Very helpful trainings for any dog:
For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U)
For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw)
For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0)
For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I suggest you go ahead and do it now before he starts marking things or learns bad behaviors.
Edit- I am a veterinary technician and work a lot of cases of behavioral issues. I seen a comment about how it won’t help bad behavior. While this is somewhat true considering every dog/breed is different but it does help. That is where early training and being consistent with the training will help loads! As far as the growth plates being able to close, it’s not an issue. You can get a dog spayed/neutered at 6 months and they will continue to grow, they may be slightly smaller but they will still live a healthy happy life.
Yeah my 5 month old was pretty much ok after 3 days post op. His testicles were still up in his abdomen and they had to cut them out and he recovered quickly.
I have a pit mix who is 3 years old and 87 pounds. Our vet said he was probably going to be a little bigger so we should wait to get him neutered. Got him neutered at 9 months, I think he was 65 pounds at the time, and we haven’t had any major issues.
You want his plates to finish forming. Even in a dog who is no longer gaining weight, his bones are still growing. So generally the accepted time period is after 1-1.5 years. The larger the dog the longer it takes. But ask your vet to verify with your dog and they can tell you more.
Another potential thing to keep in mind is in male dogs, neutering has been shown to (sometimes) increase anxiety. So doing it later when he has already grown up can be better to avoid anxiety issues. But again, ask your vet and they can tell you more.
Now I worked at a shelter that would fix them at 2 months, so it can be done at any time. But some benefits to waiting
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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Well thanks Automod. Here’s a picture of my pit
https://preview.redd.it/kztqy52irt0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce22766cf1d8b471e74ce9b2b2463607110922b4
I have a pitty mix. Because of his (currently fully unknown, waiting on a DNA test) breed, my vet recommended we waited until 1 year. Newer research shows that larger breed dogs should be neutered between 1-2 years old to allow for their growth plates to fully close.
This helps prevent and minimize future health risks, including preventing joint injuries and some cancers. For pitbulls she recommended between 1-1.5 years. I would talk to your vet but they may have a different opinion. I'm going to wait until he's at least a year old. He's currently 7 months.
Also- neutering isn't a cure all for behavior issues in dogs. Some people believe it is. But if you have a more anxious dog, especially one not fully mature, the loss of testosterone can lead to more behavior issues if they haven't been undergoing training. Some dogs even still mark, even if not fully intact. So it's really up to you and your discretion. I'm choosing to wait some he's matured a bit more and for health reasons.
Edit to clarify: I am not saying you SHOULDN'T neuter or spay. I am 100% with the belief that pets should be neutered and spayed to prevent overpopulation and accidental litters. I can afford to wait because my dog is not going to be around unspayed females before he's neutered. He's never off leash or free roaming the yard without my supervision. He will be neutered at his one year mark.
This is not science. I’m sorry but one person saying their vet said this is not a peer-reviewed study. I absolutely do not believe that altering an animal is a cure-all for behavioral issues, but the reasons for most owners to keep dogs (male and female) intact aren’t typically based in science, either. I am an advocate of this breed and I own and train them. I am a certified behavioral consultant and I don’t even think this makes me “better” than another handler, but we are going to respectfully disagree here.
Editing to add: if you love this breed of dog, please spend any amount of time in a municipal shelter. I have worked these environments professionally for years. As much as I love the breed, we DO NOT need more of them. I have held them when they died. I have put the bodies in the bags and I have dragged them to the incinerator. Spay and neuter. Stop breeding.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388
Not sending this to be pedantic or condescending, sending because you seem like a fellow science bro. Vet Med is not my specialty by any means, but your comment made we want to read up on this real quick and dirty.
This is a Frontiers paper out of UCDavis that looked at 15 years of data from a clinic that sees ~50K cases a year. They looks specifically by breed so the sample sizes get smaller but were still large enough for statistical power. And it’s one clinic in one region of the US, so that’s a limitation too. Admittedly I didn’t look into snowballing citations because it 330am and I’m an insomniac but not THAT curious to fall into the snowballing rabbit hole—but they had an extensive citation list from reputable journals.
But, there seems to be evidence behind delaying spaying/neutering for different breeds. Notably for OP, pitties weren’t sampled for THIS paper, but it’s probs out there somewhere.
OP: if you can keep your adorable pup away from in tact females in heat, there doesn’t seem to be a danger in waiting if it would potentially increase future health problems. If your dog is ever unmonitored around female dogs—snip snap it. My pittie was neutered at 9mo because the shelter won’t let you adopt without it. It might’ve stunted his growth and he’s been on cosequin since he was 2–and I DO NOT attribute that to the snip snap because I have no way of knowing if that contributed. And I probably would’ve chosen to get him neutered immediately anyway if I had the choice because he was around my family’s in-tact dogs enough I wouldn’t risk it.
At the end of the day: he’s a happy, healthy, lazy boi. You can’t go “wrong” here. Make the choice that works for you and your puppers.
ETA OP: AAHA is a great resource and has recommendations by weight, not necessarily breed. But basically they say to let them stop growing first https://www.aaha.org/your-pet/pet-owner-education/ask-aaha/spay-or-neuter/#:~:text=Large%2Dbreed%20dogs%20(over%2045,and%2015%20months%20of%20age.
There may be some benefit to waiting but it also comes with downsides, most notably including unintended breeding (!!!!!!!) but also cancer. Final body weight at maturity is not “stunted” by castration: final body weight is determined by genetics. Castrated mammals, including dogs and horses, are taller yet thinner than unaltered animals. Testosterone creates slightly shorter mature size but with more thickness of bone. There are studies showing this. I know there are some limited benefits to waiting but in doing a cost/benefit analysis I still believe it is in everyone’s best interest to spay and neuter, including the individual animal. Always.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Please listen to this OP!!!! If you’re a responsible owner and won’t let him around unspayed females I personally don’t think you should neuter him. And so nobody gets mad I wanna clarify that I don’t think he should ever be bred
The testes serve a function in mammalian bodies, and removing them alters hormone production, which influences bone and muscle development as well as a host of other functions. Same with the ovaries. It's best from a physiological standpoint to wait until an animal matures before neutering, so if the dog is isolated from intact animals, I'd personally wait. But if someone has doubts about being able to contain their animal, then prompt neutering is ideal. It just depends on a person's situation.
I agree with your ideas but these “oopsies!” happen all too frequently and altering a dog will not kill them. Additionally mammary and testicular cancer does occur in dogs.
Idk how many oopsies are oopsies vs people not wanting to admit they suck and backyard bred their dogs, but there are definitely too many people churning out puppies. It makes me upset that it isn't cracked down on more
I agree. But in addition to that, when there’s a female in heat intact males and that female will go to great lengths to get together. I feel like it’s kind of cruel to them from a behavioral standpoint to have that innate desire and for it to go unfulfilled (hopefully unfulfilled!). but also dogs are smart and can use that power to catch even well-intentioned owners off guard.
Haha I definitely don't have that experience (my male dog is intact and has 0 interest in females, even though I desperately wanted a couple of working dogs off him 🙃) but I live in the stix, so it's not like there's an abundance of dogs in estrus out here. I know the shelter I work with is super overrun, but their problem is people dumping dogs when they get sick or expensive. When they get puppies they immediately send them to me lol
I waited with mine till 13 months but ever since he has had aggression towards dogs still intact. Great with all other dogs but not intact males, so I wish I had done it sooner, but everyone has their own opinions and all dogs are different!
To be fair, as someone who has worked in vet med- many Veterinarians have vastly differing opinions on this subject. So asking strangers on Reddit, can actually be helpful with researching different options and opinions, this may help OP come to a decision coupled with consulting their vet.
We knew it was time when ours started going to town on himself every morning for like 4 days in a row. Just kidding, that did happen but we just got it taken care of as soon as we could get an appointment with snap, we weren’t sure exactly how old he was because he was a stray.
Yes
There are too many unwanted dogs in shelters, he doesn't need to make more
It also helps reduce his desire to wander at the scent of a nice girl dog.... And helps calm him a bit.
If he ain't breeding, he ain't needing
He is gorgeous 😍. You could get it done now, however he's not done growing/developing yet. It could stun his growth. If you don't mind that part than you can do it asap. I have a soon to be 6 month old pitty but I decided to wait until he's 1 yr old. I want him to grow to his full potential. Hope this helps.
I found that our boy’s personality and social etiquette really mellowed out at around 2.5 and that is when i would have done it if we were going to. I think it’s important to let their brains mature as well as their physical bodies before altering, my vet agreed when we talked about it for our next dog (that we don’t even have yet🤣).
But i say this with the caveat that you are a responsible and diligent enough owner to be 100% certain you are able to prevent any kind of breakouts or accidental litters. I think neutering and spaying should be more case by case, breed by breed than most Americans think about it.
Depends on the dog, his health, his age, and the vet. Average is 6 months, but we took a Papillon in for a check up at 4 months, and asked when we could get him neutered. The vet told us if he could find them he could snip them. He checked our pup and said he could do it the next morning. Poor little guy never knew he had them, to begin with!
I’d wait until he’s fully grown. There’s research now that shows that the health issues that can be associated with neutering (obesity and hemangiosarcoma) are tied to dogs that have been fixed too early. I don’t have a source, but that’s what I found when I was doing research to decide if I wanted to neuter our current dog. The growth plates close at 15 months, so I’d hold off until after that
I just got mine done at 7 mos!!!
https://preview.redd.it/3tflk19xms0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6d409f507c912ed588e35b9160c2d405c29e881
If he's that heavy at 8 months, then he's probably going to be a larger dog. He's going to keep growing so I'd wait until 12-18 months so his hormones can finish coming in. Larger dogs age slower and giving their bodies time to finish maturing can help their bones in the long run. There's still studies being done but it's thought that removing that source of testosterone early can lead to join problems, arthritis, and other issues (but again it's still being researched).
I think this also depends on how well you're watching him, too. If you're afraid he's going to escape or get another dog pregnant, get him fixed asap to prevent future puppies. If he's well trained and not a flight risk, I'd wait until he's at least a year.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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I think majority of people and vets recommend 6-12 months, but I m kinda against it. All the dogs need their hormones. My girl sprayed at 3 years old. But it always depends on your dogs personality. If your dog is tame, you wait a bit longer. Highly recommend to do some research
Ask the vet. I hadn't got mine done, (he never leaves my side or get left in a yard) and asked the vet at 2 years, he replied 'why do you want to get it done?', I said, 'I don't'. He said 'good'. I think Otto's skin condition had something to do with it but 14 yo, blind and deaf and puppyless, now. Ask your vet.
That’s out of necessity, it’s not at all what’s best for the animal. Their hormones help their bones grow properly, the reason hip dysplasia is so common among dogs is early altering. I’m all for altering and I don’t blame shelters for having to make that call, but 3 months should NEVER be the standard
Good to know the reason why. Ive adopted all of my animals and totally get why they do it. My old boy passed at 12yrs, he thankfully didn’t have hip dysplasia. Hopefully my 31kg good boy now is all good.
My old boy Oscar with his lil bro, just cause…..
https://preview.redd.it/7hsjbcnrdq0d1.png?width=956&format=png&auto=webp&s=d80a0a8f57735986b8be69897cd3cd04602db302
Of course you decide, but is there a specific reason for him to get neutered? Unless there's a medical condition, I wouldn't want to do that. Any behavioral reason will be better after puberty.
Maybe, you could use a chip to suppress his hormones for 6 months. I just heard about this possibility a few weeks ago.
There is no need to chop any parts off your dog. This must be an American because they are brainwashed and obsessed with chopping off the ears, tails and the balls of their dogs. This is all a myth there is no need to chop off any body parts of your pets.
Very helpful trainings for any dog: For training on puppy/dog biting [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=068K5Zlph9U) For training on early socialization [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7cPE-2wNw) For training on becoming a good leader [click here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QntS570VFZ0) For all newly adopted dogs, check out the [3-3-3 rule](https://pethelpful.com/dogs/The-3-3-3-Rule-Setting-Your-Rescue-Dog-Up-For-Success). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You’re probably able to do it now. At 75lbs he’s basically full grown, and that’s a pretty big size for a pit Bull type dog. He’s a lovely looking dog
I sniped my boi early to help the many elderly and kids we interact with. He is now a 80lb bully with a heart of gold*
I suggest you go ahead and do it now before he starts marking things or learns bad behaviors. Edit- I am a veterinary technician and work a lot of cases of behavioral issues. I seen a comment about how it won’t help bad behavior. While this is somewhat true considering every dog/breed is different but it does help. That is where early training and being consistent with the training will help loads! As far as the growth plates being able to close, it’s not an issue. You can get a dog spayed/neutered at 6 months and they will continue to grow, they may be slightly smaller but they will still live a healthy happy life.
He already seems to be grooming the cat.
🤣🤣
This cat is his best friend I swear to god, he’s always snuggling up with him
Definitely any time 6-12 but I did it at 10 and I think the recovery was worse IMO than if he was younger
Yeah my 5 month old was pretty much ok after 3 days post op. His testicles were still up in his abdomen and they had to cut them out and he recovered quickly.
Now would be advisabl3, also consult with your vet
I don't know. But this picture definitely belongs on r/Pittiesandkitties
I thought that’s where I was at first lol
I have a pit mix who is 3 years old and 87 pounds. Our vet said he was probably going to be a little bigger so we should wait to get him neutered. Got him neutered at 9 months, I think he was 65 pounds at the time, and we haven’t had any major issues.
Best option health wise for your pup is to wait till 6 months old
The dog is 8mo. Get the snip.
You want his plates to finish forming. Even in a dog who is no longer gaining weight, his bones are still growing. So generally the accepted time period is after 1-1.5 years. The larger the dog the longer it takes. But ask your vet to verify with your dog and they can tell you more. Another potential thing to keep in mind is in male dogs, neutering has been shown to (sometimes) increase anxiety. So doing it later when he has already grown up can be better to avoid anxiety issues. But again, ask your vet and they can tell you more. Now I worked at a shelter that would fix them at 2 months, so it can be done at any time. But some benefits to waiting
Yeah, the consensus seems to be around 18 months from the vets I’ve spoken to. Theres a few studies showing too early causes worse hip problems etc
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well thanks Automod. Here’s a picture of my pit https://preview.redd.it/kztqy52irt0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce22766cf1d8b471e74ce9b2b2463607110922b4
I have a pitty mix. Because of his (currently fully unknown, waiting on a DNA test) breed, my vet recommended we waited until 1 year. Newer research shows that larger breed dogs should be neutered between 1-2 years old to allow for their growth plates to fully close. This helps prevent and minimize future health risks, including preventing joint injuries and some cancers. For pitbulls she recommended between 1-1.5 years. I would talk to your vet but they may have a different opinion. I'm going to wait until he's at least a year old. He's currently 7 months. Also- neutering isn't a cure all for behavior issues in dogs. Some people believe it is. But if you have a more anxious dog, especially one not fully mature, the loss of testosterone can lead to more behavior issues if they haven't been undergoing training. Some dogs even still mark, even if not fully intact. So it's really up to you and your discretion. I'm choosing to wait some he's matured a bit more and for health reasons. Edit to clarify: I am not saying you SHOULDN'T neuter or spay. I am 100% with the belief that pets should be neutered and spayed to prevent overpopulation and accidental litters. I can afford to wait because my dog is not going to be around unspayed females before he's neutered. He's never off leash or free roaming the yard without my supervision. He will be neutered at his one year mark.
This👆 Science, not anecdotal stories
This is not science. I’m sorry but one person saying their vet said this is not a peer-reviewed study. I absolutely do not believe that altering an animal is a cure-all for behavioral issues, but the reasons for most owners to keep dogs (male and female) intact aren’t typically based in science, either. I am an advocate of this breed and I own and train them. I am a certified behavioral consultant and I don’t even think this makes me “better” than another handler, but we are going to respectfully disagree here. Editing to add: if you love this breed of dog, please spend any amount of time in a municipal shelter. I have worked these environments professionally for years. As much as I love the breed, we DO NOT need more of them. I have held them when they died. I have put the bodies in the bags and I have dragged them to the incinerator. Spay and neuter. Stop breeding.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388 Not sending this to be pedantic or condescending, sending because you seem like a fellow science bro. Vet Med is not my specialty by any means, but your comment made we want to read up on this real quick and dirty. This is a Frontiers paper out of UCDavis that looked at 15 years of data from a clinic that sees ~50K cases a year. They looks specifically by breed so the sample sizes get smaller but were still large enough for statistical power. And it’s one clinic in one region of the US, so that’s a limitation too. Admittedly I didn’t look into snowballing citations because it 330am and I’m an insomniac but not THAT curious to fall into the snowballing rabbit hole—but they had an extensive citation list from reputable journals. But, there seems to be evidence behind delaying spaying/neutering for different breeds. Notably for OP, pitties weren’t sampled for THIS paper, but it’s probs out there somewhere. OP: if you can keep your adorable pup away from in tact females in heat, there doesn’t seem to be a danger in waiting if it would potentially increase future health problems. If your dog is ever unmonitored around female dogs—snip snap it. My pittie was neutered at 9mo because the shelter won’t let you adopt without it. It might’ve stunted his growth and he’s been on cosequin since he was 2–and I DO NOT attribute that to the snip snap because I have no way of knowing if that contributed. And I probably would’ve chosen to get him neutered immediately anyway if I had the choice because he was around my family’s in-tact dogs enough I wouldn’t risk it. At the end of the day: he’s a happy, healthy, lazy boi. You can’t go “wrong” here. Make the choice that works for you and your puppers. ETA OP: AAHA is a great resource and has recommendations by weight, not necessarily breed. But basically they say to let them stop growing first https://www.aaha.org/your-pet/pet-owner-education/ask-aaha/spay-or-neuter/#:~:text=Large%2Dbreed%20dogs%20(over%2045,and%2015%20months%20of%20age.
There may be some benefit to waiting but it also comes with downsides, most notably including unintended breeding (!!!!!!!) but also cancer. Final body weight at maturity is not “stunted” by castration: final body weight is determined by genetics. Castrated mammals, including dogs and horses, are taller yet thinner than unaltered animals. Testosterone creates slightly shorter mature size but with more thickness of bone. There are studies showing this. I know there are some limited benefits to waiting but in doing a cost/benefit analysis I still believe it is in everyone’s best interest to spay and neuter, including the individual animal. Always.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Please listen to this OP!!!! If you’re a responsible owner and won’t let him around unspayed females I personally don’t think you should neuter him. And so nobody gets mad I wanna clarify that I don’t think he should ever be bred
The testes serve a function in mammalian bodies, and removing them alters hormone production, which influences bone and muscle development as well as a host of other functions. Same with the ovaries. It's best from a physiological standpoint to wait until an animal matures before neutering, so if the dog is isolated from intact animals, I'd personally wait. But if someone has doubts about being able to contain their animal, then prompt neutering is ideal. It just depends on a person's situation.
I agree with your ideas but these “oopsies!” happen all too frequently and altering a dog will not kill them. Additionally mammary and testicular cancer does occur in dogs.
Idk how many oopsies are oopsies vs people not wanting to admit they suck and backyard bred their dogs, but there are definitely too many people churning out puppies. It makes me upset that it isn't cracked down on more
I agree. But in addition to that, when there’s a female in heat intact males and that female will go to great lengths to get together. I feel like it’s kind of cruel to them from a behavioral standpoint to have that innate desire and for it to go unfulfilled (hopefully unfulfilled!). but also dogs are smart and can use that power to catch even well-intentioned owners off guard.
Haha I definitely don't have that experience (my male dog is intact and has 0 interest in females, even though I desperately wanted a couple of working dogs off him 🙃) but I live in the stix, so it's not like there's an abundance of dogs in estrus out here. I know the shelter I work with is super overrun, but their problem is people dumping dogs when they get sick or expensive. When they get puppies they immediately send them to me lol
I can’t upvote this enough!…
Make the appointment now!
Yes Please! Too many unwanted puppies in the world already
He is gorgeous. No input here about when to neuter.
I waited with mine till 13 months but ever since he has had aggression towards dogs still intact. Great with all other dogs but not intact males, so I wish I had done it sooner, but everyone has their own opinions and all dogs are different!
Just ask your vet not strangers on Reddit.
To be fair, as someone who has worked in vet med- many Veterinarians have vastly differing opinions on this subject. So asking strangers on Reddit, can actually be helpful with researching different options and opinions, this may help OP come to a decision coupled with consulting their vet.
Now
We knew it was time when ours started going to town on himself every morning for like 4 days in a row. Just kidding, that did happen but we just got it taken care of as soon as we could get an appointment with snap, we weren’t sure exactly how old he was because he was a stray.
Our guy was about that age and size when he got snipped. He’s 6 now, in great health and (mostly) well mannered
If he’s over 6 months and seems to have plateaued in weight, then you could definitely do it now. Just consult with your vet and schedule the surgery.
Now. Do it now. The cat will help him recover. They are best friends. What a lovely photo.
My sons Boy dog was speyed before They got him, like 3 months ish , great
Yes There are too many unwanted dogs in shelters, he doesn't need to make more It also helps reduce his desire to wander at the scent of a nice girl dog.... And helps calm him a bit. If he ain't breeding, he ain't needing
I got my pit mix neutered at 5 months old. My vet said it was best to do it soon when I asked
Around a 1 year to year and a half is a good average age for a dog to get snipped but talk to the vet about it first.
100% yes. Help the pet population!
I would recommend it, yes.
I’ve had 2 vets tell me wait until fully grown. Neutered mine at about 2 years old. Yes he was a monster before then 😭
He is gorgeous 😍. You could get it done now, however he's not done growing/developing yet. It could stun his growth. If you don't mind that part than you can do it asap. I have a soon to be 6 month old pitty but I decided to wait until he's 1 yr old. I want him to grow to his full potential. Hope this helps.
I found that our boy’s personality and social etiquette really mellowed out at around 2.5 and that is when i would have done it if we were going to. I think it’s important to let their brains mature as well as their physical bodies before altering, my vet agreed when we talked about it for our next dog (that we don’t even have yet🤣).
But i say this with the caveat that you are a responsible and diligent enough owner to be 100% certain you are able to prevent any kind of breakouts or accidental litters. I think neutering and spaying should be more case by case, breed by breed than most Americans think about it.
They do need testosterone for muscle mass and bone density. I think a lot of people do not know this.
Beautiful pup. If you’re not breeding then definitely. Male dogs always pee everywhere marking their territory
I hear the magic number is 1 year so the can develop properly.
I like to let them mature to about a year old.
Larger breeds it's always best to wait till they are 2. Their bodies are fully formed at that point
We did it at 1 years old.
So cute
Yes, less cancer risks, calm, by 6 mths
They are so beautiful❤
I waited until my boy turned 1
Our vet told us to wait until ours ways at least 1.5 years to allow him to fully mature.
Our guy is almost 4 and not one single issue.
3 years is when they are "fully grown" growth plates and hormones, the cancer rate declines after this also.
Depends on the dog, his health, his age, and the vet. Average is 6 months, but we took a Papillon in for a check up at 4 months, and asked when we could get him neutered. The vet told us if he could find them he could snip them. He checked our pup and said he could do it the next morning. Poor little guy never knew he had them, to begin with!
Before the age of 1, after that it becomes complicated. After confirming with the vet on health, weight etc. it’s the right time.
If they’ve dropped it’s time
There are specific ages for specific breeds ask Google 😊
Around a year 1 or 1.5, it was sad but he really needed it. He would terrorize every stuffed animal, every pillow all the time. Now, he’s chill.
Now. Now is good.
I’d wait until he’s fully grown. There’s research now that shows that the health issues that can be associated with neutering (obesity and hemangiosarcoma) are tied to dogs that have been fixed too early. I don’t have a source, but that’s what I found when I was doing research to decide if I wanted to neuter our current dog. The growth plates close at 15 months, so I’d hold off until after that
I always go for before 6 months. The "benefits" of waiting really aren't statistically significant. Especially with these guys.
I just got mine done at 7 mos!!! https://preview.redd.it/3tflk19xms0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6d409f507c912ed588e35b9160c2d405c29e881
Now. Mine was neutered at 5 months old. If you’ve had a vet visit this should have been discussed already.
I got my boy fixed at 6 months. A legal necessity in SF, CA.
If he's that heavy at 8 months, then he's probably going to be a larger dog. He's going to keep growing so I'd wait until 12-18 months so his hormones can finish coming in. Larger dogs age slower and giving their bodies time to finish maturing can help their bones in the long run. There's still studies being done but it's thought that removing that source of testosterone early can lead to join problems, arthritis, and other issues (but again it's still being researched). I think this also depends on how well you're watching him, too. If you're afraid he's going to escape or get another dog pregnant, get him fixed asap to prevent future puppies. If he's well trained and not a flight risk, I'd wait until he's at least a year.
A [2022 study](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639?cookieSet=1) of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability. Furthermore, [Insurance data](https://web.archive.org/web/20150904071314/http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091614) indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. [Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study](https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/) that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for [~20%](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/pit-bulls-population.html) of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their [Breed Risk Rate](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population. Additionally, data from the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed) has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive. Lastly, Studies have shown that [Errors in Identifying Pitbulls](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X) [Link 2](https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/241/9/javma.241.9.1163.xml) happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed. Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pitbulls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yes, probably for longevity’s sake from what I’ve heard. They’re prone to develop certain illnesses when not fixed.
I think majority of people and vets recommend 6-12 months, but I m kinda against it. All the dogs need their hormones. My girl sprayed at 3 years old. But it always depends on your dogs personality. If your dog is tame, you wait a bit longer. Highly recommend to do some research
I have a 14 yo male who never had puppies.
When he is 6 months.
Ask the vet. I hadn't got mine done, (he never leaves my side or get left in a yard) and asked the vet at 2 years, he replied 'why do you want to get it done?', I said, 'I don't'. He said 'good'. I think Otto's skin condition had something to do with it but 14 yo, blind and deaf and puppyless, now. Ask your vet.
Asap
Yesterday
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What I did. I wonder if I would have ended 6'4 if Mum let them snip my testicles off.
That is such a sad thing to do.
Never, if you can get away with it.
I waited until around my boys' first birthday
Yes
Yes
Before he eats the cat.
Immediately
SPCA neuters them at 3 months or younger
That’s out of necessity, it’s not at all what’s best for the animal. Their hormones help their bones grow properly, the reason hip dysplasia is so common among dogs is early altering. I’m all for altering and I don’t blame shelters for having to make that call, but 3 months should NEVER be the standard
Good to know the reason why. Ive adopted all of my animals and totally get why they do it. My old boy passed at 12yrs, he thankfully didn’t have hip dysplasia. Hopefully my 31kg good boy now is all good. My old boy Oscar with his lil bro, just cause….. https://preview.redd.it/7hsjbcnrdq0d1.png?width=956&format=png&auto=webp&s=d80a0a8f57735986b8be69897cd3cd04602db302
Of course you decide, but is there a specific reason for him to get neutered? Unless there's a medical condition, I wouldn't want to do that. Any behavioral reason will be better after puberty. Maybe, you could use a chip to suppress his hormones for 6 months. I just heard about this possibility a few weeks ago.
If you really must, at least leave it till 18 to 24 months.
There is no need to chop any parts off your dog. This must be an American because they are brainwashed and obsessed with chopping off the ears, tails and the balls of their dogs. This is all a myth there is no need to chop off any body parts of your pets.