To neuter or not to neuter?

Lightplum said:
Generally anything the ASPCA has to say should be taken with a grain of salt.

I would listen to your breeder if nothing else it may void the guarantee for health if you have it done too soon as early spaying/neutering has come to light to cause a lot of problems in dogs. I have a video a vet did on a study of early spay/neuter. Its rather lengthy as its around 30 min long. But eye opening non the less..
Click to expand...

Certainly the ASPCA is not unbiased and will heavily favor neutering, but the info in the link actually seemed decent to me.

I did lose a very nice sheltie in 2001 to prostate cancer, however, and the info from the vet at the time was that not having him neutered early probably led to it. It would be good to get more modern info. It makes sense, that at least for some of the adenocarcinomas, that testosterone would accelerate the tumor growth.
 
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Casey was neutered at seven months. At about four months we had a vet visit and she started talking about neutering. I literally grabbed him from the table and said "slow down"!! I have read some of the articles about how neutering early can put them at risk for cancer later on, but for me it was really no decision. All my dogs have been neutered. Casey is only 11 months so his coat isn't in yet but my Randy was neutered at just over eight months and he had the fullest, most beautiful coat you would ever want to see. He was a blue merle too.
 
I'd definitely follow your breeder's recommendations. If you neuter too early it may affect his growth. Most say 12+ months old is old enough though. My boy started marking around 6 months... Ironically he doesn't lift his leg, so he pees everywhere. He only does this inside a building that reeks of dogs or outside if it reeks of dogs.... Needless to say, he wears a belly band when we practice Agility in a building to deter him from marking. It seems to be helping. It's what fixed my mom's yorkie from marking (who was neutered when he did it). I was going to get him neutered but couldn't bring it upon myself to neuter him once I talked to my parents, breeder/vet and my fiance. If the only reason you're neutering him is because of marking, it won't really matter one way or another.
 
Almost every dog or bitch that comes through rescue is not altered. We end up having to do it. Not as easy a recovery in an older animal.
Mills want your dog if it is in tact.
Only dog we have had that ended up with prostrate problems, and was euthanized because of it, was a dog we sold to an older man that couldn't face "doing that to his dog". Dog was put down at 7 years of age.
Territorial marking is a problem with unneutered dogs. Not all will do it but do you want the dog that does? Go to any shelter and find all the dogs that do this and that the people got fed up of. It isn't fun when your couch, tables and walls get marked.
Personally, I put in my health agreement that neutering and spaying must be done by 6 months. In over 30 years of breeding I never had the problems that these articles suggest but we did have the old man's dog. Consider that there was about 100 pups that went into pet homes successfully and lived their full lives with their caretakers.
 
I say neuter unless you are planning to breed or there are health problems that could make it dangerous.

Many, many dogs have been neutered with no issues. I would say between 12 and 18 months is a good time.

Interestingly I talked to a chap with a young Sheltie who he is having spayed. His last two female shelties were intact and both died young, possibly with lady problems. So he hopes spaying will ensure his new girlie lives longer.
 
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