Can I ask everyone with neutered male dogs what age they had them done and what differences they noticed in behavior and appearance?
I have an 11 month old dog who I have booked in for neutering next week ( he's a GSD ) but I am a bit worried as he still acts very immature and looks rangy, I have heard that early neutering stops a dog developing his secondary sex characteristics, is this true, my other GSD who is now two is only just starting to fill out and his head to broaden and he is not neutered yet.

I personally wouldnt castrate a male unless he needed it and would allow him to mature both mentally and physically BUT people who castrate an older dog simply to stop him humping things often fail to cure this problem, so it depends why you want him done.
I used to walk 2 gsds who were 'done' at the age of 3 to try and stop their bad behavior{I told them it wasnt a cure!!} and low and behold it did nothing to them except made the hair thicker and more difficult to groom in one of them.

I understand that potential Guide Dogs are castrated at 9 months, when they are reasonably mature. I guess this must be roughly the best age, as these people have so much experience with the pros and cons.

My GSD boy was castrated last year at the age of 9 (prostrate problems - other treatments failed so he had to be done!). For around six months after castration I noticed a significant increase in his aggression towards other dog but this seems to have settled now and he is back to his usual laid back self.

Lisa
xx

Our Battersea dog was neutered at about 18 months ( not sure exactly as we don't know how old he is :) ). Battersea gave us a voucher towards the cost, but it was left to us to make the decision. We laughed about it for a long time - having a money off voucher for castration :D

We didn't notice any change in his behaviour (much to my husband's relief, he wasn't too keen on the idea) - but as he was a wild dog when we got him, at least we didn't have to worry about him fathering any puppies :)

Daisy

Edited to say - the only dogs that he 'humps' are our female puppy - when he gets excited and a large, entire, chocolate labrador called Sid :D

Has anyone noticed any changes appearance wise? I am particularly worried about the influence castration has on the secondary sex characteristics - anyone out there with big dogs neutered young?

Hello Bear I would only castrate if it was for a medical reason however it is up to the individual what they are comfortable with
I believe it is best to wait untill they are mature before doing it
Mari

I have sent you some pictures of two litter brothers. One neutered very young, and it has changed his physical development. Another litter brother was castrated around a year, and looks a fairly masculine dog.

Another male I bred was castrated as a mature adult, about 3 years old and still looks masculine, in fact as he was one who never had a lot of body, neutering has given him the body fat he lacked.

I've had them castrated as young as 8 months and as old as 6 years. I have not noticed any particular change in their behaviour. My first dog was castrated at 10 months and he still went on to become physically mature (I have an uncastrated 3 year old of the same breed that still looks very immature!) the 2 8 months old I had done are still very young but they are slowly developing. I think the problem with comparing dogs is that some dogs will always remain looking immature irrespective as to whether they have been castrated or not.
Bec

We're having our puppy done on monday - he's only 6 months old at most... The vet said as soon as their bits drop they're fine to have the snip.... Our other dog had his done when he was 2 and he still thought he was puppy but he's 'grown up' now so to speak...

Vets have different opinions. My vet told me to wait until my dog was at least a year old, to give him time to mature - he reckons they can otherwise stay 'leggy' looking.

I'm not bothered about him growing anymore he's a tank ;)

My Lupin is all legs at the moment, and I love it! Very wolfy shaped - can't stand GSD's that look like barrels!!

hi Bear!
I just had my rough collie snipped at 6 months old. He is the same in personality and he looks very masculine. I had to get him snipped before he started to get interested in my breeding females. It seems to have worked nicely.

Carissa

My mum has a collie who she had castrated at six months, he grew a lovely coat, chunky build, and taller than the average collie! But I think maybe it depends on the breed, as they all mature at different ages.

Hi Bear,

Just had my BC done at dead on 6 months old - he still seems to be growing :D still humps his bed though !! ;)