What's the best time to have a dog neutered? I've got a 6 month old pup, he's not started to lift his leg to pee yet, nor is he humping anything ,should I castrate him before this starts or leave him a wee while ? The breeder told me six months is an ideal age to do it..any thoughts?

What breed is he, and do you intend to do agility or flyball or other energetic activities with him? If so he needs to be fully skeletally mature to reduce the risk of cruciate ligament damage (painful, and expensive to treat) later on. This usually means waiting until a year old.

Remember that castration isn't compulsory - entire dogs can live long, healthy lives without ever mating. And many of them never hump either!

> The breeder told me six months is an ideal age to do it..any thoughts

The breeder recomeneded that!!! What breed is he?

Luckily the vets we use don't push neutering and actually state on thier website they prefer to neuter males after physical maturity (between 12-18 months).

However, physical maturity varies between breeds, I'm wondering if you have a toy breed perhaps that is physically mature at 6 months, however as he is not even cocking his leg yet I'm quessing he's not a toy breed. I can't think of any other reason why a breeder would suggest neutering at that young age???

Neutering can stop up to 60% of dogs with humping problems - in other words it is no guarantee to sto pyour dog humping -t raining is whats needed (don't let any humping that happens become a habbit).

ETA - my thoughts - no, don't neuter him atall, especially not yet :)

ETA again, DOH!! JG is so much quicker at typing :-D

looking at Op previous posts pup is a Frenchie

Yes he's a frenchie, I think I'll leave him intact till at least next year and see how we go.he's a very laid back boy and reasonably well mannered for a pup,it's just when I was visiting my friend she has shitzue at 18 months(intact male) who has a stuffed bear he furiously humps whilst you try to have a conversation!!

Have a five year old who was cryptorchid and had to be neutered, he humps his older cousin most evenings, it didn't stop him. He just waits for me to leave the room!

My 9 year-old was castrated 7 years ago, still tries to hump most dogs/bitches he meets, given the chance. Totally disinterested in my in-season bitch though!

Even if you neuter at a young age he will start to cock his leg eventually. I had one done at 4 ½ months, he started cocking at 3 years of age. He's never been able to mature properly though, 8 years old now and still very immature in many ways.

My almost 15-year old was castrated at a year old and still pees like a girl - he's never cocked his leg in his life. I don't know whether he would have learnt if he hadn't been castrated, he wasn't exactly a baby when he was done.

I've also seen quite a few neutered dogs who pee like a girl! Mostly rescues though - who may or may not have been neutered young.

My two Mallies, both neutered pee like girls or lift their leg, depends on what they are sniffing. One is 5years 4months the other 2 years, niether have ever humped anything though despite living with two females (spayed). The older boy was neutered at three years old the younger at 18months. Two different vets said not to do it too young as it could make the dog retain puppy traits, not desirable in any dog let alone a large breed. However the youngest is still a bit of a nutter at times but then he is a Mal and they take a while to "grow up" not aggressive or dominant though. On the other hand my trainer said to nueter early to prevent male aggression. Having them both done at different ages I haven't noticed any bad behavior/aggression from either but I wouldn't have a dog done too young as I think they need to mature first, regardless of what my trainer says.

I'd also say at least a year old. They do need to mature.

she has shitzue at 18 months(intact male) who has a stuffed bear he furiously humps whilst you try to have a conversation!!

That is probably because he's allowed to!

>That is probably because he's allowed to!

Take the bear away and tell the dog to lie down in his bed. It's a training issue, not a hormonal one.

My dog started cocking his leg at 6 months old, he also started humping around 5 months.
The vet said 6 months was the ideal time to neuter so we booked him in for the op. Sadly, he died almost 8 months old on the operating table. I so wish we could turn back the time so we didn't do it. Chances are, he was going to young anyway as they think he had heart disease, but we will never ever know for sure.

Apparently, its very rare. Only 1 in 1000 dogs die during a neutering operation

I was told that it is best to neuter at about 12 months. If you neuter too early, they can end up being an "eternal puppy", as they won't have left adolesence.