When To Desex Big Dogs

[Guest Ams]

Aztec Gold when you say you are "new to dogs", does this mean you've not owned a dog at all before?

[Sandra777]

Early neutering delays the closure of the growth plates so the dog grows taller and may have slightly lankier legs (since the long bones grow longer) than you would expect

[doglifetraining]

Just an interesting story on this note....

I had a male Weimaraner (who has since passed away) and I did not desex him until he was over a year old (personal preference). Anyway, he had an accident and had to have one of his front legs amputated when he was six months old. The vet was thankful that we had not desexed him so that the testosterone could help in recovery and strength of the remaining legs.

I dont have my large dogs desexed until they are over one year. Having said that, I find that entire males tend to cop a bit of flack from other dogs, I'm lucky enough that my dogs have very good 'bounce back', but it is something to be aware of.

[Danois]

Danes/ giant breeds are a bit different than the norm.

There is no harm really in desexing early - you might end up with a leaner, leggier dane as a result.

Most breeders I have come across and certainly my own view is to let them have a season first (if it is a girl obviously) and wait for them to finish critical growth at around 12-18 months.

However it may also depend on how your dane is handling their hormones - I was lucky with my boy and he sailed into teenager land without any issues but I know of others who have had a harder time with their danes handling their hormones.

It will also turn on how you think you can handle having an entire dog weighing 50kg+ i.e. being able to keep a female inside when she is in season i.e no walks, no unsupervised time in the yard or being able to hold on to an entire male who gets wind of a female in season or decides to/ has another dog initiate a tiff.

I would get to 9 months and then play it by ear based on how things are travelling with your dane.

PS - you should come and join us in the Dane Thread in the Breed Subforums (Under General).

[Aztec Gold]

Aztec Gold when you say you are "new to dogs", does this mean you've not owned a dog at all before?

Yep Never owned one by myself. Never even held a puppy that I can remember!! From the ages from around birth to 9, my family had an outside dog (schipperke) that was always on a dog run thing (my family aren't dog people in any sense of the term!)

My partner has had dogs before, he grew up with Rottweilers mainly.

I did have lots to do with my next door neighbour's two golden retrievers, as she was unable to walk them (she has a disability, something to do with the bones in her spine, I'm unsure of the name) I used to walk them both nearly every day and help her care for them.

[Hunny]

Great thread as we are looking having our nearly 6 month old female lab puppy sterilised. My old staffy I had done as soon as she was 6 months old...after reading some of these replies now, I am not sure what to do!

[Danois]

There is a lot of difference between a lab and a giant breed ;)

[Kiara&Heidi]

I had my Staffy done when she was 6 months (yes, I know Staffies aren't a giant breed but they are definitely not fully grown at 6 months) I have always wondered why she is so much lankier than her parents and now I think this is possibly why.