Neutering/ to neuter or not - Page 1

Many vets advocate neutering. I am somewhat hesitant to neuter my 10 month GSD. My boy is well adjusted in every respect. He loves other animals, kids, adults, including strangers, and is very playful. I had a cat once I spayed and she had a complete personality change and was never the same for the 20 years of her life. I am so satisfied with this dog that I am terrified that this personality change could occur. Any thoughts?

I would not do it unless I had a real need or reason to do so.
Can you control unwanted breeding?   Thats the only real need aside from a medical condition.

I've never done it, for as you know, hormones are for more than reproduction. 

However, I live in the boondocks in an area where I don't have to worry about unwanted breeding.  So as long as you are 100% certain you can control your dog at all times, than I believe to leave him intact at least 3 years is the best thing for him.

First of all you would advocate neutering a dog as well if you got paid from the owner and from state for every dog you fix, as many vets do. Second there is no big medical benefit to fixing your dog. And finally a dog that have not mature yet should never be fixed, as you will stop him in his track by doing it. If you can prevent accidental breeding there is no reason to fix a dog. If you want to do it, wait till the dog mature.

Next time you vet recomed it do the same thing that I do: "I will fix my dog once you fix yourself" lol. they never ask after that ;) lol

Don't listen to the scare tactics of the vet.  Leave him intact. 

My vet told me that the growth plates on a GS do not close until approximately 15 months of age.   Also, a GS takes 2-3 years to fully mature.   Therefore, I will not get my dog neutered until he is 3, unless of course a medical reason would make it necessary to do it sooner.

I neutered my previous dog (in accordance with his adoption contract) at 2.5 years.  I specifically negotiated the wait so that he would finish growing and maturing first, and subsequently the neuter didn't change his personality *at all*.  He was a very masculine fellow, and masculine he stayed. I see nothing wrong with neutering after maturity if you have no intentions of breeding.  It really does cut down on prostate cancer/prostatitis in older males, and mammary tumors in females that have never bred. (I used to work for a vet and we saw a fair bit of both in intact older animals.)  That said, not every intact dog gets these ailments.  I also wouldn't neuter before maturity, because it does impact development -- and there's now evidence that neutering too early can negativly impact bone density as the dog ages.  So as far as I'm concerned it's up to you -- personally I prefer to neuter, but only after the dog has finished growing.

wait until your male is fully mature - 2 to 2.5 years before castrating him. his body need to mature.