Neutering 8 week old puppies......

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Naryafluffy

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does anyone know how much this affects the puppies?
Friend of a friend recently bought a Labradoodle and it had already been neutered at 8 weeks old, there are now problems with the puppy being a bit aggressive and wonder if being neutered at such an early age has messed up the natural hormone levels (it's a bitch), apparently the breeder is neutering the puppies to stop anyone else breeding from them and of course because they are cross breeds they're not KC registered and cannot have an endorsement put on them to stop this so the solution seems to be neutering before they go to the new homes.
I'm all for neutering all dogs unless there are very good reasons that they are going to be bred from but I've never heard of it being done that young before.
 
How old is the dog now? I find it hard to believe that any vet would actually neuter at that age, it seems ludicrous. Especially in a large breed like that, I can only see that these pups will have severe issues from neutering so early, they are no where near developed at that age. Shocking.
 
Just reading up on this and it appears quite common in the US, interesting. It actaully states in many articles that aggression problems should be eliminated by early neuter, what an odd claim! I would be personally more concerned with the risks to growth and bones by neutering so early but it does seem common with little side effect in the US. No real studies seem to have been done about it though.
 
You should all rush out and buy last Friday`s Our Dogs. In it are some very interesting facts and figures that really do put the "neutering for health" stuff under scrutiny. And all about the physical effects of early neutering..next weeks edition covers the mental effects. Read and absorb!:)
 
PMSL @ a "labradoodle" breeder wanting to stop indiscriminate breeding.

I know a vet in Florida who neuters pet puppies at eight weeks & has done for years.
 
I have heard of this breeder, these doodle things go for £1500 Im sure, so literally the purchaser is shelling out for the neutering, they obs have a vet who is ok with it and probably get s a descent amount of cash in exchange.
Its done so that the buyers cannot then make a mint for x breedes like the bsb shelling them out.
8 weeks is far to young, im all for neutering and yes I believe and have seen the results of health issues on both sides and still believe neutering at the correct age is best.;)
In America the rescues do it, and to be fair there are some full on knobbers in this world that will breed from anything with the organs to do so, so you cannot blame them:rolleyes:
 
I do agree with neutering adult non-breeding stock, but eight weeks is ridiculous IMO.
EK, dog publications make a lot of money from people advertising studs and litters, no? :p
Although should make interesting reading, thanks for the heads-up :)
Oh, I take it these breeders also hip and elbow score, as they are so into health and responsibility?
 
Vizslak said:
Just reading up on this and it appears quite common in the US, interesting. It actaully states in many articles that aggression problems should be eliminated by early neuter, what an odd claim! I would be personally more concerned with the risks to growth and bones by neutering so early but it does seem common with little side effect in the US. No real studies seem to have been done about it though.
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Yes it is very common here. Most rescue organisations have to neuter puppies before they can be adopted.

I adopted a puppy last year and had to jump through many hoops to stop him being neutered at 8 weeks. I had to sign an agreement and get letters from my vet. It was worth it; pup got to grow to 9 months before losing his jewels.
 
Hmmm, it did cross my mind that it was maybe a way of the breeder keeping the monopoly on the market in that particular cross breed in their area. The thought of an 8 week old pup undergoing spay surgery is pretty shocking I must say.
Thanks for the heads up re Our Dogs, I only get Dog World, will have to try and get hold of a copy of OD.
 
As said, it is common in the USA.

I too disagree with it as testosterone is needed to close growth which is why any animal neutered before full growth (or very near) is probably going to get much taller.

There are also many other health issues involved.

I am all for spay/neuter - we only have one intact bitch in the dogs here and she is breed worthy but none were neutered before they were at least 18 months old (with the terriers) and the bigger dogs (Labs, BC and GSD) were all over two years.
 
Vizslak said:
Just reading up on this and it appears quite common in the US.
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Definitely common among puppy mill "breeders".

My pug came from a pet store, and was fixed at ten weeks of age. He's much taller than the average pug, and his coat is like than of an arctic breed, both of which are linked to early neutering. He has an incredibly sweet personality, however, so luckily that wasn't affected.
 
CaveCanem said:
I do agree with neutering adult non-breeding stock, but eight weeks is ridiculous IMO.
EK, dog publications make a lot of money from people advertising studs and litters, no? :p
Although should make interesting reading, thanks for the heads-up :)
Oh, I take it these breeders also hip and elbow score, as they are so into health and responsibility?
Click to expand...

I thought it might be a good article to put in my puppy pack..before some vet scares ``em s..tless and neuters it early.
 
I think it's barbaric!

Every living creature needs to grow and to remove the hormones is just stupid before the animal has had the chance to mature. There are far to manny vets out there telling folk to have their puppy neutered as this will make it more manageable, instead of telling them what they should be, which is to to get out there off the sofa, walk it and train it and allow it to be a dog and grow up.

If you don't want a pup to behave like a pup, or a youngster to misbehave, don't have a dog!
 
Vizslak said:
How old is the dog now? I find it hard to believe that any vet would actually neuter at that age, it seems ludicrous. Especially in a large breed like that, I can only see that these pups will have severe issues from neutering so early, they are no where near developed at that age. Shocking.
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Puppy I believe is now 12 weeks and they are having agression issues already, wonder why.


s4sugar said:
PMSL @ a "labradoodle" breeder wanting to stop indiscriminate breeding.
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Prettu much what my trainer said as well, she doesn't like the cross breed because she feels this is what happens when you can't put an endorsement on the breed papers

CAYLA said:
I have heard of this breeder, these doodle things go for £1500 Im sure, so literally the purchaser is shelling out for the neutering, they obs have a vet who is ok with it and probably get s a descent amount of cash in exchange.
Its done so that the buyers cannot then make a mint for x breedes like the bsb shelling them out.
8 weeks is far to young, im all for neutering and yes I believe and have seen the results of health issues on both sides and still believe neutering at the correct age is best.;)
In America the rescues do it, and to be fair there are some full on knobbers in this world that will breed from anything with the organs to do so, so you cannot blame them:rolleyes:
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Think this could be the one, but I have been told 2 different prices, one said the woman paid £1700 the other £3200 (why would you pay either of those amounts for a cross breed), think I'll stick with getting non-puppies from breed rescue/rehoming places, then I can get them neutered at the correct age.
 
Naryafluffy said:
........

Prettu much what my trainer said as well, she doesn't like the cross breed because she feels this is what happens when you can't put an endorsement on the breed papers
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Many of the parents of these mutts are actually endorsed "Progeny not eligible for registration" anyway but it doesn't count as the pups cannot be registered.

I have two expensive mutts in boarding at the moment. One looks like a lab with a beard and the other like a big grey/black mop complete with dreadlocks. One has dodgy hips & the other I suspect has SA although the vet thinks the patchy coat is due to stress when their child was born as "Labradoodles don't get SA" = this is an F2 with poodle on both sides & oh yes they do! (Ringworm scrapes have been checked)
When tis pair first came in I asked why they didn't get a standard poodle?
Their answer - they didn't like how they were cut!!

I suppose anyone dumb enough to not realise hair can be trimmed anyway you wish (if it gets brushed) is asking to be conned.
 
s4sugar said:
I suppose anyone dumb enough to not realise hair can be trimmed anyway you wish (if it gets brushed) is asking to be conned.
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How do these people actually manage to survive when they are that stupid, this is a prime example of why you should have to take a test before you are allowed to own an animal, think you should have to take one before you're allowed to breed, would stop wasters breeding wasters and costing us so much!!!
 
elsbells said:
I think it's barbaric!

If you don't want a pup to behave like a pup, or a youngster to misbehave, don't have a dog!
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100% with you!
I had no idea this went on? How is it even possible to find an 8 week old pups testicles? I can see it's sensible from a rescue point of view but I'd rather educate people or make it law somehow that you don't breed EVER unless you have written permission along with a licence...........and then she wakes up:(
 
most pups testes are descended by 8 weeks OOTP. Still though, its just all bloody wrong to me. I cant quite get my head round it tbh. When these pups are fully grown, are you not likely to end up with a dog with an eternal pup like mentality?! Ie frustrated, short attention span etc? I just cant see the benefit. I am all for neutering at the right time but this makes no sense to me. Agree with whoever said it sounds like they are doing to keep the monoply on those ridiculous prices they charge in this instance, which is fair enough, at the end of the day it will stop hundreds more of the things being bred but surely contracting owners the traditional way is better than desexing at such early age. I find it hard to believe (in response to OP's original q) that it would create more aggression, I would have thought the opposite in males (females I can see it would be very detrimental to) but as I said I cant find any real studies done on the subject.
 
katielou where in the UK do they neuter at 8wks - where i worked we worked closely with the local rescue centres and nothing was neutered below the age of 6mnths
 
Blue cross do not neuter under 6 months, I'm not sure on all RSPCA centres but I dont believe its standard policy throughout the RSPCA.
 
A vet would need a magnifying glass to find Pickles balls, and he is 10 weeks. I suppose a plus is that it wouldn't need a big incision! I know of a couple of people who have had pups from RSPCA and they certainly haven't been neutered so don't think it is common place round here.
 
Vizslak said:
I find it hard to believe (in response to OP's original q) that it would create more aggression, I would have thought the opposite in males (females I can see it would be very detrimental to) but as I said I cant find any real studies done on the subject.
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It is a female puppy, think I might take a visit to puppy class a week on Sunday just to see what it is actually like, if it's the owner over-reacting to puppy behaviour.
 
Sorry, am reading this from a phone and reading all the replies is impossible with mini writing so didn't get to finish reading all the other replies. As a result, I am purely replying to the original post.

I actually had this conversation with a vet today, this is what I gathered from it...
In America it is common to neuter puppies at a very young age, and often to no ill effect. Over here it's more common to neuter at a later age. For bitches, it's preferable for them to have gone into heat at least once before they're done, to allow estrogen levels to settle and reduce the chances of effecting/upsetting the bladder and such.
 
Naryafluffy said:
It is a female puppy, think I might take a visit to puppy class a week on Sunday just to see what it is actually like, if it's the owner over-reacting to puppy behaviour.
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Ah I see sorry, I thought we were talking a male for some reason. In which case, I'm not suprised. I personally would expect to see adverse behavioural effects from such early neutering in a bitch.
 
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