "average owner" of a toy breed dog
(im not talking many chaz owners who can responsibly and knowingly keep an intact dog for longer)

6-8 months is the youngest a toy breed should be spay/neutered and a minimum of 3lbs at time of surgery.
any younger or smaller and the risks of very bad reactions to the anesthesia increase (toy breeds are very sensitive to anesthesia anyway)
by 6 months puppy will have alos gotten his adult teeth meaning the vet can pull any retained baby teeth (very very very common in chihuahuas and chi mixes) while puppy is already under, one less trip under anesthesia is always good)

by 6 months a chihuahua id done growing in height, they generally "fill out" over the next few months and are ocmpletly done growing by 12 months (not entirely sure about doxies)
do i personally consider 6-8 months to be a good window for an owner of a toy breed (particularly a chihuahau) who wants to do an "early" spay/neuter.

i DO agree however that a neuter is not that likley to disrupt some of his behaviours, it will generally keep any leg lifting to a minimum, but the humping, espceially at this age is more play/dominance than sexual/hormones and that will likely need some training ontop of the neuter.

in general toy breeds are much less at risk from an early spay/neuter than larger breeds

 

[milos_mommy]

I'd probably wait until about 8 months with a toy breed, at least. AT LEAST 6 months.

Neutering him early very likely won't stop the humping, like everyone said.

 

[DanL]

Neutering isn't necessarily going to stop him from humping, that's a behavioral issue as much as anything. We got Bruzer fixed at 5 months because he started marking. He's 9yrs old now and spends his entire time outside marking every blade of grass from multiple directions. Meanwhile our Gunnar (good name btw!) is intact, doesn't hump, and only marks certain spots.

So to answer your question, I'd do as the others suggest- wait a bit until he's full grown. Those parts are on him for a reason besides breeding.

 

[Paige]

I was very happy with my choice to leave Bandit with his testicles till he was 2.5 years of age. He was a model citizen and really the only reason I made the plunge was I was hoping other dogs would stop seeking him out and attacking him because of what he had that they didn't. It did work. Most dogs get on well with him now that didn't before.

I'd preferably leave him intact longer but if you really want to 6-8 months is the earliest I've ever heard a vet say it is okay to spay or neuter.

 

[theresa92841]

I've had my two youngest females spayed at around 4 months. The older one was 8 months. My previous males were around 4 months and 8 months.

Essentially I spay or neuter as early as possible. I want to spay my females before their first heat and in smaller breeds that can be young. My older female went into her first heat at 6.5 months.

My city requires that dogs be spayed or neutered by 6 months for licensing or you pay a migher licensing fee for an unaltered dog.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Personally I'd suggest waiting until 8-12 months, until he's fully grown.

As for the behaviorial issues: my chihuahua was spayed at 7 months, and she marks and humps. Through a lot of training I've gotten her to stop humping, and she never marks in my house (though she occasionally marks in pet stores where other dogs have marked). I'm fairly confident that spaying her before 7 months wouldn't have prevented these problems.

My cat, on the other hand, was three years old when I got her and was intact (though the shelter told me she was spayed). She spent the first three months in my house marking EVERYTHING. Then I got her spayed, and from that day forward she has never marked again.

So I guess my point is, IMO behaviorial problems can be prevented and solved with training, but even if you get them neutered after the problems have already started, the neutering may solve the problem as well.

 

[bubbatd]

I didn't spay or neuter due to my breeding program and never had problems with humping or marking . Oddly my only humpers were with my females for dominance . I personally wouldn't do either before a female's first heat and a male until at least over a year old . I'd go by the breed too . No one wants a horney dog !

 

[Laurelin]

Personally for toy breeds it's not as big a deal to not wait until 2+ years. By 8-10 months most toys are done growing at least in height. Mia was done at 10 months and she's the earliest I've had them done. The rest have all been over 2 years but Mia's breeder wanted her done earlier so I had to compromise.

I'd say 6 months at the earliest but I'd prefer 8 months - 1 year.

 

[Kristen1980]

A year at least.

 

[Punkygirl0101]

I had Bjorn done at 2 years of age, and he doesnt mark or hump and actually never had any bad habit.

But for some reason dachshunds and their stubborness take over! Gunnar has been good so far, he uses pee pads and learned super quick ( we wont let him set foot outside cause we had a 4 month old fully vaccinated dog still get parvo, its really bad around here). I dont really mind the humping too much, but my two unaltered dachshund boys have to wear belly bands cause they mark and compete with each other.

 

[Dekka]

There is some compelling literature now about the health benefits of waiting till they are mature.

I wouldn't do a dog before maturity unless I had too.

 

[sammgirl]

I have gotten into arguments literally with people on this, and I'm with Dekka. The later the better if ever at all.

Bitches are different, because they can have complications with having heats. For male dogs, I wouldn't neuter unless I had to.

*****DISCLAIMER*****

if you do not spay or neuter your animals, you must of course take the proper precautions having them intact to make sure that they do not get pregnant or get some venereal disease.

 

[Laurelin]

I have gotten into arguments literally with people on this, and I'm with Dekka. The later the better if ever at all.

Bitches are different, because they can have complications with having heats. For male dogs, I wouldn't neuter unless I had to.

That's basically my thoughts. I've never neutered a boy under 2 years but I can definitely see the benefits of spaying a bitch earlier. Actually I've only ever had one neutered male dog at all.

 

[xpaeanx]

Both my boys have their jelly beans and I don't plan on changing that any time soon... of course I do make up for it in other ways

oh, and ETA muffin(1 3/4 yr old) DOES NOT mark in the house... even when I first brought Wash home and he had a few accidents. He also does not hump other dogs and is not aggressive to other dogs(I've had him around a LOT of other intact males with no fights). Now, he is still young, but I dont' really seem him changing at all. Wash is still way to young to use as an example of an adult intact male.