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What's the best age to neuter my male dog? Conflicting vet advice.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Cattle Dog | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 18 days old | 20 lbs

Hi, I have a male Queensland Heeler and I am wondering what age I should have him neutered. There is a lot of conflicting information online. My parents told me that their vet recommended 6 months, but my vet told me that for larger breed dogs, you can wait until 2 years old. Queenslands are medium sized dogs, so I wasn't sure if 6 months would be good or if I should wait any longer, since I am not sure when he will hit puberty. Thanks, Nicole

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on March 3rd, 2017

Great question! There are pros and cons to neutering at different ages, so ultimately it comes down to your personal preference. The biggest advantage of neutering around six months or so, is that this will normally prevent the development of problematic "boy behaviors" such as urine marking, wanting to mount other dogs, not getting along with other intact males, and wanting to roam constantly in search of female dogs.

There is some evidence that early neutering (before the dog is finished growing) can increase the risk of certain orthopedic issues like hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures later in life, especially in large-breed or very athletic dogs. So, this is something to take into account as well.

Personally, I have always neutered my male dogs at around 10-12 months of age, when they're still fairly young but finished growing for the most part. Most of my clients choose to neuter around 6 months of age to avoid the behavior issues mentioned above. But ultimately, the choice is up to you :)
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 28th, 2018

    There are vets who advocate neutering male dogs around two years of age, and that's fine. In female dogs, it's best to spay them before their first heat to lower the risk of developing mammary tumors, but there isn't that worry in male dogs. You can wait until Bo is two to have him neutered. Personally, I recommend around now, but it's your decision. I hope this helps.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Sarah Box, BVSc

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 11th, 2017

    Thank you for asking this question! Neutering is typically recommended at around 6 months of age, though depending on breed and some physical characteristics it is sometimes recommended to wait till closer to 12 months. I see that Whiskey is about 4 years old-it is never too late to neuter your pet, have your vet check Whiskey over to make sure he is healthy, and I always recommend preanesthetic bloodwork to check for any internal issues!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 28th, 2019

    While there are some studies that link neutering with an increased risk for certain types of cancers in certain breeds of dog there is not currently evidence that early neutering vs neutering as an adult has an overall increased risk. I would recommend talking to your vet about the pros and cons of neutering prior to sexual maturity with your vet. It is a complex decision and the ideal age is different for every dog.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

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Should I neuter my puppy early or wait until he's 6 months old?
By convention, the general recommendation often 4-8 months, though early spy/neuter is common especially in shelters. A male dog who reaches sexual maturity before being neutered will grow into a “stalkier” build typically. There are also studies suggesting that waiting to neuter decrease the risk of knee problems and some types of cancers. However, he is also more likely to develop behavioral problems. With ages over 2, unneutered dogs are at a MUCH higher risk of overall health problems. I’d recommend talking to your vet about what their thoughts are. I don’t think there’s any significant difference in early neutering and neutering at 6 months of age. Here’s a couple of articles to consider: http://www.vrcc.com/oncology/does-early-castration-increase-the-risk-of-cancer-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/early-spays-neuters/ For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s wrong to do it at 6 weeks and I don’t think it’s wrong to do it at 2 years. I DO think it’s wrong to just decide to NOT do it all together. I hope that’s helpful... I realize it may just muddy the waters more for you, and I apologize! Talk to your vet about what he or she recommends and the two of you can come up with the best plan for Diggy.
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Neutering 6-month dog for humping: Is it too early for joints?
There are some studies that recently may have found a correlation between earlier neutering and an increased risk for joint issues. This is pretty new evidence and at this point I think it's not really clear what the risks and benefits are. I typically recommend waiting until a male dog has reached his adult size, usually around 1 year, to neuter BUT in situations where the dog is showing undesirable behaviors potentially related to sex hormones I strongly recommend neutering earlier. If you were planning on having him neutered by 8 months I doubt 1.5 months of growth would make much of a difference for his bones and joints, so I would considering scheduling the neuter now. You could always talk to your veterinarian about pros and cons as well.
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Is neutering best for my small dog? What are the pros and cons?
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Should I wait to spay or neuter my pet? What's the ideal age?
There is still a debate on whether or not spaying / castrating animals at a later age is beneficial. For now, until more research is done, it is still recommended to spay female animals around 6 months of age. Some veterinarians will recommend spaying at a later age (12 months or more) due to the effects of removing hormones on the body causing stunted growth and other changes later in life. Castrating is recommended around 6 months of age as well. However, in my opinion, it is ok to wait on castrating a male animal until an older age. In female animals, there is enough research that has been done that shows spaying reduces the risk of developing mammary cancer and also eliminates the chance of getting a uterine infection (pyometra) which can be fatal. In my honest opinion, if the stunted growth theory were true, I would take a decrease in growth rate over mammary cancer. I have spayed and neutered hundreds of animals and I have not seen any complications (other than urinary incontinence in female dogs) from getting spayed or castrated. If you want to wait on castrating Red, I would be comfortable in saying that this should be fine but to consider castrating him in the future due to reducing the risk of testicular tumors and prostate issues. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!
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Is it recommended to wait to neuter my 6-month-old male Labrador?
This is an awesome question! Personally I recommend not neutering Gus until he is at least a year old. This allows him to grow and mature, and some vets will recommend waiting until he is two years old. There will be no health risks associated with waiting until he is two to neuter him. The only concern is that he gets free and mates with a female in heat. If you can keep him away from all intact females, it's fine to wait until he is a year old. Now there isn't a concern if you want to neuter him now, but I personally recommend waiting until a year of age. I hope this helps!
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When is the best age to neuter my Golden Retriever puppy?
First of all, Oliver is absolutely adorable! I generally recommend neutering dogs around 5 to 6 months of age before negative hormone-fueled behaviors have a chance to develop. However, there is a lot of controversy even amongst veterinarians as to the best age to neuter dogs. Good, controlled studies are lacking as to the risks/benefits of neutering younger versus at full maturity. I hope this helps and that you enjoy your new furry addition!
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My puppy got shots. When should I neuter him, or can I wait?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Oh my goodness, Dallas is adorable! There is no medical or protective effect, like in female dogs, to neutering male dogs right away. I tell clients that if the dog is showing aggression, dominant behavior or is marking in the house then neuter them sooner. Neutering male dogs before they are middle age will prevent some prostate conditions (BPH, prostatitis, prostatic abscesses) , perineal hernias, and perineal adenomas which are hormonally caused. Good luck!
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