To Neuter or Not to Neuter?

[thistletlf]

I am getting 50% for and 50% against in my various types of research, including reading, asking some veterinarians. If he is not neutered, he will never be welcome in a "Doggy Daycare" situation. I have no plans at this time to breed. I am hoping to someday bring a smaller female dog into my home(spayed of course), so I am also wondering how he would behave differently to her and is time of the essence in getting another pooch? What to do? Bottom line, I want what is best for him as a male GSD.

[GusGus]

Its all up to how you can handle an intact male. Always supervise outside cause I'm sure they'd hop a fence to get to a female in heat. If you get a female, you'd have to spay before first heat or keep a very close eye on them both or separate completely. Also, the temptation can be great when someone else who owns a wonderful pet GSD female offers you money to breed your hunk.

I have an intact male and I take the proper measures to make sure there is no fence hopping, female finding accidental breedings. So to put it

[thistletlf]

Thanks. That's the direction I'm heading in.

[doggiedad]

i've never neutered my dogs and i've never had a
problem with them.

[Lucy Dog]

I've always neutered my dogs and never had a problem with them either. Always lived long and fairly healthy lives.

It's all your personal preference.

[selzer]

Doggy daycare is something I probably would never do anyway.

If you have more than two sex's one will need a surgery if you don't want to constantly watch and keep them separated during heat cycles. I would probably neuter the boy as the surgery is easier than a spay, but then most people do not want to deal with heat cycles, so there is more incentive to spay bitches.

Bottom line is that it is up to you. I have owned males that had never run loose, caused an oops, or had any trouble with managing them.

[jocoyn]

This is a frequent topic on the forum. These are some posts from 2013 and there are plenty more old posts on the topic. Hope these are helpful.

When to spay/neuter? 6 months? 18 months? Never?

Neutering question

Should people neuter/spay their dogs?

Best age to spay or neuter?

My decision was neuter

neutering max next week!!

Neutering stop the drive of protection?

Questions on Neturing and at what age?

Intact vs. Neutered?

When Do You Spay/Neuter or Do You Not Spay/Neuter?

[Cheyanna]

Check with the doggy day care you have in mind or are nearby. The one at my vet takes unaltered boys and girls, but only one unaltered can play at one time. Fiona is not spayed, because I don't want to take something out that God put there that is perfectly healthy. Yes, it is inconvenient to have a female in heat, but she has zero chance of getting pregnant accidentally. If you won't be leaving him outside on his own, then he is likely ok to not get snip, snip.


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[GSD mum]

Growth issues are such a big thing with this breed, I tend to keep my dogs intact till 24 months. If you are big on consistent training and of course careful of where you take your dog and it's surroundings, it's less chance of a problem all around.