Does neutering early affect size?

[k9kreationz]

I was talking to this woman who knows breeders (non-Shelties) and does agility and we got to talking about Koji. We neutered him at 4 months. She said a lot of agility people neuter early because it tends to make the dogs taller. I guess they become more leggy.

I'm not sure if spaying does the same thing as we were discussing specifically neutering.

Having said that, I wonder if Koji would've still been so oversized. He seriously must be pushing 18". And yes, he's all legs. (Although, how does he get so much more wet underneath on the wet grass than smaller and lower Miko?) He also doesn't lift his leg. He squats, like puppy squats.

I fixed Miko when he was about 6 months, so he's proportionate to what I see in most Shelties. Koji reminds me of a coyote (or a BC). He's got that lopping way about him when he walks. Granted though, makes him fun to watch in agility.

Anyhow. Have any of you seen or heard about this? Is there any truth to it? Have you seen it in your own dogs, etc?

 

[take4roll10]

That's a great question and I'm curious of the responses.

I believe there is someone on the forum that had their sheltie girl spayed at a young age. She was very small and would be at risk for problems if she didn't grow close to a normal sheltie size. Therefore, she "desexed" her at a young age.

 

[Narmowen]

Yes. Neutered animals grow longer than intact animals.

 

[mbfrench]

I was talking to this woman who knows breeders (non-Shelties) and does agility and we got to talking about Koji. We neutered him at 4 months. She said a lot of agility people neuter early because it tends to make the dogs taller. I guess they become more leggy.

I'm not sure if spaying does the same thing as we were discussing specifically neutering.

Having said that, I wonder if Koji would've still been so oversized. He seriously must be pushing 18". And yes, he's all legs. (Although, how does he get so much more wet underneath on the wet grass than smaller and lower Miko?) He also doesn't lift his leg. He squats, like puppy squats.

I fixed Miko when he was about 6 months, so he's proportionate to what I see in most Shelties. Koji reminds me of a coyote (or a BC). He's got that lopping way about him when he walks. Granted though, makes him fun to watch in agility.

Anyhow. Have any of you seen or heard about this? Is there any truth to it? Have you seen it in your own dogs, etc?

I honestly can't answer your specific question about height in a sheltie thats been neutared. As we only have Earnie to compare to. He was neutared at 11-1/2 months. Why we waited,it was Brian's preferance.

So I'm quite interested in everyone's responses on this one.Not that it matters about size.I do really think that Trapp has hit his plateau of height,and to add he has'nt gained or lost a pound since Jasper came home.

Trapp just started lifting his leg this week.

It was like a huge announcement..Brian came in and said "baby your dog is not a puppy anymore".He saw him lift his leg outside,and thought he should share the "good" news~

 

[Sumac3890]

I will be curious to know that answer. I have heard that before and also what is a good age to neuter? I know my vet said when he starts to lift his leg. My breeder said by 9 months. Plus with Zak his testicles have not come down yet, I can feel them, well one for sure.

 

[Chris]

Affect size of what?

 

[Calliesmom]

I honestly can't answer your specific question about height in a sheltie thats been neutared. As we only have Earnie to compare to. He was neutared at 11-1/2 months. Why we waited,it was Brian's preferance.

So I'm quite interested in everyone's responses on this one.Not that it matters about size.I do really think that Trapp has hit his plateau of height,and to add he has'nt gained or lost a pound since Jasper came home.

Trapp just started lifting his leg this week.

It was like a huge announcement..Brian came in and said "baby your dog is not a puppy anymore".He saw him lift his leg outside,and thought he should share the "good" news~

Cranberry has been lifting his leg since the first week he came home

Affect size of what?

height of the dog

very interesting timing of this topic- it has been discussed on my dog club's discussions. apparently at a recent agility trial, an AKC rep was measuring the ulna of the competing dogs- something about maybe changing how dogs are measured for jump height. there was mention of not neutering performance dogs until they are over a year and the growth is completed. It actually got me to thinking about the recent posts on males controlling size and how size in a litter varies so much. wonder what the spay/neuter times are for most pet pups- would they stay in size if they weren't neutered?

 

[Justicemom]

Testosterone/estrogen are responsible for closing the growth plates on the long bones. Studies have shown that in unaltered dogs the GP close around 43 wks, around 55wks in those altered at 7 months and about 60wks in those altered at 7wks. The last GP to close is the lower legs ie tibia(10-14 months) so we see the biggest difference there. How much bigger a dog would get we don't know.

With shelties we can guess using growth charts if a pup is going oversize at a young age. Sometimes we hope they stay in but most of the time if they are over at 9 wks, 10wks and so on they'll be oversized as adults reguardless if they are spayed or neutered.

BTW Justice(intact) didn't lift his leg until he was 3 years old and an in heat bitch was at the house. He lifts his leg all the time now. I don't think it occured to him before. So the leg lifting has nothing to do if with the dog being neutered or not.

 

[SheltieGuy]

my vet was ready to snip Snickers at 12 weeks at his first vet visit... i was like ok hold on a sec doc!!! I thought that pups need them to grow ..(testosterone). He basically said no they didnt.

( i didnt tell him that i didnt believe him) and i dont have any basis on why I didnt believe him except for the fact i compare them to human males which need testosterone. I just told him lets hold off for a while and let me think about it .. So he has to go back in NOV.. i was thinking of getting it done then,.that would be 15 months. IS that waiting too long?? i was also thinking about letting him keep them. ( to be honest any surgery scares me ) my mom literally had over 15 thru the years.. and i remember the anticipation and nervousness thru each and every one of them. But I want to do what is best for him too.

 

[clancyh8sabby]

I've heard this before too..Mostly people into doing doggy sports are concerned about it...I don't have a opinion about when..just that it should be done if you aren't going to breed your dogs...
More reason to do it then not. For males, eliminates the risk of cancer in the testies, intact males can smell a female in heat for a long ways off and they can and will find a way to get to her, marking your furniture is less likely, They don't miss their bits..so don't worry about that!!
Females...just the mess of going into heat is enough reason for me!! but theres health benefits for it being done too...

Clancy is a big boy..and it was apparent he would be big from very early on...He was nuetered at about 6 months..I don't think it mattered much on how big he got...he didn't raise his leg til he was over a year old..could be his metrosexual? LOL He is so funny..sometimes he will go to a tree..sniff sniff the pee mail..then go to pee on the tree..but he lifts the wrong leg...I've seen him do that a few times...LOL



woofs

Julie