Gayle. Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 I had my Australian Shepherd boy desexed at 4 months of age. He is now almost 4 years old. He is tall, but he is within the breed height. He does not have finer bone, in fact he has excellent bone and he's a lovely solid boy. His legs are not longer than they should be for his size....he is beautifully proportioned. He has a masculine head, a broad chest and shoulders like a male of his breed should have, and a substantial ruff. He is the same funny, happy, friendly boy he was before the surgery. He started lifting his leg at age 10 months. He has a thick coat, but then so did his dad. The difference is.....he can't sire puppies and he doesn't have a twice yearly seasonal coat drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest belgian.blue Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 My english pointer was desexed at around seven months and still hasn't cocked his leg nor is he interested in marking anything. Still squats and nearly pees on his front paws :rolleyes: He only ever mounts my partners mature male [desexed] lab. Though he does this a lot less now he is desexed. Badgers brother was done at 3 months old so I'm looking forward to seeing if there is any difference between the brothers. My belgian shepherd was done around the same age, she's perfect apart from having to be careful as she easily puts on a little chubbiness. She is now two and a bit and has matured to breed standards. Her breeder is very happy with how she has turned out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Personally I think it should be LAW to desex unless you are a registered breeder or show.Just my own humble opinion. no thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clastic Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 My boy was desexed at 9 months and I haven't seen any change in him since then, he is now 11 months old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaJ Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Here are the pros and cons of early age spay/neuter....If you are concerned about a mis-mating then go for a vasectomy.. www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/longtermhealtheffectsofspayneuterindogs.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
di_dee1 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I had the females desexed at just before 6 months of age. My vet will not do it before then. My male ACD is now 14 months, still entire. There is nothing that he can impregnate (on a farm, good dog proofed security for all 3) so he will be done when I get around to it. My late ACD had testicular cancer at aged 10. We got it all and he lived till he was 14. That is the reason that Bandit will be desexed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolz Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 good on you for doing the right thing and deciding to get your boy desexed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) All shelters desex puppies before rehoming them, so any growth or health issues from it can't be very common, because then they wouldn't do it.Even if it does lead to the dog being smaller or not having the nicest coat, what does it matter if you're not gonna show it? Rescues are balancing the whole picture - reducing the chance of unwanted litters against the possible impacts on an individual dog. Looked at that way, early desexing makes sense. But as an owner whose only interest and responsibility is the individual dog I am responsible for, and who knows they can avoid unwanted litters, I make the opposite choice. I'd never desex early unless I moved to an environment where I could no longer guarantee their security. Early for my very tall breed would be anything before 18 months. Your dog probably matures earlier then that. Edited January 17, 2011 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) I may or may not show a dog but I'd care if it lacked bone density, had an increased chance of HD or cruciate ligament rupture or cancer because someone decided that it should be desexed as a tiny baby pup. But hey, that's just me. Rescues care about reducing the number of unwanted dogs. Personally I think mandatory desexing is not the way to do it but I'm not making the decisions for them. I can tell you this though. Hell would freeze over before I'd buy any pup desexed at 6 weeks. Edited January 17, 2011 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) If you should desex your dog? I agree with the others on, if you're not showing your dog then get him desexed. When you should do it? That's a personal decision. I had my boy desexed at 6-7 months. He still cock his leg up to pee, he stills hump and in new places he will mark (he never does it inside). He is turning 2 next month. Quick question: What does your breeder say about when to desex your pup? Edited January 17, 2011 by CW EW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel's Mate Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My boy was desexed at about 8 weeks of age (he was from Animal Wefare League and is now 6 years old) and he cocks his leg, gets territorial, protects me when I am home alone, loves big sooky cuddles, etc. I don't believe desexing him early affected his personality in any way. One thing I believe has has happened is his growth was compromised. He seems very 'leggy' in his proportions and I have heard something about growth platelets not forming properly if desexed too young? I think it is hard to judge one way or another, but if I had a choice I would always wait until a dog is grown/matured/filled out before desexing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My boy was desexed at about 8 weeks of age (he was from Animal Wefare League and is now 6 years old) and he cocks his leg, gets territorial, protects me when I am home alone, loves big sooky cuddles, etc. I don't believe desexing him early affected his personality in any way.One thing I believe has has happened is his growth was compromised. He seems very 'leggy' in his proportions and I have heard something about growth platelets not forming properly if desexed too young? I think it is hard to judge one way or another, but if I had a choice I would always wait until a dog is grown/matured/filled out before desexing him. Growth plates closer later on a desexed dog. This leads to some bones growing for longer than they would do otherwise. That in turn effects the structure of the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) Its interesting isn't it. With horses, the hormones actually tell the animal to stop growing. The growth plates close over much earlier. Thoroughbred stallions are usually around the 16hh mark on average, yet commonly males gelded as weanlings grow to almost 17hh. You can tell a horse who was gelded late. I have gelded them as late as 4yo and they are far more heavily muscled (and maintain this level of muscle mass if work is continued) but the irridecent shine does go My first cattle dog I had desexed at 4 months. I was overly concerned about the dominance levels. He turned out to be an awesome dog, but was still very aware of bitches in heat etc. I know people say they still have 'dominance' issues with their desexed dogs but I just think that the dog would have been even more of a handful if it had been entire. The difference between a gelding and a stallion is, as everyone would know, huge. While an entire dog doesnt require the same level of husbandry as an entire horse, but I imagine the same level of desire and drive is still present, just in a more managable package. hehehe.... also we know what men are like...so why not remove the brain between the legs and just work with the brain between the ears Also..was the 6 month mark established as the 'optimum' time to desex simply because that was the age where anesthesia posed a lower risk than say at 3 months? Edited January 17, 2011 by Jakemon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Back in 1984 we bought a 5 1/2 mth old pup from the RSPCA. They told us to bring him back in 2 weeks to be neutered which we did. Six mths was the usual age to get dogs/cats desexed & they also used to say that they couldn't be done any younger because of the small size of their insides. With better veterinary knowledge they are able these days to do them as babies & also I believe, the shelters do them at a young age because people wouldn't bring their dogs back to be done. Like poodlefan said, hell would freeze over b4 I bought a pup from a shelter that had been done at 6-7 weeks old. And I don't agree in mandatory desexing unless it's after maturity. I don't breed or show but I will get them done after maturity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleuri Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Our Mini Schnauzer was desexed at six months. He is nine years old now. He never humped things or people. He squats to pee and only marks new places (when taken for a walk). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I hope folk realise that how a dog pees and humping aren't gender or hormonally based. Neither is marking. So desexing probably has little impact on it. If you're desexing a dog because you think it won't hump or mark, you'll quite often be disappointed. Hell my Toy Poodle will mark outside. She's a she! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Hell my Toy Poodle will mark outside. She's a she! lol! my bitch Gwen would cock her leg! and the male squat cause he was brought up with girls... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 (edited) Its interesting isn't it. With horses, the hormones actually tell the animal to stop growing. The growth plates close over much earlier. Same with dogs. Desexed dogs can have later closing growth plates - so taller, often weedier. hehehe.... also we know what men are like...so why not remove the brain between the legs and just work with the brain between the ears None of the 4 male dogs I have owned have been desexed. All have been very manageable. I doubt it would have been possible for them to be any easier really. No problems with marking. No dominance. No aggression. No roaming. I'm not against desexing, just desexing too early. But I haven't found any behaviour issues with keeping entires, not at all. Edited January 17, 2011 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel's Mate Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My boy was desexed at about 8 weeks of age (he was from Animal Wefare League and is now 6 years old) and he cocks his leg, gets territorial, protects me when I am home alone, loves big sooky cuddles, etc. I don't believe desexing him early affected his personality in any way.One thing I believe has has happened is his growth was compromised. He seems very 'leggy' in his proportions and I have heard something about growth platelets not forming properly if desexed too young? I think it is hard to judge one way or another, but if I had a choice I would always wait until a dog is grown/matured/filled out before desexing him. Growth plates closer later on a desexed dog. This leads to some bones growing for longer than they would do otherwise. That in turn effects the structure of the dog. Sorry, I canot work out the quote thing to take out my quote but anyway...thanks poodle fan very interesting reading about all of this!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAK Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Hell would freeze over before I'd buy any pup desexed at 6 weeks. i don't think pups would even have balls to chop off at that age ! ............... The rescue groups i know of get there dogs done around 12 ish weeks or as soon as the vet knows the balls have dropped and a bit later for females i think mainly do to the uneducated people, trust me there are many idiots who don't desex there pet or keep them secure and for that reason there are soo many dogs peggas and the reason why there are rescue groups with trillions of puppies from people who just don't desex there pet. My opinion, if you are not looking to breed/show etc and when the dog is an appropriate age i wouldn't want to risk them getting cancer for the sake off ones opinion i would just desex the dog. Our first dog was desexed after being on heat for the first time can't remember what age that was, and our second dog was desexed as soon as he had balls as an attempt to reduce his aggression. He has long legs and looks tall but looks just like any other kelpie of the same background :S Everyone has there reasons and opinions you just need to find what is going to work for you dog and your self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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