Neutering question

[Carriesue]

I'm feeling kind of stuck on when/if I should neuter my boy...

The problem is that we have two other male dogs in the house both neutered(although one wasn't fixed until he was 5) and I'm just concerned how they would all interact with one intact male in the house.

Just looking for opinions here but do you'd think it'd be better to do it early(I know my vet is going to push doing it at 6 months), waiting until he's a year or so or just never doing it at all? He does interact with other dogs off leash but never unsupervised.

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you.

[harmony]

I had two spade females that always wanted to kill each other, but how you handle it is up to you

[msvette2u]

In males it works opposite...usually two neutered males are easier for the average household to own.
Where one is neutered and the other may not be, the neutered one may end up hating the intact one.
Carriesue, 8-12 mos. should be fine...sooner than 12 mos. if things start looking rocky.

[robk]

If you have no females in the home and you have no problem keeping him from escaping and breeding to a female down the road then I see no problem in waiting until the dog is 2 years old. That way the dog is pretty much done developing before you neuter. For me the only reason to neuter is to prevent breeding.

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

In males it works opposite...usually two neutered males are easier for the average household to own.
Where one is neutered and the other may not be, the neutered one may end up hating the intact one.
Carriesue, 8-12 mos. should be fine...sooner than 12 mos. if things start looking rocky.

I agree. I have never myself owned a dog that wasn't spayed/neutered. I have had some come in that weren't, but they went on their way and found new homes(where they were fixed, it is part of my rules if I give someone a dog that needs a home). I have never waited past six months and all of my dogs have grown like they were suppose to. The only way I wouldn't spay/neuter would be if the dog couldn't go under for some health reason. IMO the benefits of spaying/neutering outweigh not doing so.

[Carriesue]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I agree. I have never myself owned a dog that wasn't spayed/neutered. I have had some come in that weren't, but they went on their way and found new homes(where they were fixed, it is part of my rules if I give someone a dog that needs a home). I have never waited past six months and all of my dogs have grown like they were suppose to. The only way I wouldn't spay/neuter would be if the dog couldn't go under for some health reason. IMO the benefits of spaying/neutering outweigh not doing so.

Right, well my golden was neutered at 6 months and my Pom wasn't until he was 5 years old and that was for a few reasons... One he was marking in the house, two he was trying to hump everything including our cats lol and three the shelter we were trying to adopt our golden from wouldn't let us adopt unless the Pom was neutered.

And thinking about it actually California requires dogs be licensed and the fee is doubled if they're intact. I only questioned it because my breeder told me not to neuter until he was a year and a half/two years. There's so much conflicting information on whether or not its better for their development and hips, it's just confusing.

But with having two other males I definitely do not want him intact. I'm prepared for the fact that one day I may have to crate and rotate because he and the golden are only a little over a year apart in age(though I was not aware it was an issue until after I got Ollie, go figure) but I'd like to try and avoid that in any way possible.

It's just I know my vet will push for six months and wasn't sure if I should hold off until he matured a bit more.

[koda00]

Originally Posted by robk

If you have no females in the home and you have no problem keeping him from escaping and breeding to a female down the road then I see no problem in waiting until the dog is 2 years old. That way the dog is pretty much done developing before you neuter. For me the only reason to neuter is to prevent breeding.

i agree! i have two intact males a 2 y/o and a 3 y/o. no problems. They don't mark in the house or hump my cat, furniture, legs etc. My two are really best friends. But if you do decide to neuter try and wait until he's two so he's fully developed.

[wolfy dog]

Play it by ear. I give them the benefit of the doubt and if I see red flags it's off to the vet.

[JakodaCD OA]

depends on the dogs...I have had 2 males neutered, 1 intact, and a spayed female at the same time, and had no problems, but again depends on the dogs/dynamics

[Jarkko]

We have two adults, one neutered male (collie) and intact male (finnish hound). Collie absolutely hates the intact one, but he hates most dogs anyway... . The GSD puppy, Aku, will not be neutered unless there is a medical reason.

I think this really depends on the dogs use. Our hound is a working dog, and the tradition says that neutered males become lazy and won't hunt all day long. They are never neutered. Who knows... But he's very calm, at least after a full day hunt .