Having no intention of using Nips as a stud dog - let alone have him roaming the fields when he gets a sniff of a bitch in season - I've always planned to have him neutered at the appropriate time. My vet suggests 6 months onwards and he'll be 6 months old on 2 February although I don't intend putting that date in Nipper's diary for his appointment with destiny!

I'm conscious that neutering too early might suspend "adulthood" but he's already beginning to take an interest in the ladies so I don't want to leave things too late.

What's the ideal age given that he's a small breed (JRT)?

Our next door neighbours have a Parson Russel who is just 7 months, they will be getting him done in the next couple of months(one hasn't dropped yet and they have no intention of using him)..just to give you an idea for a smaller dog :) But at training last night there was a whippet, 7 months old, neutered and Ido wanted to hump it.....so beware :D

This info, may be useful, especially the incidence of neutered dogs being attractive to other males http://www.gsdhelpline.com/castration.htm

"THE RIGHT TIME FOR CASTRATION.
Castration can help alter a dog's behaviour at any age after puberty, but it is important to remember that castration will not have an overnight effect.  Improvement may take several months and inappropriate learned behaviours will need to be changed using behaviour modification techniques.

CASTRATION OF YOUNG MALE DOGS.
It is becoming increasingly popular to castrate male dogs at a young age, as a preventive measure.  The optimum time is just after the dog has reached puberty and started to lift his leg to urinate.  This is a policy which has been employed by Guide Dogs for the Blind for many years.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF CASTRATION?
In some dogs, there may be coat changes that necessitate more frequent grooming to stop the coat matting.  In some short coated breeds the hair may appear to be thinner in places.

Some neutered male dogs become sexually interesting and are occasionally pestered by other males.  It is believed that after castration these dogs smell like a bitch.  In a survey of 98 castrated males, 23 owners reported this phenomenon immediately after neutering.  One year later the figure had reduced to 14 (Palmer). "

my vet prefers to neuter dogs at 9-12 mths onwards. Presumably to allow their testcles to fully descend, but i didn't think to ask why! I'm asuming thats his opinion re all males, but when i asked, i was asking about my lab dog. The time is nigh for him-he's 9mths in a few weeks!

Hi Roz,

I had a discussion regarding Harvey's 'date with destiny' with the vet nurse last week when we went for a health check, she recommended that it is done as early as possible (after 6 months) as the vessels ect into the testicles are smaller making the procedure easier and the bruising less. Also, she explained that it's best to get it done before 'sexual habits' start as the testosterone kicks in I'm a bit unsure what age to have Harvey done as I have read that it can interfere with a Cav's coat making it unruly......not looking forward to it if I'm perfectly honest - poor little boys!!!

Hayley x

i think 9-12months is good time.
shouldnt be done really at 6 months- my mum in laws FCR was done then and its kept him at a constant puppy stage- he didnt have time to mature before they took it all away!

Why fix something that aint broke? who is to say that there will be any problems with him by the time he is an adult?

I'm pondering the pros and cons with Luke now.. he's 2. My only reason is that I would hate him to be responsible for siring an unwanted litter. He's never out alone, and only off lead in a safe park....but....some people around here are a bit irresponsible and I worry that someone - or possible some child (school holidays) may suddenly appear with an in season bitch....

Have you had that problem yet? If it hasn't happened in 2 years, how likely is it to happen at all?

mm...mm fair comment. Actually he hardly ever even "humps" his mum now...so perhaps I'm just worrying unnecessarily....

If it aint broke don't fix it.  If you have a problem in the future that wil be improved by castration then consider it then, but why risk the negatives of castration now for no reason?

just had my bitch done 2 days ago she is 5 months

Do you mind if I ask why.  at five months they ar a long way from physical or mental maturity.

Nips doesn't have any problems that I think need "curing" by castration (indeed, I don't place a very high value on castration as a cure for very much!) but I don't want to risk the very real chance of him roaming around polluting the local gene pool!

I'm very keen on making sure the time is right, however, rather than rushing him off for the operation too early hence my original question. I think he may mature reasonably early - he's already a "cocker" - and things look to be dropping nicely in the, er, "dropping department", but from the advice received 9 months seems to be the absolute earliest.

i asked my vet at what age would be ok to get her done he said 5 months is fine ,the younger they are the better they cope with it so thats why i got her done ,didnt want her to have puppies and didnt see a reason to let her have a season

did he mention anything about the chances of your bitch becoming incontinent? i personally wouldnt do that soooo young- i think its quite good to let your bitch mature and let her hormones develop and settle before speying her- its only from experience in past.
the incontinency (spelt wrong?!) isnt definite- just a chance of it, i spoke to an old vet and he advises aganst doing it so young as he believes it does lead to being incontinent so im just listening to him as he's been vetting for 45 years!- he has same opinion on dogs- let thm fully mature before operating

I had my JRT neutered at 7 months, he was cocking his leg at 4 months, and by 6 months trying to mate every dog he come into contact with.  JRT seem to mature very fast and it was the best thing I could have done.
He has grown into a lovely boy now with not an ounce of aggression towards dog or human or anything.
I have just also had my girl spayed age 6 months, Stitches come out on Monday.  She is a Rottie x GSD.
No I am not a novice following vets advice and in fact had never had any of my dogs Spayed or nuetered in thier lives, during the 32 years of owning them until 14 years ago, when I also had a couple done early.  They ended up fantastic dogs as well with no adverse effects or problems, so as I don't want to breed, live in an area very bad for roaming and ignorantly owned dogs etc etc I have done the same again.

Bev

Hi - Personally I prefer for a young dog to be completely mature before being neutered.  The age a dog is completely mature varies depending on the breed, but it wouldn't be before 12 months and for many breeds not until 18 months.

I am in the same situation as you carene except Tyler is 18 months old. We were out walking the other day when a 9 month old springer kept trying to hump Tyler, this has happened before as well. Does anyone have any knowledge of un neutered dogs humping other un neutered dogs? Could this be a dominance thing?, the other dog didn't seem particularly dominant.

Our Bichon was neutered at 7 months old because someone told me that it might help his skin problems - it didn't :-(  He has had no problems other than male dogs find him very attractive now and they all want to be his friend :-)