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Permalink Reply by Lou Ann Lemaster on November 29, 2008 at 1:03pm

I had Duncan done at around 4-5 months of age. As soon as he "dropped" both of his testicles. If doing it too early meant a smaller dog, than I'm glad I did Duncan then...LOL!. He's a bruiser of a dog. He is a real solid corgi, in fact, my husband calls him a bull in a china shop. He is strong enough to push his way to about anything he wants. Then other times, a piece of paper will stop him in his tracks and he'll whine until you move it.

Sorry, I'm not an expert at this information. All I know is I wanted Duncan done early enough that I wouldn't have to worry about him wanting to start marking territories.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on November 29, 2008 at 1:55pm

Can you please send me a link? Thanks... Lisa

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Permalink Reply by Mattie, Dooley, and Duncan on June 23, 2009 at 10:17pm

Hi, Lisa....you've probably long since had your boy fixed, but just for the record...
Human and canine males alike have a growth spurt during their pubertal development. Much of this growth is mediated by the hormone testosterone, which supports function of GH (growth hormone) and other physiological processes necessary for growth and development. While testosterone does lead to more action of GH and thus growth, it also serves to stop growth eventually by inducing the growth plates on the ends of long bones to fuse and 'seal. '
In human males with high levels of testosterone in early puberty, you often see very muscular individuals with enlarged sex organs, deeper voices, and.....SHORT STATURE! due to earlier epiphyseal fusion.
So, to make a long answer even longer....early neutering will remove testosterone's effect on the cessation of long bone development, resulting in slightly TALLER corgis. If you want your corgi to be smaller, neuter after 6 months (according to my vet).

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Permalink Reply by Beth on June 24, 2009 at 6:58am

This makes sense. We neutered at 6 months, and my dog is HUGE (for a Corgi). Nearly 14 inches at the shoulder, and weighs in at nearly 40 pounds when he is not overweight. He's a big, big boy. His parents are both show dogs, so it was not breeder issue.

I realize even a good breeder will have some dogs that fall outside the standard size, and I found a show result where his littermate sister won a class but the judge did comment "a bit larger than the others," so I don't think the neutering was all of it. But I do think if we'd neutered him later he might be a bit smaller.

Lisa, you can look online and find vets insisting on neutering as early as possible, a few who even advocate neutering much younger, several that say it's better to wait til closer to a year. I believe the science is mixed on this. Just remember if you are waiting that your boy might be sexually mature enough to impregnate a female, so be careful with him around other dogs and don't let him off-leash in case there is a female in heat.

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Permalink Reply by Beauty and the Beast on June 24, 2009 at 8:20am

My breeder had a corgi that she wanted to show, but he is huge as well. This is obviously not neutering issue cause he never was neutered. And is also not breeding issue because his parents are champions. It just happens.

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Permalink Reply by Boo Buchheit on June 24, 2009 at 7:02am

I had Leo altered at 24 weeks, just under 6 months. You can tell from his pictures that he is a great looking, obviously male Corgi. I am doing Randy at the exact same age. Leo does not mark all over, and does not go crazy to get to female dogs. I think waiting too long is a bad thing for those reasons. I did not want Leo to have what I consider to be undesirable male behaviors. I don't think he is undeveloped as a result neutering at this age.

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Permalink Reply by Mattie, Dooley, and Duncan on June 24, 2009 at 12:04pm

wow! He sure is a handsome boy! I plan to wait til 6 months, perhaps, but I don't mind if he's on the large side. I'm not going to show him.
Beth, it's funny that you mentioned that your dog was huge even though his parents were standard size; same thing with my corgi! The vet likened it to two short parents having a taller kid, which happens quite a lot in humans :)
But as for being big, I think it will be an advantage in Dooley's world. His most constant playmates are the dogs of my mother's sisters and my cousins (we live close by), the 'extended' pack includes a golden retriever, a siberian husky, an english setter, a lab/ german shorthair pointer mix, an english springer spaniel, and a german sheperd dog who weighs, no joke, more than I do. He is pretty trim, too, he just has the most enormous frame I've ever seen!
So anyway, I definitely won't lose sleep over Dooley being a little bigger than the other corgis on the block.

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Permalink Reply by Beauty and the Beast on June 24, 2009 at 8:21am

my vet recommends to neuter him at 5-6 months of age, I'll probably do at 6-7, it doesn't really matter at this point. Unless he starts behaving like a macho.

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Permalink Reply by Shippo & Koga Corgis on June 24, 2009 at 12:56pm

I waited till Shippo was 9 months old to neuter him, per the breeder's request.

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