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Great Danes => Great Dane Discussions => : morph's mom September 12, 2006, 05:21:48 AM

: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: morph's mom September 12, 2006, 05:21:48 AM
I have heard so many different things about this and was wondering if I could have your opinions on this.  I have a mastidane that is 8 months and I want to get him fixed.  He is just starting to turn into the teenage boy with the rageing hormones and you know how that goes.  He isn't mean but we have noticed that he seems to be more aggressive towards some of the dogs at the dog park and his play style has even changed in the past month. 

Our issue is that my husband doesn't have a problem with getting him fixed but he doesn't want to stunt his growth.  He was told not to neuter him untill 18 months cause it will make him short but I want to do it now. 

So at what age did you all neuter???    ???    Thanks.
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: Miranda September 12, 2006, 05:22:51 AM
I've never heard that...

Kingsley was neutered at seven months, but I have no idea if it stunted his growth since he seems to be a perfect mixture of the Aussie and Husky size...
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: newflvr September 12, 2006, 05:48:49 AM
All my Newfs have been neutered at around a year and they have all been within the range of 'newf-sized' except our youngest who we think is just from a smaller line.  If there is any chance that he would be hurt from one of these tangles at the dogpark, it might be better to neuter him earlier instead of later to avoid injury.  Just a thought.... :)
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: morph's mom September 12, 2006, 06:06:00 AM
Honestly it is not him that I am worried about.  Since he has started "coming of age" so to speak his play style has gotten so much rougher and he is a lot more mouthy and protective of his toys now.  I am more worried about him getting to rough with or possibly hurting one of the other dogs in the park when he is just trying to play.  I kind of feel sorry for him cause he loves to play with other dogs but he gets the cold shoulder a lot cause he is soo big and other dogs flip out on him alot cause his size scares them and they run and he thinks they want to play tag so he chases them. 

And then there are the other owners that are like "Oh thats his problem..  If he was fixed this or if he was fixed that.  They say it as if the minute that I get him fixed he would be the prefect dog.  It is like they dont understand that even if he is fixed thier dogs will still flip out on him cause he is big.
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: navarre1316 September 12, 2006, 06:31:19 AM
Getting him fixed will more than likely NOT change the way he plays!  Sorry.  I had a GSD who was fixed at 9 months and he still played just as rough, I still had some aggression issues (worked out through training), and turned into the biggest GSD anyone had ever seen.  I'd have people stop me all the time cause he was HUGE; tall and thick.  I personally have never heard of it stunting growth.  Any dogs that we have ever had, unless they were going to be bred were fixed before their first year and all of them grew into their "normal" size.

As for his play, start working on him with the "easy" command, or something like that.
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: Miranda September 12, 2006, 07:45:07 AM
Some dogs just play rough. I know Kingsley does. We just taught him the "back off" command. Ideally, when he hears "back off" he stops playing. It works about half the time. But honestly, I'm sure when you get to know more of the dogs at the dog park, you'll learn that a lot of the dogs play rough, the owners are just not letting them. After the first few times we went to the dog park, a few of the owners noticed Kingsley's tendencies and asked him to play with their dogs, because they played rough too. So he'll have friends no matter what :)
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: Saintgirl September 12, 2006, 10:17:40 AM
Check out http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html
Just some indepth info on how early neutering and increased growth.
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: kathryn September 12, 2006, 01:27:44 PM
Shiner is my rescue pup.  He was neutered before 4 months old when I got him.  It doesn't seemed to have effected his growth.  He is in a growth spurt right now and he is nearly 7 months old.  He is about 2" shorter than my adult Malinois females and weighs in somewhere around 50 pounds.  I really need to take him to the vet and get a new weight. 
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: Imani's Mom September 12, 2006, 11:53:52 PM
All I can tell you is what I have heard from many mastiff owners- neutering them early tends to give them more of the female look, in the face and size of their heads.
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: GR8DAME September 13, 2006, 02:19:35 AM
If there is one thing that dog parks taught me it is that there are dozens of "closet experts" that are willing to tell you your dog's problems and solve them instantly whether you ask or not. Nuetering does help with some behavior issues, I am not denying that, but rough play?? Try a nice long walk or high speed fetch game before the dog park, to aleviate some of the excess energy, and you may find he is less wild. By all means, nueter him , but do it for the right reasons. It is not a magical cure for any and all ills, as the "closet experts" have represented it to you.
Stella
: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: kristi September 13, 2006, 03:30:07 AM
My Rott was neutered at 6mo.  I got him it 8ks old
It was a condition of adoption that was set by the rescue group.  They were very adamant about it - they sheduled the appointment for me with their vet (& paid for it) - there was no negotiating it.  He grew to be average height & size for a Rott.

My mom's lab was neutered at 1yr (also adopted).  It didn't stunt him at all - he's HUGE (& not it a fat way either)!  Approx. 27" & 110#... see photo below ;)

IMHO-
Unless you intend on breeding - for the "betterment of the breed" - go ahead & get the snip.
-k.

Mason-Dixon 3.5yrs
(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/klgrandt/mason.jpg)
BTW - for perspective, those are 18" floor tiles  ;)

: Re: Does Neutering Stunt Their Growth???
: ZooCrew September 13, 2006, 03:09:50 PM
Gunther was neutered at 6 months and he is no larger than any other dane at 35 inches.

I have heard that neutering early will cause them to have less muscle mass and appear less massive than if left intact thru puberty.  But I have yet to see any proof of that.  Gunther hasn't started filling out yet, so he is still quite thin at 22 months, so I'll have to see when he's around 3 or 4 as to what his muscle mass looks like.

I think you have to do what you feel is best.  I got Gunther done a bit early after I found out how much it would cost if I waited a few months and 30 lbs later.  I agree that neutering him now won't change his play style or how he plays with others.  You can teach him to play more gently with others, and as he grows he'll realize his size a bit more.