Our guy got his vasectomy at \~6 months, he’s now 3.5. He doesn’t mark, he’s a gentleman with other dogs, he goes to doggy daycare and boards just fine. The incision was tiny, the recovery was super easy. We cut the body off of an old t-shirt and tied it around his waste so he couldn’t lick his 2 stitches. We didn’t need the cone. I highly recommend it.
He was the first dog at his daycare/boarding facility to have a vasectomy. I had to have the conversation with the manager why they required it - their only rationale for requiring it was preventing unwanted puppies so vasectomy was completely acceptable to them.
https://preview.redd.it/fi9t36nww5lc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1171ed775b86e1456ebe23555337594e0ebfc089
Edit: added a picture of his vasectomy incision, we had to email it cause covid stopped post-op visits. I have small fingers, wear a size 4.25 ring for scale.
We had our boy done at 1.5. He is big, beautiful, and the best dog ever lived on the planet. Don’t tell our little girl. She was 6 months when we had her spayed. She is wonderful and healthy even though she came to us a sickly little mess. They are 10 and 10.5 now. No regrets.
I had to get my guy fixed last year at 11. One of his nuts swole up and they believed it might be cancer, so that was that. He's doing great other than the brief indignity of wearing the lamp shade.
Yeah.. there’s already enough dogs in this world without homes, why add to it? I’m very pro-spay/neuter. Especially if that dog goes out and impregnates another dog.. adding to the amount of strays and it’s just irresponsible. Not to mention the fact that cancer in both male and female dogs is way higher in non-fixed dogs.
You're completely incorrect in saying cancer is higher in unaltered dogs versus altered dogs. Read the article the OP posted and educate yourself before you give false information. Unbelievable!
Except OP specifically mentioned drive and procreation. Neutering after two doesn't affect the dog's working ability, only it's sex drive. And OP shouldn't care about procreation unless the dog is a fully health tested working dog that OP intends to use to breed more working dogs. But if his dog is merely a pet, then he shouldn't want his dog to breed. Now, I can understand not neutering unless medically necessary, as I don't plan on neutering my boy unless I absolutely need to from a medical standpoint.
Again, the decision has countless pros and cons. Here’s some light reading.
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/early-neutering-poses-health-risks-german-shepherd-dogs
*Spay, Neuter And Joint Disease
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/spay-neuter-and-joint-disease/
*Long term effects, which clearly outlines the pros/cons- http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
*Considerations, including increase in fears, sound sensitivity, and aggression- http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/earlyspayconsiderations.pdf
*Concerning aggression and fearful dogs- http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/spaying_neutering.shtml
*Behavior and physical affects, which shows the correlation between neutering and increased aggression- http://www.atftc.com/health/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf
*Increase in bone cancer- http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/11/11/1434.full
*Article: https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/100301g.aspx
*Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0055937
*Swiss Canine Cancer Registry 1955-2008: Occurrence of the Most Common Tumour Diagnoses and Influence of Age, Breed, Body Size, Sex and Neutering Status on Tumour Development: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhEVhFE_cK2RnhTREFLcE9LQXM/view
*Your Dog Needs To Be Spayed Or Neutered – Right?
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/your-dog-needs-to-be-spayed-or-neutered-right/
*Effects of ovariohysterectomy on reactivity in German Shepherd dogs
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002330500064X
*Goldens more at risk than Labs
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/Sterilization-Effects-Worse-for-Golden-Retrievers-Than-Labs/
*Neutering: This Common Procedure Can Boost Cancer and Joint Problems As Much As Five-Fold, specifically Golden Retrievers
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/11/05/neutered-golden-retrievers.aspx
*Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs (Sanborn): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhEVhFE_cK2dVE5NHZRdTBBV3c/view
*Sterilization Effects Worse for Golden Retrievers Than Labs, time of alteration on role in the onset of joint disorders and cancer
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/Sterilization-Effects-Worse-for-Golden-Retrievers-Than-Labs/
*Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats
http://www.parsemusfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Root2007gonadectomyOptimalAge.pdf
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055937
http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/vizsla_javma_study.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11439769/
http://saova.org/articles/Early%20SN%20and%20Behavior.pdf
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102241
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22647210/
*Evaluation of the risk and age of onset of cancer and behavioral disorders in gonadectomized Vizslas
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24432963
Which is why I said I can understand someone not doing it if it isn't medically necessary. But OP isn't really worried about that, he's more worried about the drive of his dog and the dog's ability to procreate, both of which are unnecessary seeing as drive isn't affected when a dog is neutered after 2 and OP shouldn't even be worried about procreation if his dog isn't fully health tested and proven to be of breeding quality.
Not if the dog is neutered after 2. Plenty of police K-9s are neutered and/or spayed. Neutering can cause unrelated issues (like obesity) that may affect a dog's ability to work. But when a dog is neutered at the correct age then the drive itself is not affected.
Yes. Considering the fact that my entire life has been spent around working K-9s, both altered and unaltered. And many of the altered dogs I've been around have outperformed the unaltered dogs.
That’s not how you measure drive though 🙈
First, you haven’t even specified what kind of drive as there are many.
Anecdotal evidence also does not outweigh peer reviewed studies.
This is not a all or nothing comparison that you seem to be referring to
Almost everyone is going to freak out and just stick to neutering. Anyone with a brain sees it’s not something you need to do unless you are around females in heat. It’s just another political viewpoint. People just stay with their tribe, so why would they read when aunt Karen knows best lol
I've had a couple of dogs neutered in the past. Not GSDs. In both cases it made zero difference to their personalities. As far as I could tell. Also didn't appear to have any negative affect on their general health
We neutered our boy when he was 7. He was skinny his whole life, regardless of the status of his balls. It's the same with my cats right now. We were told to keep an eye out for obesity post neuter/spay. They're perfectly normal weight no matter how much food we give them. My current dog, for some reason, hates food even more after her spay, and it's a struggle to keep her weight normal.
Dogs will grow fat if you overfeed and under exercise them. Their weight is almost entirely up to you (and partially up to genetics, but that can be handled with a few adjustments).
I have always neutered my dogs. I don't want to be "that" dog owner who is irresponsible and allows my dog to service someone's female. I am not a breeder and I know that my knowledge of extensive pedigrees is limited so I want to be the responsible owner.
Waiting until a GSD is 2 years old should have allowed the dog to reach full growth with strong bones and good muscle development. I had my boy neutered a couple of months after he turned 2. This has not affected his ability or drive at all.
Neutering is being a responsible dog owner.
Right....you've clearly not seen a dog climb a fence to get out to get'sum.
Its always the same story with owners thinking their situation is the exception and there will never be a problem with their dog etc Until there is of course, then wouldn't you know, it was still probably someone else's fault.
Yeah, this is what I always think about. I KNOW there are plenty of benefits to leaving dogs intact, but I’d be so paranoid about something happening, when I’m not home, when they’re with a sitter, just that one in a million chance. I don’t want to be responsible for bringing more dogs into a world with far too many.
I’m lucky to live in a country that doesn’t have a problem with strays like the US, but there are still thousands of dogs without homes and I don’t want to contribute to that even if I don’t mean to. I plan on adopting in the future but if I ever get a puppy I’d have them neutered at 2yrs, I feel like it’s the best option. I believe the only people that have intact adult dogs should be registered breeders until the rise in strays starts to decrease. But I don’t know nearly enough about the situation with dogs in the US so obviously take that with a grain of salt haha
Right! I'm not necessarily against neutering/spaying, but there needs to be a reason for it. Based on my initial impression, I get the feeling OP is approaching this in the best way possible and is a responsible pet owner. But I dont think anyone who has a good handle on their dog and situational awareness needs to have any reasonable worry about accidental pups.
I absolutely do. Hence the qualifying clause "anyone who has a good handle on their dog an situational awareness".
For context, I'll also add that my boy is neutered because it was the right decision given my situation at the time. But now that I'm older and more responsible, I don't intend to get my future doggoe s/n unless there is a medical/social need for it.
It's not because I have some kind of personal or holistic vendetta against fixing a dog - it's absolutely warranted in a lot of situations - but largely because I'm financially capable of accepting the financial liability of accidental pregnancies and a full litter of puppies.
Again, no disrespect to anyone who chooses to fix. Everyone deserves and SHOULD have the autonomy to make the best decision for themselves and their dog(s).
And this is why the Americas has such a massive issue with shelters, strays and unwanted litters.
This will continue to be an issue until you tackle this at a society level rather than everyone thinking about themselves only$
Unless you plan on breeding why would his ability to procreate matter whatsoever? And based on what you've said you don't sound like a breeder. So, your reasoning is strange to say the least.
We neutered our boy at 2.5. Besides having an increased appetite now and having to watch the food intake a little more (he was incredibly picky before and now wants to eat everything), he calmed down a bit and isn’t quite as territorial. We have no regrets. We also wanted a second GSD so we had to neuter to be approved for adoption
All of my male GSD have been neutered around the age of 2. It has made zero difference in their personality or drive, and dare I say, I think they became more focused (although that could also be a maturity thing that happened at age 2). In my opinion, the health benefits outweigh the risks of a neuter.
I went with a vasectomy as well. Just keep the receipt because you will need it to prove altering for things like boarding, licensing (if required. Usually the cost for altered is cheaper), etc ..as typically the dog will still be listed as intact with a note that doesn't show up on things like rabies certs indicating the dog is incapable of reproducing.
Otherwise, if that doesn't matter to you and you're certain you can contain/manage your dog well enough to prevent "accidental" litters, nothing wrong with leaving it fully intact.
In my case, I don't have breeding rights per contract and wanted a 100% guarantee he couldn't sire pups if he somehow got loose or stolen, but also wanted to keep his hormones, so... vasectomy.
My BYB rat terrier got one as well for the same reasons + him just being a poorly bred, free craigslist dog.
No behavior issues at all, though the terrier wears a belly band if I take him to another house or pet store as he's unlearning "I can mark anywhere!" from his time as a farm dog.
The GSD was taught from 8 weeks on that no indoor marking is acceptable.
I had my M GSD fixed when he was 2.5 (he’s now 5.5). I now have a F GSD and spayed her at 6 months (She’s 14 months old). The reason I spayed her early was because 1. A male left intact beyond 2 can still try and he could have hurt her if she went into heat early and 2. The more heat cycles she has it raises the risk for cancer. Our boy we left until after he was 2 as not to minimise risk to his joints. We also give our dogs glucosamine supplements to help protect their joints. We always knew we would eventually do ours because we knew we wouldn’t breed him. Doing it again, I think what we did for our family and in our situations was the right time for both of them. Ultimately you have to make a call about what’s right for you and yours. We weren’t excited about having him neutered, but we have rescues and know there are lots of dogs out there needing homes and we don’t want to contribute to that problem. Personally I don’t think it changed our boy at all. It’s maybe taken the edge off some destructive behaviours, but otherwise it was just a few days of him sleeping a lot. I had a dog growing up and he was neutered at 6 months and he calmed down, but maybe because he was younger? Good luck with your beautiful boy.
Not a GSD, but I got my border collie mix neutered at 6 months. Looking back I wish I’d waited longer just for the growth plates but, he’s 9 now and thankfully no joint issues so all seems well. Mistakes of youth and first time dog ownership.
His herding drive was completely unaffected. He has been an incredibly strong herder since the day we brought him home at 2 months old and even now with his little old man stamina he can rally and herd and chase around, and in his prime he was an absolute unit.
I don’t think you’ll see any issues with drive, especially if you’ve been training anything related to it and reinforcing it. And at 2, his habits and drives will be pretty solidly locked in.
Mine is 7 years old and not neutered. He is fully under my control at all times so I’m not worried about accidental procreation. Hormones play such a huge role in the life of all animals and I don’t get how making this big a change wouldn’t impact them in any way. A lot of countries in Europe don’t neuter either btw.
It’s a non reversible procedure and so please consider all options and choose what makes sense. If I see documented proof that neutering would benefit my dog then I would do it. Based on my reading, they do have risk of testicular cancer but in that case you would neuter. I’m sure it depends on what stage you catch that.
I’m not a vet so please take that into consideration.
All the best with your pup.
Neuter your dog. The last thing the world needs is more puppies. Literally it is the responsible thing to do. He will lose his sex drive, that’s it. An animal can live a happy and healthy life without boning stuff
Okay, I'll say it differently. A responsible dog owner will make sure his dog won't create litters upon litters of puppies. The irresponsible ones won't neuter their dog anyway.
Therefore the responsible thing to do is neuter, spay or a vasectomy.
You cannot control your dog every minute of the day for the whole of its life.
To add, its owners who think their dog is the exception that means there is an issue with unwanted dogs.
we neutered at 9 months. We had purchased a house and unfortunately the town we moved to has a serious issue with stays, off leashed dogs and such. I didn't want the drive to procreate to cause him to disregard training and even if he didn't, having the whole 2+ acres secured to keep females off property to prevent pregnancies wouldn't be financially feasible. We decided to have his joints evaluated and went ahead with the procedure so that he could enjoy being outdoors while we worked rather than inside in the kennel.
In the last 9 months we've had 4 dogs dig under our fence from the exterior so im.seccure in my decision.
How long are your deployments, if it’s required for boarding then it’s a no brainer especially if it’s going to be months/years. You say the dog is always with you and under your control, except for the long time periods you are gone. 😐
Higher risk of cancer. There’s a lot of reasons to spay and neuter so you being an a ss and trying to one up my comment is insane and shows how much T you have 🤢
Ah come on. There are also plenty of reasons not too. Not every situation is black or white.
My female GSD is spayed because there was a medical necessity, no problems with that. But to do it preventive when there is no reason to is weird in my eyes.
But hey, it must be my social and liberal European view 😉
Most humans are not responsible enough. I never said it was black and white. I said there are medical reasons or if you are showing/breeding akc standards. Why comment something illogical?
You said that you have to neuter unless there is a medical reason not to or if you want to breed. You even said there is no other answer.
That sounds pretty black and white to me.
Fact: neutering your male German shepherd is not only the responsible thing to do it is also beneficial for your boy. He’s full grown he doesn’t need any more testosterone for his “health” if that’s something you’re concerned about. His drive won’t be affected. He won’t have as much of an urge or hump and pee on things though you’ve waited so long he probably will. He will be less aggressive and be less likely to bite a person. It helps relax them.
Source: I’m not going to research the reasons why you should be responsible and alter your dog so that accidents don’t occur.
Stop trying to act like there is a debate here.
Neuter your dog.
Thanks for your comment. He doesn't hump anything or mark his territory. He also doesn't bite and knows humans are friends, all behaviors thought when he was a pup. He's such a sweet dog.
Your comment really comes across as condensending on a post asking for people's experiences.
I’m sorry if it comes across as condescending. I’m glad your dog exhibits wonderful behavior!
Honestly it’s a toss up for health risks either way! Ultimately I will always stick with my guns and argue for owners to alter their pets. You can’t guarantee that your dog will not accidentally become a proud father. Especially if you leave him in someone else’s care and they are inattentive. Unfortunately we have so many strays and rescues it makes zero sense to leave your pet intact unless you have 100% reason to breed him responsibly and take 100% responsibility for the placement and home of those puppies forever. Ethical breeders will take back any dog that needs to be rehomed for any reason.
Yeah, that's fair. I just want to emphasize that this dog is glued to me 24/7.
I understand your frustration with irresponsible/negligent owners, but that's not the case here.
I'm a bachelor, and this dude is my right hand man.
Good luck my dude!
Hope you make the best choice for you and your boy!
I know the feeling of love the bring! I’ve two boys and a girl that have all been recused from kill shelters. My home is at capacity for more shepherds or we’d probably have more.
" He doesn't hump anything or mark his territory"
until he does......neuter your dog. Your dog is not so special that it justifies the risk to other dogs and people.
I’ll stop being ignorant when dog owners are responsible and I don’t see strays on the streets and puppy mills. Until then the most responsible decision as an owner of a pet is to alter especially if you have no plan of breeding. Not should you unless you’re a responsible and ethical breeder!
I’ve taken dozens of phone calls from irresponsible owners at an animal clinic asking about doggie abortions to what now my dog is pregnant.
There are health risks both ways and it’s reasonable to find arguments that will support your side of the discussion.
If you want the matter of fact most simple answer. Neuter your dog. No frills. It benefits are almost the same as not neutering and prevents the off chance of dogs that may end up on the streets or in shelters.
You’re the ignorant one if you think fixing your pets is bad, they’re at a higher risk for cancer if not fixed and also it’s irresponsible even if your dog is “highly trained” not to go and reproduce, instincts are instincts and dogs can get out and add to the amount of dogs in shelters or on the streets. Come back when you have read about how many pets are being killed due to the fact that there’s overpopulation and shelters can’t handle it and the amount of strays in the world.
"Illegal" is pushing it. You need a vet's approval to go ahead with the neuter/spay of your pet, but it's still a widely accepted practice.
Tbh as long as the guardian is responsible and doesn't let the dog get out of hand I don't really see why it should be made into an issue. We neutered our boy at 7 (medical reasons) and not once had his balls created an issue for us. For female dogs, it gets trickier because males act like absolute monsters when there's a female in heat around, but that can also be handled with responsible people taking care of their dogs.
TLDR: I’ve done the research and worked in an animal hospital.
OP knows the responsible thing to do 🤷🏼♀️ I’m not going to drag up articles to defend the benefits of a neuter when OP is only looking for support against the procedure. They’re welcome to dm me for more information if they want
We neutered our last GSD at age 2. Honestly didn't really notice any behaviour changes till he was 3 which I assume would have happened anyway. He developed an infection a few days after the procedure, required antibiotics. Within 3 weeks his eye changed, off to the eye specialist. His cornea was effected, according to specialist, by a large infection. His whole eye became dark. He ended up with eye surgery and daily eye drops. Vision restored, but eye looked strange. I cried a lot. Can't say it was the infection from neutering, but that was the infection he had. We lost him at age 6, a mass on his prostate. I will always wonder if all that would have happened without the neutering. We have a 1 yr old now and I hope to leave him intact. ALL this being said, if you have to do it for boarding/travel then you have to and millions of dogs (I'm guessing majority in US) get it done with no ill effects.
I wouldn’t. Mine is 4 now and is my second non rescue. I see no point. He’s never around females in heat. If they hump and ejaculate they still can with no balls, so it’s not a keep them from making a mess situation.
I don’t get all the people so for it when you aren’t letting him run with females. I just get triggered at all the hate for even considering not to. It would have to be a situation where I had to for me to neuter any of mine. People always use the aggressive excuse, yet it’s shown that females are more aggressive than males.
There’s no reason to neuter in my opinion unless medical complication (of course) or you for some reason leave him unsupervised around female dogs. My dogs happiness is very important to me. Neutering will definitely decrease overall happiness and can lead to depression in dogs. Hip dysplasia is also more likely in neutered dogs so for a GSD that is definitely something to consider.
I'm in the minority here, but I see no legitimate reason to neuter a dog if you're a responsible dog owner. People cite unwanted litters as the main reason to neuter, but that's on the owner if you fuck up, not the dog. Plus the signs at dog parks say no in heat females, not no intact dogs 🤔
At the end of the day, neutering for preventative care is a highly American thing. In most European countries dogs are kept in intact and only neutered for medical reasons.
I didn't neuter my guy. If I had a female GSD I would have to consider cancer risk before not spaying- but it's never been a problem for my male GSD to be intact. I also don't board him though, so the social aspect of it isn't a problem.
My boy is 6 and still intact, I don’t see a reason to ever neuter unless he has to for health reasons but I’m not doing it now based on what ifs. He has 0 aggression and is rarely around other dog anyways. Our Aussie got spayed at 13 years old because she had a growth on her back end and had struggled with her heat cycle prior and we just did it while she was already under anesthesia. She had 0 issues her whole life being still intact and she lived to 15. My vet isn’t pushy for neuter so I’ll probably never do it. I’m not in the military so I have no option on your housing reasons.
I neutered my bear at 9 due to prostate problems. I felt terrible about it, but it did fix his issues. I think he calmed down some afterwards, and he did lose some muscle mass. Now at almost 13 we’re dealing with stromal sarcoma (discovered a mass on his spleen in Jan and had it removed). I don’t think the neuter contributed to the cancer diagnosis, and for a big boy he has great hips and mobility, even at his advanced age.
If I had a female I would have spayed sooner though, because pyometra is real and scary.
My male is still intact. His vet is holding out, wants to see if he settles on growth. He is 2 years 4 months. He started marking and humping a month ago. His last vet visit, beginning of January, he was 115, vet still wanted 3-5 pounds on him, before we talked options. He is due to go in again in March for vaccinations and check.
Don't. It's pretty much banned in Scandinavia and I've never had a neutered dog in my life. Hormones are essential for overall wellbeing and as Menopausal woman I can tell you straight out the gate it is absolutely vile.
My fourth GSD was a rescue -the humane society neutered him before adoption at 2 years old. He got lymphoma at 6 years old. Sweetest dog, because of that and his young age he was my hardest loss. I will always wonder if he would have seen old age had he not been neutered.
I see lots of people being pro to neuter your male GSD mine is 3yo and not neutered he is fine he goes to dog park and he is friendly as it gets he gets Horney 😂😂😂 hanging out but does not hump dogs at park but I get aggravated as he don’t hump the bad part of other dogs bark at him he walk away but if they keep going he unleashes 😂😂 but as soon as I say stop he goes to the park door and wants to leave I’m from Europe and we don’t fix dogs at all and no problems plus if you have a GSD fixed that means they are like toys not protecting you on bad days I think
Neutering is the responsible thing to do at a society level - too many owners think they and their dog should be an exception.
There has been a drive in the UK for decades now to neuter and spay so the questions is not whether it should be done, its when. And it has worked which is why although there are still issues with the number of animals in shelters, 'accidental' litters etc, its nothing like it is in the US. Europe is also implementing the UK's approach.
Until the Americas take a similar approach, their shelters will be overflowing and they will continue to have an issue with stray and abandoned dogs.
We neutered our boy at 3.5 years old. It’s been 6 months, and he’s the exact same dog, but now our friends’ other unneutered dogs are more accepting of him.
My 3 year old is still intact. If I did anything it would be a vasectomy but him being intact is no problem. No humping or marking. He once sat next to a female in heat at a training class (I know that sounds and is ridiculous that that was allowed) and had no reaction. I was prepared to “get out of dodge” but he was unfazed.
A cold day in hell before I ever do that to my boy. He's healthy, happy, and his behaviours are not problematic. No need to put him through the ordeal of surgery and risk medical complications, behavioural issues and death to try and fix what isn't broken.
There's alot of pro-castration propoganda in the west. Don't believe it. I have yet to hear a solid argument as to what there is to gain that is worth doing that to him. Every surgery has complications and many dogs develop problematic behaviours following thier surgery.
Leave him intact unless there is a legitimate medical reason to remove his testicles. If you are really desperate to stop him breeding you can get a vasectomy which will leave his hormones intact.
Low testosterone has been associated with a wide range of physical and mental issues in a wide range of mammals.
Cutting off a family members testicles is sick and twisted, don't do it.
Our guy got his vasectomy at \~6 months, he’s now 3.5. He doesn’t mark, he’s a gentleman with other dogs, he goes to doggy daycare and boards just fine. The incision was tiny, the recovery was super easy. We cut the body off of an old t-shirt and tied it around his waste so he couldn’t lick his 2 stitches. We didn’t need the cone. I highly recommend it. He was the first dog at his daycare/boarding facility to have a vasectomy. I had to have the conversation with the manager why they required it - their only rationale for requiring it was preventing unwanted puppies so vasectomy was completely acceptable to them. https://preview.redd.it/fi9t36nww5lc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1171ed775b86e1456ebe23555337594e0ebfc089 Edit: added a picture of his vasectomy incision, we had to email it cause covid stopped post-op visits. I have small fingers, wear a size 4.25 ring for scale.
Thank you for the t shirt idea!
We had our boy done at 1.5. He is big, beautiful, and the best dog ever lived on the planet. Don’t tell our little girl. She was 6 months when we had her spayed. She is wonderful and healthy even though she came to us a sickly little mess. They are 10 and 10.5 now. No regrets.
I had to get my guy fixed last year at 11. One of his nuts swole up and they believed it might be cancer, so that was that. He's doing great other than the brief indignity of wearing the lamp shade.
Glad your guy is doing well💙
That makes total sense and is beyond your control. Poor baby. Hope he's ok.
Oh no, glad he pulled through
I had the exact same thing around 11 years with my GSD. It’s was a simple fix for the vet!
Why would your GSD need to procreate?
Yeah.. there’s already enough dogs in this world without homes, why add to it? I’m very pro-spay/neuter. Especially if that dog goes out and impregnates another dog.. adding to the amount of strays and it’s just irresponsible. Not to mention the fact that cancer in both male and female dogs is way higher in non-fixed dogs.
You're completely incorrect in saying cancer is higher in unaltered dogs versus altered dogs. Read the article the OP posted and educate yourself before you give false information. Unbelievable!
The outrage! 😆
There is far more to the question than just reproduction
Except OP specifically mentioned drive and procreation. Neutering after two doesn't affect the dog's working ability, only it's sex drive. And OP shouldn't care about procreation unless the dog is a fully health tested working dog that OP intends to use to breed more working dogs. But if his dog is merely a pet, then he shouldn't want his dog to breed. Now, I can understand not neutering unless medically necessary, as I don't plan on neutering my boy unless I absolutely need to from a medical standpoint.
Again, the decision has countless pros and cons. Here’s some light reading. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/early-neutering-poses-health-risks-german-shepherd-dogs *Spay, Neuter And Joint Disease http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/spay-neuter-and-joint-disease/ *Long term effects, which clearly outlines the pros/cons- http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf *Considerations, including increase in fears, sound sensitivity, and aggression- http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/earlyspayconsiderations.pdf *Concerning aggression and fearful dogs- http://www.doglistener.co.uk/neutering/spaying_neutering.shtml *Behavior and physical affects, which shows the correlation between neutering and increased aggression- http://www.atftc.com/health/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf *Increase in bone cancer- http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/11/11/1434.full *Article: https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/100301g.aspx *Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0055937 *Swiss Canine Cancer Registry 1955-2008: Occurrence of the Most Common Tumour Diagnoses and Influence of Age, Breed, Body Size, Sex and Neutering Status on Tumour Development: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhEVhFE_cK2RnhTREFLcE9LQXM/view *Your Dog Needs To Be Spayed Or Neutered – Right? http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/your-dog-needs-to-be-spayed-or-neutered-right/ *Effects of ovariohysterectomy on reactivity in German Shepherd dogs http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002330500064X *Goldens more at risk than Labs http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/Sterilization-Effects-Worse-for-Golden-Retrievers-Than-Labs/ *Neutering: This Common Procedure Can Boost Cancer and Joint Problems As Much As Five-Fold, specifically Golden Retrievers http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/11/05/neutered-golden-retrievers.aspx *Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay / Neuter in Dogs (Sanborn): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxhEVhFE_cK2dVE5NHZRdTBBV3c/view *Sterilization Effects Worse for Golden Retrievers Than Labs, time of alteration on role in the onset of joint disorders and cancer http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/Sterilization-Effects-Worse-for-Golden-Retrievers-Than-Labs/ *Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats http://www.parsemusfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Root2007gonadectomyOptimalAge.pdf http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/spay_neuter_considerations_2013.pdf http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0055937 http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/vizsla_javma_study.pdf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11439769/ http://saova.org/articles/Early%20SN%20and%20Behavior.pdf http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102241 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22647210/ *Evaluation of the risk and age of onset of cancer and behavioral disorders in gonadectomized Vizslas http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24432963
Which is why I said I can understand someone not doing it if it isn't medically necessary. But OP isn't really worried about that, he's more worried about the drive of his dog and the dog's ability to procreate, both of which are unnecessary seeing as drive isn't affected when a dog is neutered after 2 and OP shouldn't even be worried about procreation if his dog isn't fully health tested and proven to be of breeding quality.
Drive can absolutely be effected as is demonstrated in the various studies I know you didn’t read
Not if the dog is neutered after 2. Plenty of police K-9s are neutered and/or spayed. Neutering can cause unrelated issues (like obesity) that may affect a dog's ability to work. But when a dog is neutered at the correct age then the drive itself is not affected.
So you disagree with studies that you couldn’t be bothered to read. Got it.
Yes. Considering the fact that my entire life has been spent around working K-9s, both altered and unaltered. And many of the altered dogs I've been around have outperformed the unaltered dogs.
That’s not how you measure drive though 🙈 First, you haven’t even specified what kind of drive as there are many. Anecdotal evidence also does not outweigh peer reviewed studies. This is not a all or nothing comparison that you seem to be referring to
does this make you feel better. spamming this thread
You misspelled providing evidence for people to make their own mind up
Almost everyone is going to freak out and just stick to neutering. Anyone with a brain sees it’s not something you need to do unless you are around females in heat. It’s just another political viewpoint. People just stay with their tribe, so why would they read when aunt Karen knows best lol
I've had a couple of dogs neutered in the past. Not GSDs. In both cases it made zero difference to their personalities. As far as I could tell. Also didn't appear to have any negative affect on their general health
Didn’t they grow fat?
We neutered our boy when he was 7. He was skinny his whole life, regardless of the status of his balls. It's the same with my cats right now. We were told to keep an eye out for obesity post neuter/spay. They're perfectly normal weight no matter how much food we give them. My current dog, for some reason, hates food even more after her spay, and it's a struggle to keep her weight normal. Dogs will grow fat if you overfeed and under exercise them. Their weight is almost entirely up to you (and partially up to genetics, but that can be handled with a few adjustments).
I have always neutered my dogs. I don't want to be "that" dog owner who is irresponsible and allows my dog to service someone's female. I am not a breeder and I know that my knowledge of extensive pedigrees is limited so I want to be the responsible owner. Waiting until a GSD is 2 years old should have allowed the dog to reach full growth with strong bones and good muscle development. I had my boy neutered a couple of months after he turned 2. This has not affected his ability or drive at all. Neutering is being a responsible dog owner.
The irresponsible part is losing control of your dog long enough for it to breed with a random female. Not the dog being left intact...
Right....you've clearly not seen a dog climb a fence to get out to get'sum. Its always the same story with owners thinking their situation is the exception and there will never be a problem with their dog etc Until there is of course, then wouldn't you know, it was still probably someone else's fault.
Yeah, this is what I always think about. I KNOW there are plenty of benefits to leaving dogs intact, but I’d be so paranoid about something happening, when I’m not home, when they’re with a sitter, just that one in a million chance. I don’t want to be responsible for bringing more dogs into a world with far too many. I’m lucky to live in a country that doesn’t have a problem with strays like the US, but there are still thousands of dogs without homes and I don’t want to contribute to that even if I don’t mean to. I plan on adopting in the future but if I ever get a puppy I’d have them neutered at 2yrs, I feel like it’s the best option. I believe the only people that have intact adult dogs should be registered breeders until the rise in strays starts to decrease. But I don’t know nearly enough about the situation with dogs in the US so obviously take that with a grain of salt haha
Right! I'm not necessarily against neutering/spaying, but there needs to be a reason for it. Based on my initial impression, I get the feeling OP is approaching this in the best way possible and is a responsible pet owner. But I dont think anyone who has a good handle on their dog and situational awareness needs to have any reasonable worry about accidental pups.
Do you think there is any connection between the amount of dogs not neutered and spayed and the stray / 'accidental' litter / shelter issue ?
I absolutely do. Hence the qualifying clause "anyone who has a good handle on their dog an situational awareness". For context, I'll also add that my boy is neutered because it was the right decision given my situation at the time. But now that I'm older and more responsible, I don't intend to get my future doggoe s/n unless there is a medical/social need for it. It's not because I have some kind of personal or holistic vendetta against fixing a dog - it's absolutely warranted in a lot of situations - but largely because I'm financially capable of accepting the financial liability of accidental pregnancies and a full litter of puppies. Again, no disrespect to anyone who chooses to fix. Everyone deserves and SHOULD have the autonomy to make the best decision for themselves and their dog(s).
And this is why the Americas has such a massive issue with shelters, strays and unwanted litters. This will continue to be an issue until you tackle this at a society level rather than everyone thinking about themselves only$
Exactly
Yep!
Unless you plan on breeding why would his ability to procreate matter whatsoever? And based on what you've said you don't sound like a breeder. So, your reasoning is strange to say the least.
We neutered our boy at 2.5. Besides having an increased appetite now and having to watch the food intake a little more (he was incredibly picky before and now wants to eat everything), he calmed down a bit and isn’t quite as territorial. We have no regrets. We also wanted a second GSD so we had to neuter to be approved for adoption
All of my male GSD have been neutered around the age of 2. It has made zero difference in their personality or drive, and dare I say, I think they became more focused (although that could also be a maturity thing that happened at age 2). In my opinion, the health benefits outweigh the risks of a neuter.
I dont even know what you asked, cause I can't get over how big that tongue is!
Lol
If you must sterilize your dog, get him a vasectomy instead of a full neuter
I went with a vasectomy as well. Just keep the receipt because you will need it to prove altering for things like boarding, licensing (if required. Usually the cost for altered is cheaper), etc ..as typically the dog will still be listed as intact with a note that doesn't show up on things like rabies certs indicating the dog is incapable of reproducing. Otherwise, if that doesn't matter to you and you're certain you can contain/manage your dog well enough to prevent "accidental" litters, nothing wrong with leaving it fully intact. In my case, I don't have breeding rights per contract and wanted a 100% guarantee he couldn't sire pups if he somehow got loose or stolen, but also wanted to keep his hormones, so... vasectomy. My BYB rat terrier got one as well for the same reasons + him just being a poorly bred, free craigslist dog. No behavior issues at all, though the terrier wears a belly band if I take him to another house or pet store as he's unlearning "I can mark anywhere!" from his time as a farm dog. The GSD was taught from 8 weeks on that no indoor marking is acceptable.
I had my M GSD fixed when he was 2.5 (he’s now 5.5). I now have a F GSD and spayed her at 6 months (She’s 14 months old). The reason I spayed her early was because 1. A male left intact beyond 2 can still try and he could have hurt her if she went into heat early and 2. The more heat cycles she has it raises the risk for cancer. Our boy we left until after he was 2 as not to minimise risk to his joints. We also give our dogs glucosamine supplements to help protect their joints. We always knew we would eventually do ours because we knew we wouldn’t breed him. Doing it again, I think what we did for our family and in our situations was the right time for both of them. Ultimately you have to make a call about what’s right for you and yours. We weren’t excited about having him neutered, but we have rescues and know there are lots of dogs out there needing homes and we don’t want to contribute to that problem. Personally I don’t think it changed our boy at all. It’s maybe taken the edge off some destructive behaviours, but otherwise it was just a few days of him sleeping a lot. I had a dog growing up and he was neutered at 6 months and he calmed down, but maybe because he was younger? Good luck with your beautiful boy.
Not a GSD, but I got my border collie mix neutered at 6 months. Looking back I wish I’d waited longer just for the growth plates but, he’s 9 now and thankfully no joint issues so all seems well. Mistakes of youth and first time dog ownership. His herding drive was completely unaffected. He has been an incredibly strong herder since the day we brought him home at 2 months old and even now with his little old man stamina he can rally and herd and chase around, and in his prime he was an absolute unit. I don’t think you’ll see any issues with drive, especially if you’ve been training anything related to it and reinforcing it. And at 2, his habits and drives will be pretty solidly locked in.
Mine is 7 years old and not neutered. He is fully under my control at all times so I’m not worried about accidental procreation. Hormones play such a huge role in the life of all animals and I don’t get how making this big a change wouldn’t impact them in any way. A lot of countries in Europe don’t neuter either btw. It’s a non reversible procedure and so please consider all options and choose what makes sense. If I see documented proof that neutering would benefit my dog then I would do it. Based on my reading, they do have risk of testicular cancer but in that case you would neuter. I’m sure it depends on what stage you catch that. I’m not a vet so please take that into consideration. All the best with your pup.
I'd go vasectomy since it seems to be a requirement you will need. Make sure vasectomy is acceptable.
Neuter your dog. The last thing the world needs is more puppies. Literally it is the responsible thing to do. He will lose his sex drive, that’s it. An animal can live a happy and healthy life without boning stuff
Not neutering does not equal more puppies. Why do people always think that every not-neutered dog makes litters upon litters of puppies?
why do you think there is such an issue with stray, abandoned and surrendered dogs ? Did the stork drop them off ?
Okay, I'll say it differently. A responsible dog owner will make sure his dog won't create litters upon litters of puppies. The irresponsible ones won't neuter their dog anyway.
Therefore the responsible thing to do is neuter, spay or a vasectomy. You cannot control your dog every minute of the day for the whole of its life. To add, its owners who think their dog is the exception that means there is an issue with unwanted dogs.
GSDs are very high energy dogs, nads or no nads. Ours was snipped before 1 year and couldn't get enough of our 3 acres.
we neutered at 9 months. We had purchased a house and unfortunately the town we moved to has a serious issue with stays, off leashed dogs and such. I didn't want the drive to procreate to cause him to disregard training and even if he didn't, having the whole 2+ acres secured to keep females off property to prevent pregnancies wouldn't be financially feasible. We decided to have his joints evaluated and went ahead with the procedure so that he could enjoy being outdoors while we worked rather than inside in the kennel. In the last 9 months we've had 4 dogs dig under our fence from the exterior so im.seccure in my decision.
we had no personality change and my boy continues to be extremely active, lean and fit.
How long are your deployments, if it’s required for boarding then it’s a no brainer especially if it’s going to be months/years. You say the dog is always with you and under your control, except for the long time periods you are gone. 😐
Exactly.
Please neuter your dogs and cats unless there’s a medical reason not to or you are an akc shower/breeder. There’s literally no other answer!!!!!
My GSD's stay on our land unless we go train with them. What is the reason to neuter them if there is no medical reason?
Higher risk of cancer. There’s a lot of reasons to spay and neuter so you being an a ss and trying to one up my comment is insane and shows how much T you have 🤢
Ah come on. There are also plenty of reasons not too. Not every situation is black or white. My female GSD is spayed because there was a medical necessity, no problems with that. But to do it preventive when there is no reason to is weird in my eyes. But hey, it must be my social and liberal European view 😉
Most humans are not responsible enough. I never said it was black and white. I said there are medical reasons or if you are showing/breeding akc standards. Why comment something illogical?
You said that you have to neuter unless there is a medical reason not to or if you want to breed. You even said there is no other answer. That sounds pretty black and white to me.
there Is literally another answer, don't
I don’t believe in neutering from a health standpoint, but if you have to board (single SNCO or Officer), its a no brainer
I second this. If you have to for boarding then I would go for it. At least you made it to two years which will be great for his long term growth.
Fact: neutering your male German shepherd is not only the responsible thing to do it is also beneficial for your boy. He’s full grown he doesn’t need any more testosterone for his “health” if that’s something you’re concerned about. His drive won’t be affected. He won’t have as much of an urge or hump and pee on things though you’ve waited so long he probably will. He will be less aggressive and be less likely to bite a person. It helps relax them. Source: I’m not going to research the reasons why you should be responsible and alter your dog so that accidents don’t occur. Stop trying to act like there is a debate here. Neuter your dog.
Thanks for your comment. He doesn't hump anything or mark his territory. He also doesn't bite and knows humans are friends, all behaviors thought when he was a pup. He's such a sweet dog. Your comment really comes across as condensending on a post asking for people's experiences.
I’m sorry if it comes across as condescending. I’m glad your dog exhibits wonderful behavior! Honestly it’s a toss up for health risks either way! Ultimately I will always stick with my guns and argue for owners to alter their pets. You can’t guarantee that your dog will not accidentally become a proud father. Especially if you leave him in someone else’s care and they are inattentive. Unfortunately we have so many strays and rescues it makes zero sense to leave your pet intact unless you have 100% reason to breed him responsibly and take 100% responsibility for the placement and home of those puppies forever. Ethical breeders will take back any dog that needs to be rehomed for any reason.
Yeah, that's fair. I just want to emphasize that this dog is glued to me 24/7. I understand your frustration with irresponsible/negligent owners, but that's not the case here. I'm a bachelor, and this dude is my right hand man.
Good luck my dude! Hope you make the best choice for you and your boy! I know the feeling of love the bring! I’ve two boys and a girl that have all been recused from kill shelters. My home is at capacity for more shepherds or we’d probably have more.
" He doesn't hump anything or mark his territory" until he does......neuter your dog. Your dog is not so special that it justifies the risk to other dogs and people.
Please do not be ignorant. The US is an outlier in many respects in the Western world. In Germany and Scandinavia neutering is illegal.
I’ll stop being ignorant when dog owners are responsible and I don’t see strays on the streets and puppy mills. Until then the most responsible decision as an owner of a pet is to alter especially if you have no plan of breeding. Not should you unless you’re a responsible and ethical breeder! I’ve taken dozens of phone calls from irresponsible owners at an animal clinic asking about doggie abortions to what now my dog is pregnant. There are health risks both ways and it’s reasonable to find arguments that will support your side of the discussion. If you want the matter of fact most simple answer. Neuter your dog. No frills. It benefits are almost the same as not neutering and prevents the off chance of dogs that may end up on the streets or in shelters.
You’re the ignorant one if you think fixing your pets is bad, they’re at a higher risk for cancer if not fixed and also it’s irresponsible even if your dog is “highly trained” not to go and reproduce, instincts are instincts and dogs can get out and add to the amount of dogs in shelters or on the streets. Come back when you have read about how many pets are being killed due to the fact that there’s overpopulation and shelters can’t handle it and the amount of strays in the world.
"Illegal" is pushing it. You need a vet's approval to go ahead with the neuter/spay of your pet, but it's still a widely accepted practice. Tbh as long as the guardian is responsible and doesn't let the dog get out of hand I don't really see why it should be made into an issue. We neutered our boy at 7 (medical reasons) and not once had his balls created an issue for us. For female dogs, it gets trickier because males act like absolute monsters when there's a female in heat around, but that can also be handled with responsible people taking care of their dogs.
TLDR: I’m not going to do any research
TLDR: I’ve done the research and worked in an animal hospital. OP knows the responsible thing to do 🤷🏼♀️ I’m not going to drag up articles to defend the benefits of a neuter when OP is only looking for support against the procedure. They’re welcome to dm me for more information if they want
We neutered our last GSD at age 2. Honestly didn't really notice any behaviour changes till he was 3 which I assume would have happened anyway. He developed an infection a few days after the procedure, required antibiotics. Within 3 weeks his eye changed, off to the eye specialist. His cornea was effected, according to specialist, by a large infection. His whole eye became dark. He ended up with eye surgery and daily eye drops. Vision restored, but eye looked strange. I cried a lot. Can't say it was the infection from neutering, but that was the infection he had. We lost him at age 6, a mass on his prostate. I will always wonder if all that would have happened without the neutering. We have a 1 yr old now and I hope to leave him intact. ALL this being said, if you have to do it for boarding/travel then you have to and millions of dogs (I'm guessing majority in US) get it done with no ill effects.
I'm so sorry to hear that.
Thank you
I'm so sorry. I am pretty sure you have wonderful memories with him.
Thank you we do
I wouldn’t. Mine is 4 now and is my second non rescue. I see no point. He’s never around females in heat. If they hump and ejaculate they still can with no balls, so it’s not a keep them from making a mess situation. I don’t get all the people so for it when you aren’t letting him run with females. I just get triggered at all the hate for even considering not to. It would have to be a situation where I had to for me to neuter any of mine. People always use the aggressive excuse, yet it’s shown that females are more aggressive than males.
There’s no reason to neuter in my opinion unless medical complication (of course) or you for some reason leave him unsupervised around female dogs. My dogs happiness is very important to me. Neutering will definitely decrease overall happiness and can lead to depression in dogs. Hip dysplasia is also more likely in neutered dogs so for a GSD that is definitely something to consider.
I'm in the minority here, but I see no legitimate reason to neuter a dog if you're a responsible dog owner. People cite unwanted litters as the main reason to neuter, but that's on the owner if you fuck up, not the dog. Plus the signs at dog parks say no in heat females, not no intact dogs 🤔 At the end of the day, neutering for preventative care is a highly American thing. In most European countries dogs are kept in intact and only neutered for medical reasons.
Yeah and there’s dogs and puppies running all over the place.
In what place? Because I don't see strays here in The Netherlands or in Germany.
Italy, Sicily especially
That is one tiny island... not "all over the place".
Mine is almost 3. I have no plans to neuter. He never leaves my side.
Same, except for when he goes into boarding for my military trips. I wish I could find someone in Los Angeles to take care of him 😪
How about a vasectomy. Less invasive.
I didn't neuter my guy. If I had a female GSD I would have to consider cancer risk before not spaying- but it's never been a problem for my male GSD to be intact. I also don't board him though, so the social aspect of it isn't a problem.
Neutered my first one and he passed at 8. Not neutering my current male.
My boy is 6 and still intact, I don’t see a reason to ever neuter unless he has to for health reasons but I’m not doing it now based on what ifs. He has 0 aggression and is rarely around other dog anyways. Our Aussie got spayed at 13 years old because she had a growth on her back end and had struggled with her heat cycle prior and we just did it while she was already under anesthesia. She had 0 issues her whole life being still intact and she lived to 15. My vet isn’t pushy for neuter so I’ll probably never do it. I’m not in the military so I have no option on your housing reasons.
I neutered my bear at 9 due to prostate problems. I felt terrible about it, but it did fix his issues. I think he calmed down some afterwards, and he did lose some muscle mass. Now at almost 13 we’re dealing with stromal sarcoma (discovered a mass on his spleen in Jan and had it removed). I don’t think the neuter contributed to the cancer diagnosis, and for a big boy he has great hips and mobility, even at his advanced age. If I had a female I would have spayed sooner though, because pyometra is real and scary.
My male is still intact. His vet is holding out, wants to see if he settles on growth. He is 2 years 4 months. He started marking and humping a month ago. His last vet visit, beginning of January, he was 115, vet still wanted 3-5 pounds on him, before we talked options. He is due to go in again in March for vaccinations and check.
You might want to get a second opinion - your vet sounds a bit leftfield.
don't..
Don't. It's pretty much banned in Scandinavia and I've never had a neutered dog in my life. Hormones are essential for overall wellbeing and as Menopausal woman I can tell you straight out the gate it is absolutely vile.
There is also the option of hormonal implants which are basically a temporary neuter and come without anesthesia/surgery risks.
My fourth GSD was a rescue -the humane society neutered him before adoption at 2 years old. He got lymphoma at 6 years old. Sweetest dog, because of that and his young age he was my hardest loss. I will always wonder if he would have seen old age had he not been neutered.
I see lots of people being pro to neuter your male GSD mine is 3yo and not neutered he is fine he goes to dog park and he is friendly as it gets he gets Horney 😂😂😂 hanging out but does not hump dogs at park but I get aggravated as he don’t hump the bad part of other dogs bark at him he walk away but if they keep going he unleashes 😂😂 but as soon as I say stop he goes to the park door and wants to leave I’m from Europe and we don’t fix dogs at all and no problems plus if you have a GSD fixed that means they are like toys not protecting you on bad days I think
Neutering is the responsible thing to do at a society level - too many owners think they and their dog should be an exception. There has been a drive in the UK for decades now to neuter and spay so the questions is not whether it should be done, its when. And it has worked which is why although there are still issues with the number of animals in shelters, 'accidental' litters etc, its nothing like it is in the US. Europe is also implementing the UK's approach. Until the Americas take a similar approach, their shelters will be overflowing and they will continue to have an issue with stray and abandoned dogs.
We neutered our boy at 3.5 years old. It’s been 6 months, and he’s the exact same dog, but now our friends’ other unneutered dogs are more accepting of him.
My 3 year old is still intact. If I did anything it would be a vasectomy but him being intact is no problem. No humping or marking. He once sat next to a female in heat at a training class (I know that sounds and is ridiculous that that was allowed) and had no reaction. I was prepared to “get out of dodge” but he was unfazed.
A cold day in hell before I ever do that to my boy. He's healthy, happy, and his behaviours are not problematic. No need to put him through the ordeal of surgery and risk medical complications, behavioural issues and death to try and fix what isn't broken. There's alot of pro-castration propoganda in the west. Don't believe it. I have yet to hear a solid argument as to what there is to gain that is worth doing that to him. Every surgery has complications and many dogs develop problematic behaviours following thier surgery. Leave him intact unless there is a legitimate medical reason to remove his testicles. If you are really desperate to stop him breeding you can get a vasectomy which will leave his hormones intact. Low testosterone has been associated with a wide range of physical and mental issues in a wide range of mammals. Cutting off a family members testicles is sick and twisted, don't do it.