At What Age Should You Spay
Neuter or Breed a Cane Corso?

by Ken Alden


You just adopted a Cane Corso puppy, but now you’re curious at what age should you spay, neuter, or breed a Cane Corso? While some recommendations say that a Cane Corso should be spayed or neutered between eight and twelve months, other recommendations suggest Corsos shouldn’t be spayed or neutered until after twelve months up to 18 months. So by what age should you spay, neuter, or breed a Cane Corso?

At What Age Should You Spay, Neuter, or Breed a Cane Corso?

The age at which you should spay, neuter or breed your Cane Corso is anywhere between six and 18 months. Vets say the range is somewhere between four and nine months, depending on the age your dog gets past puberty. Breeding Cane Corsos is best to wait until they reach puberty which can be 18 months or more.

If you’re confused about the recommendations, you’re not alone, as many people seem to be confused. Let’s get started finding the clear truth about the age recommendations for spaying or neutering your Corso. Read More Below...

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At what age should you spay, neuter or breed a Cane Corso?

Why Should You Spay or Neuter Your Cane Corso?

Neutering or spaying your dog at the earliest age possible often prevents violent or rebellious behaviors that might come from territorial or mating disputes. When a male Corso is not neutered, he will constantly be on the lookout for his next mate. An instinct, to be sure, but it can cause you embarrassment when out on walks. 

Neutering your male dog can also remove the risk of testicular cancer and other health issues from their reproductive organs. While prostate cancer in dogs isn’t completely eliminated from neutering your dog, it can significantly reduce the risk. 

Spaying your female dog can help with several issues, not the least of which is:

  • A significant reduction in mammary tumors when done before 2 ½ years of age
  • Removes the small risk of uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancers
  • It almost removes the risk of pyometra, or pus in the uterus, which affects about 23% of intact dogs 
  • Complications from giving birth to a litter of puppies

Female dogs in heat often have a bloody discharge and will need to be confined to keep her away from male dogs during this time. Spaying your Corso can eliminate this and make her more comfortable throughout her life.


Pro-tip: Cane Corso anxiety, aggression, destructive chewing, jumping up, fearfulness, and other behaviors can be controlled with the right training program.

Here’s a great course that addresses these issues along with many other dog training basics: Check it out now!

At What Age Should You Neuter a Cane Corso?

It is very important that male Corsos not be neutered before six months, as they could develop several diseases and illnesses like bone cancer or obesity. Some sources suggest that neutering your dog before 12 months of age creates more risks of these problems than if the procedure was done after a year old. 

Those same sources don’t mention anything about how old is too old to complete the neutering procedure. Still, once the dog reaches six months to a year old and has reached puberty, it should be neutered to avoid female dogs’ unwanted attention. 

Other sources say that you should neuter a Cane Corso between 12 and 18 months of age and that each case is different, depending on when your puppy hits puberty and what its personality is like. Your vet should be able to tell you when and if you need to neuter your Cane Corso puppy. at what age should you spay neuter or breed a cane corso

At What Age Should You Spay a Cane Corso?

As with male Cane Corsos, females should not be spayed until six months of age. But since there are more risks with spaying female dogs than there are with neutering male dogs, there is an age where it is too late to spay dogs, which is around two and a half years. Once past that age, female dogs can still get cancer or other diseases regardless of being spayed at an older age.

However, spaying your dog can help prevent false pregnancy symptoms such as their nipples releasing milk after being in heat, which can cause health problems later. 

There are various ideas about when your female Corso should be spayed, but some vets say that you shouldn’t wait for her first heat to spay her, as it could cause some behavior problems. But this idea is not supported by science.
 

At What Age Can You Breed a Cane Corso?

Professional breeders usually wait to breed Cane Corsos until they reach 18 months or better, allowing dogs to reach sexual maturity. 

Breeding your Cane Corso might not always be in your dog’s best interest, even though you might have paid a lot of money for your dog. In recent years, several amateur dog breeders have tried breeding their Corsos because they want to gain money back on their “investment.” But without a thorough knowledge of the breed and breeding process, they could do more harm than good. 

The worst thing they can do is to breed whatever Corso they have without testing for health issues or congenital problems that need to be weeded out. 

If you don’t know enough about the Cane Corso breed, it might be best to leave the breeding to the professionals. 

Will Spaying or Neutering Change Their Behaviors?

For many years, the accepted answer to a dog whose behaviors were out of control was to spay or neuter them. It was also accepted that dog owners need to spay or neuter their dogs to control the dog population. However, while controlling the dog population is still an accepted reason, vets and other animal experts are not sure that it can control their behaviors. 

The American Kennel Club reports that male dogs with highly aggressive behaviors that were neutered only reduced their aggression by 25-30%. However, as mentioned previously, it can help male Corsos stop trying to find a mate while on a walk with you.

Female Corsos become very territorial, especially if they are not spayed and are ready to mate and have puppies. Spaying your dog might reduce these tendencies and help her be more comfortable over the long term.

Pro-tip: Cane Corso's (and their owners) love dog crates…and for good reasons. Crates keep dogs from mischief while you're away, are perfect for house training, for traveling by car, and provide the dog a place to de-stress. Check out the best Mastiff crates on Amazon.com now.

Should You Always Spay or Neuter Your Cane Corso?

In many cases, spaying or neutering your Cane Corso can increase their lifespans and reduce their risk of several diseases. It also reduces the number of dogs in shelters or that are put to sleep because there are no homes for them. 

Female Corsos can suffer infections or complications from giving birth, while male Corsos can be attacked by other males in a mating or dominance attempt. 

However, neutering or spaying your Corso can result in some complications they wouldn’t otherwise have, including:

  • Obesity because of the hormonal changes for either sex
  • They might be at risk for other cancer types
  • When spayed or neutered too early, they are at further risk of hip dysplasia, incontinence, torn ligaments, or other issues

Whether you spay or neuter your Cane Corso is an issue that you need to discuss with your veterinarian, as each dog is different and has different needs and requirements. Your vet should determine if and when the surgery should be performed. 

At What Age Should You Spay Neuter or Breed a Cane Corso?...Final Thoughts

When you first adopt a Cane Corso and don’t know a lot about the breed, it can be easy to follow anyone’s advice about your dog’s reproductive issues. But because of so many conflicting theories about spaying and neutering online, it’s difficult to weed out the right advice. at what age should you spay neuter or breed a cane corso

For example, one site tells you that it’s an absolute requirement to spay or neuter your Corso by 12 months at the latest, while other sites tell you not to complete the operations before one year of age. 

Only you and your vet can determine the best course of action.

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About Author


About the Author...

Ken Alden, a dedicated Mastiff owner for over eight years, is acclaimed for his expertise in care, grooming, and training. Read more About Me and my dog Shadow.

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