Appropriate Age/Time To Neuter

[cjrdh]

Do an internet search on neutering studies. You will find several different studies that have been conducted that show a significant link in the increased risk of osteosarcoma when a medium/large breed dog is neutered prior to 1 year of age, especially Rottweilers who are already at risk. This is a disease, from what I've read, that really doesn't have a pleasant outcome.

Read, and decide for yourself. Personally, whether it is true or not, I am not willing to take that chance for just a couple of months difference.

My husband and I just had this issue arise ourselves, as our boy is almost 9 months now. He just recently marked our couch a couple of times. We are relying on correcting the behavior rather than just neutering, because I have read posts on here that say the surgery did not stop the marking in some males. That depends I guess.

[stale]

Originally Posted by damp

So are you saying I am not a responsible owner, because my 8 years old dog is intact?????

IMHO... you got it all wrong!
Responsibility is the same, no matter if your dog is intact or not! Period!

actually, i KNOW you to be a responsible owner, damp - going to make no judgements on you based on the genetalia of your animals.

my thought is that there's millions of more or less responsible owners out there, who really ought to get their animals altered. think about how many times on this forum you've read some variation of the sentece "my dog got out and..."

now, if the dog can get out and bite the neighbour's kid, eat your garden, walk around the block alone, surprise you at the front door (all examples from this forum) it's not unimaginable that your dog may get out and find that oh-so-tempting bitch in heat two doors down.

it's something to think of as a safety net - for when the unexpected happens.

what can i say - i worked with a breeder for years, almost 80% of the animals that went to homes went with a spay/castrate clause. if nothing else, this cuts down on BYB.

personally, i'd like to see it a mandatory thing - to alter your pet if they are not a show animal. simple logic there - no breeder worth their salt will breed an unshown animal - so making show animal's exempt covers legit breeders. however, this cripples the BYB, who barely put the time and energy into feeding their animals, nonetheless showing them.

but for the OP, i'd say if you're willing to wait, and willing to watch your dog every second he's outside, then go ahead and wait for the 1.5 year mark.... but the choice is yours, and you've had lots of advice from here, eh?

peace

stale