What are all the pros and cons to neutering a large breed dog prior to one year old?

List as many as you can think of, please.Thanks!What about growth platelets?bells3011-very good point!

Pro's: odds against cancerNot wandering around for females in heatWill have more of an attention span (to the owner)Easier to train (if it is not a show dog)Cons: None that I can think of.

Answers will vary on this site...what you can do...is google neutering pros and cons and read about the different studies that have been done.Also consult your vet and a breeder, if you have one.

It's just the responsible thing to do. A healthy puppy can be neutered at 10 weeks. Okay, some vets like to wait a little longer, but there is no reason to have an adult (dogs can reach sexual maturity around 11 mos.) dog that has not been spayed or neutered.

Pro's:-Prevents prostate issues and cancer-ELIMINATES testicular cancer and abnormalities-Eliminates the off-chance possibility that your dog "knocks up" a dog and the owners of the female dog don't want to care for the puppies so they leave them on the street to die-Animals recover from anesthesia much better before they are full grown which is probably the number one reason to do it now. Since their bodies are still developing, it can react to anesthesia in a positive form, expelling it from the body which can prevent possible complications with anesthesia. When the body is finished growing, because all of the tissues and bones are of mature size, the body takes longer and uses more energy to react to the anesthesia, which can sometimes cause complications.Con's:None... other than a slight risk of anesthesia.If you meant "Growth Plates"... the answer is this:Growth plates have absolutely nothing to do with the testicles. Dogs will not be more muscular and will not grow more just because they have their testosterone producing organs. If you really want a meatier, stronger built dog, take time now to focus on his diet. Make sure you get a high quality food with high protein content. Check the labels on bags and compare.

unless your dog is a good breeding dog, i dont recommend waiting. i rescued my dog at 2 years old and he was not neutered, he was more aggressive, peed on EVERYTHING inside and out, he did not listen well, you saw the red rocket which is just not fun, he humpedafter he was neutered, he listened better, he was less food aggressive, much less aggressive to other dogs, he has a calmer temperment, he doesnt mark anything except trees on a walk (no more marking the house!!! - that stopped immediately)and no i grew up with a 100lb lab, he was fine neutering at 6 months. he grew big and large so no issues with growth

Here is a very good thorough article about spay/neutering large dogs at an early age. I would prefer people wait til dogs at least a 1yr but if necessary I would rather them neuter dog than not.http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

Pros.Wont see th balls.will not get a dog pregnnt.will decrease some cancer (while increasing others)ConsNeutered male dogs face risks for certain health conditions later in life. The risk for osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, increases significantly if a dog is neutered before his first birthday. Other serious health risks that increase after neutering a male dog include urinary tract cancer, prostate cancer and malignant tumors in the heart, cardiac hemangiosarcoma. Some neutered dogs are also more prone to hypothyroidism or low thyroid levels, reactions to vaccinations and orthopedic problemsThe high level of potential future health problems lead some experts such as Laura J. Sanborn, M.S. of Rutgers University, to argue that the health risks of neutering a male dog outweigh the benefits of neutering him.

Here are some well researched articles -http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.htmlhttp://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdfthe risk of some cancers is lowered or eliminated by altering but others the risk INCREASES so thats a washthe risk of behavior problem associated with male dogs such as marking dropsif done before the growth plates close the dog get TALLER but thinner this can affect the angles of joints an RAISES chances of hip dyspashia and ACL tears - this con disappears after full growth reachedSpay/neuter coat is finner & more profuse - can be pro or con depending....No puppies and less need to roam hunting females - but a responsible owner does not ALLOW dog to roam ANYWAY (neutered dogs get hit on road too)TOAST: What did you do sleep through collage anat & phys? The affect on closing growth plates is well documented for over a centry in many species! The prostate cancer risk goes UP in dogs - also well documented