# At what age should giant breed Male dogs be neutered?



## Adkinspack

I have 4 month old Male Dogue de Bordeaux and we will more than likely get him neutered. I always thought the normal age to fix your dogs was 6 months. However my vet told me that she usually likes to wait for males to be about 7-8 months before neutering so they have more time to fill out. This makes since to me and so my question is, what age do you all think is best to neuter a mastiff? Would longer than 8 months be even better?


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## SaharaNight Boxers

Never would be best, but at least 24-36 months is what I would say if neutering. Although I haven't found Dogues to be absolutely giant.


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## BearMurphy

Adkinspack said:


> I have 4 month old Male Dogue de Bordeaux and we will more than likely get him neutered. I always thought the normal age to fix your dogs was 6 months. However my vet told me that she usually likes to wait for males to be about 7-8 months before neutering so they have more time to fill out. This makes since to me and so my question is, what age do you all think is best to neuter a mastiff? Would longer than 8 months be even better?


I would ask your breeder when you should neuter. Don't they usually have that in their puppy buyer agreement..to not do it before a certain age?


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## Tracy

I would never castrate under 2 years old, although any males I have in the future will not be done at all.
My Ridgeback was done at 7 months old and he has really bad hip problems. He is also very tall and gangly. My Bullmastiff was done at 3 and he had no hip problems at all.
As far as I'm aware, testosterone helps to close the growth plates. When they get neutered, no testosterone and growth plates don't close properly, leading to abnormal growth. I've also read somewhere that there's a link with early neutering and osteosarcoma. I looked into this when my Bullmastiff was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.


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## GoingPostal

BearMurphy said:


> I would ask your breeder when you should neuter. Don't they usually have that in their puppy buyer agreement..to not do it before a certain age?


x2, your breeder should be able to advise, I know some giant breed owners prefer to neuter around 10 months-1 year to keep them more puppyish and hopefully prevent unwanted behaviors, others prefer to wait until 2-3 years when they are fully grown. Not sure what age DDB stop growing.


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## NewYorkDogue

My breeder told me when I got my dog, that IF I was going to neuter him, to wait until he is at least 2 years old. I think you'll find that what Tracy says is founded on research.

I also plan on keeping my dog intact, unless there is a critical reason for me not to.


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## naturalfeddogs

Neither of my boys, Aussie or Shadow are neutered. They won't be and neither will any in the future. I'll never breed them but still no reason to either.


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## DaViking

I'm with the others here that recommend not to neuter, but at the end of the day it is your call. Your vets recommendation on doing it at 7 to 8 months instead at 6 months for a large breed dog is no good in my opinion. There is so much growing and filling out still to come at 7 months.


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## Tracy

I've managed to find my research notes from the Sarah Whitehead Seminar I attended last year. This was the paper I got my information from.
If you google: Laura J. Sanborn (The effects of spay/neuter in dogs) May 14th 2007.


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## Adkinspack

Thanks for all the good info. Wow now I have another whole area to look into, LOL! Honestly this is the first I have heard about not fixing. I have always been pro spay or neuter as to not add to the population of unwanted dogs in shelters. Everyone seems to be pretty confident about not neutering which leads me to think that this is worth looking into. Can you tell more about your all's reasoning? Oh and I do have full rights to breed. My breeder did ask me but I think I told him that I was thinking about NOT fixing. I will get with him again.


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## Kassandra

Adkinspack said:


> Everyone seems to be pretty confident about not neutering which leads me to think that this is worth looking into. Can you tell more about your all's reasoning?


There really aren't many (if any) medical reasons to neuter. That is, in a healthy dog where everything is going right. There aren't the same benefits that there are with spaying. Of course, if you aren't sure that you can stop your dog from breeding, then you should neuter him. But, if you are 100% sure that there will not be breeding if you are not planning on it, then I wouldn't neuter. Especially so early in a large breed dog.


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## Tracy

I used to be pro neutering too until I heard the other side of the coin. Our vets are very much into neutering very young male dogs to PREVENT aggression. This was why I got my Ridgeback done so early. He was not the most confident puppy on the planet and taking away his testosterone at such a young age, I'm convinced did not help him one bit. Added to that, his hip problems. 
I'm attending a seminar by Nick Thomson here in the UK next month. He's covering neutering amongst other stuff, so it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.


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## naturalfeddogs

Tracy said:


> I used to be pro neutering too until I heard the other side of the coin. Our vets are very much into neutering very young male dogs to PREVENT aggression. This was why I got my Ridgeback done so early. He was not the most confident puppy on the planet and taking away his testosterone at such a young age, I'm convinced did not help him one bit. Added to that, his hip problems.
> I'm attending a seminar by Nick Thomson here in the UK next month. He's covering neutering amongst other stuff, so it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.


Let us know what you find out. I like to hear thoughts from both sides.


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## Adkinspack

Thanks Tracy, I certainly would be interested in hearing what you learn!


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## lauren43

I'd like to just add my 2 cents. Don't neuter if you can 100% guarantee your dog will not produce an unwanted litter. If you know he'll never/rarely be around females in heat and that when he is you'll have full control of him, then by all means leave him intact. I am not opposed to not neuter (though I used to be highly against intact dogs). 

Even just this summer my friends went to their moms house with a female in heat and a intact male at the house and they were unable to prevent two successful ties, which from what I understand luckily did not result in babies..IMO those are the types of ppl that NEED to get their dogs altered regardless.


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## Tracy

Absoloutely. It is about being responsible. I have an entire male collie who is 5 years old. He's not interested in bitches, he's into toys. I'm sure if he was given a choice of a girly or his ball, he would choose his ball.:biggrin1: He has a fantastic recall and does not run up to strange dogs when off lead. I had every intention of neutering Codie when he got to 2, but given the research and given that he's a perfectly healthy and happy dog, then I've just let him be.
If I had an entire male who I couldn't recall when there were other dogs around or was prone to escaping to find a lady, then I would neuter when the dog was fully mature.
I think whether or when to neuter is such a personal decision. I think that if people are given all the facts about neutering, then they will be much more able to make the right decision for them and for their dog.

I will definately share anything I learn from the seminar. Really looking forward to it at the end of November.


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## zontee

i did my great pyr at 10weeks and he didnt have any long term issues from it. some people have told me i stunted his growth but at over 200 pounds i dont think it really affected him that much. as a dog breeder a do all my spays and nuters on my pet quality puppys at 7 weeks and once again i have never had any issue. my puppys i sell dont go home till they reach 6 months and my vet knows that but still recomends i do it early before they use the hormones then have to go thru the withdrawl of getting altered later in life.


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