Giant Dog Breed owners

[NikiM20]

At what age did you get your giant breed neutered? We have a Great Dane puppy (6 mths). I have read conflicting answers on when is the best time to have them neutered. I have heard anywhere from 6 mths-2 years. Our other two danes were fixed before we rescued them.

 

[worm761]

I would suggest you ask your vet what would be best for you particular dog. We have a mastiff and had him neutered at 4 years. It should have been done sooner but he got sick and that had to be taken care of first.

 

[simba928]

Talk to your vet. The earlier they are neutered, the less likely they are to have health issues later on in life. If you have a dog neutered around 6 months, they are much less likely to have things like testicular cancer (I've seen dogs with HUGE tumors hanging because they were never neutered). You're vet will tell you what is best for your dog, though.

 

[NikiM20]

I will talk to my vet, however, I wanted to know what other dog owners have done in similar situations. All of my small breed dogs were fixed before six months old, but giant breeds are different.

ETA, I want to do research on my own so I can discuss it with my vet and not go into it blindly. I want what is best for my dog

 

[momto3pirates]

I raise/show danes. I have a 6 month old girl right now that will start her show career this weekend. With our pups, we recommend waiting until 12-18 months to neuter because it allows the dog to fill out. Danes neutered early tend to be taller and thinner. They have less muscle development than Danes neutered later. I am not saying everyone should wait. If you wait, you risk having hormones kick in and dealing with bad boy behavior. Definately do your research and decide what is best for you. Good luck with your baby!

 

[sunnyday123]

I have a Newfoundland, and my breeder asked us to wait until she was about a year old, or after her first heat cycle but before her 2nd. For males she suggests no earlier than 12 months and possibly waiting till 18-24 months.

There are studies ( although not "approved") that show waiting helps with their growth plates. Something about the hormones, etc. I know a few people with Newfs who had them done early and now have bad hips, etc. A lot of that also has to do with their parents, so my next question would be were the parents tested? My puppy's parents were in the 90th percentile, so while that means she's got a pretty good shot at not having issues, she still could. It's just part of owning a giant breed. The studies also suggest there isn't a big difference in the amount of cancers and issues between neutered/spayed dogs and those who weren't.
My main concern if we had got a male would be agression, and what he would do if he smelled a female in heat. Some Newfs top out at 180, and they are super strong.

I would also suggest finding a vet who knows and specializes in giant breeds. They can have a host of issues little dogs can't, like bloat, wobblers, dysplasia and ACL tears. Danes especially are more likely to bloat than other giant breeds, I beleive.

 

[NikiM20]

I do not know about his parents as he is a rescue. He will be neutered, it's just a matter of when. I got him at 4 mths old and he was severely malnourished. He has put on weight and as of today weighs 90 lbs!! I am not to concerned about him coming in contact with a female in heat. He is inside and goes out in a backyard with a 6 ft fence and only out of the fence on leash . This is my first experience with a Dane puppy and he is wonderful an a ball of energy!!

 

[simba928]

Danes neutered early tend to be taller and thinner.

Is that a problem? I mean, does that affect anything beyond the looks of the dog? Is it better healthwise for a Dane to be shorter with more muscle, assuming the dog is a pet only and not a show dog or used for breeding?

I'm seriously asking, I don't mean to sound rude or anything. I work at a shelter so I know the "common breeds" (labs, pits, shepherds, cattle dogs, beagles, etc.) and dogs in general very well. In the year and a half that I've been at the shelter we've only had 1 Dane (and that was only for the night, he went home the day after he came in).

 

[sunnyday123]

I would definitely check out some books on Danes then. Any giant breed or large chested dog is more likely to bloat. I wouldn't let him play hard for an hour before or after he eats. I think I read somewhere 1 in 5 Danes bloat. I'd also suggest school for him! I've learned giant breeds grow fast-like when you come home they are bigger than when you left, and it's not fun when you have 100 lbs hurtling at you at warp speed! Make sure he's super well socialized and then when he's all nice and trained, get ready to do it all over again when he hits his " teen stage"! You may be able to find a breeder that can be a mentor of sorts to you and help you along. I know I've called mine about all sorts of things from food to why does she do the crazy things she does!

 

[NikiM20]

I would definitely check out some books on Danes then. Any giant breed or large chested dog is more likely to bloat. I wouldn't let him play hard for an hour before or after he eats. I think I read somewhere 1 in 5 Danes bloat. I'd also suggest school for him! I've learned giant breeds grow fast-like when you come home they are bigger than when you left, and it's not fun when you have 100 lbs hurtling at you at warp speed! Make sure he's super well socialized and then when he's all nice and trained, get ready to do it all over again when he hits his " teen stage"! You may be able to find a breeder that can be a mentor of sorts to you and help you along. I know I've called mine about all sorts of things from food to why does she do the crazy things she does!

I am familier with Danes!! Our other two were just adults when we got them! I have a wonderful dog trainer who I can call about anything and we are working on obedience now. Thanks for all of the suggestions. Our other Danes were already fixed when we got them.

 

[fireplug]

We had our 165 lb Alaskan Malamute fixed at 1 year old.

Squid

 

[Cnrtygirl]

i have a english mastiff. my vet wants me to wait until he is about 18 months old. This was due to the testerone level helping with bone growth. unfortunely he broke his leg when he was 10 months old. when we had the surgery done to put two rods in his front leg, the surgeon was very happy that we have him on large breed puppy chow and that he was unaltered. because he was growing slowly and that the bone is going to heal perfectly.

 

[Jynohn]

I raise/show danes. I have a 6 month old girl right now that will start her show career this weekend. With our pups, we recommend waiting until 12-18 months to neuter because it allows the dog to fill out. Danes neutered early tend to be taller and thinner. They have less muscle development than Danes neutered later. I am not saying everyone should wait. If you wait, you risk having hormones kick in and dealing with bad boy behavior. Definately do your research and decide what is best for you. Good luck with your baby!

I raise and show Danes as well, and we have a clause in our puppy contract that requires our puppies not be altered until at least one year of age. I agree completely with your post. You can always tell a Dane that has been neutered too early, we have one in our neighborhood that looks like a greyhound on stilts.

For the others who have asked, there are other reasons besides cosmetic for waiting to spay/neuter. Early spay/neuter in giant breeds has been linked to a significantly increased risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). In addition, females who are spayed too early can also suffer from "spay incontinence" or urine leakage. In a giant breed dog, this can be a huge issue for owners.