[schroedes]

well i have a 4.5 month old GSD, of course the vet says to nueter before 6 months but i dont like the idea of that at all. ive researched and many people say to wait until at least a year so he can fill out. i would rather wait even longer since they grow up to 2 years but my wife is up my butt because she thinks he will mark his territory etc in our house. could you guys tell me your views on this? and the benefits and and problems that could go along with not nuetering. thanks!

 

[jakeandrenee]

Hi there....please do a search on this forum....there are tons of threads on this topic.

 

[jakeandrenee]

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/basic-care/143057-when-neuter.html?highlight=neutering

 

[Good_Karma]

We waited until Niko was a year old. He NEVER did any marking in the house. He does mark less out on walks now that he is neutered.

I think the general consensus on this forum is that it is wise to wait until at least a year old before neutering.

What reasoning is your vet using to say that it should be done before 6 months?

 

[Montana Scout]

im not going to neuter my scout unless there is something medically/physically wrong with him... i don't believe there is any good to neutering as long as you don't let him run loose

 

[schroedes]

ok vthanks alot guys, i feel the same way. vet tries to say they have less problems etc but i think its the other way around. ive seen dogs get fixed and get overweight etc and thats the last thing i want. i spend alot of time keeping this dog in shape and i dont wanna mess with his hormones. but anyways i will definately tell the wife, she was just afraid of marking. thanks!

 

[doggiedad]

i've never had a dog neutered and i've never had a problem
with my dogs. my dogs never marked in the house.

 

[JustMeLeslie]

Victor just got neutered at 20 months and he never marked in the house. It is best to wait til later for them to fill out and mature.

 

[vomlittlehaus]

Unneutered males can have prostate problems. Most reputable breeders spay/neuter their dogs when they are done with their reproductive duties. Some shows do not allow a dog to show if they are spayed/neutered. So if that is something you are considering doing, you would wait until the show/trial career is over. Waiting until the dog is 18mos old is a good time. By then they are done with most of their growing. My neighbor had her female spayed at 6 mos and she started leaking urine (dog didnt even know it). Vet said it was a hormone imbalance. I believe it corrected itself, but I thought she should have waited a little longer before she had her spayed.

Medically, I think there are more pros than cons to spaying/neutering. I think waiting until the dog has physically finished growing is better (IMO) than doing it at 6mos.

 

[Mrs.K]

We've never had any problems with unneutered males and I am not going to neuter any of my dogs unless there is actually a health issue coming up.

You are not going to the doctor to get yourself neutered because you could get prostate problems, are you?

 

[LaRen616]

I neutered my male GSD when he was 15 months old, we wanted to continue going to the Dog Park and the rules were that he needed to be neutered by 15 months.

My male GSD/Husky mix is 1.5 years old and he is not neutered and I doubt that I will get him neutered.

My boys never marked in the house.

If you do want to neuter your male then I would do it when he is at least 1.5 to 2 years old.

 

[Lilie]

Hondo is 13 months old and is not altered. The only time he had a mistake in the house is he peed over a spot that our female mini doxie, pee machine, peed on the floor and I didn't see it quick enough. I couldn't blame him for that.

I won't alter him unless I decide at a later date to bring in a female GSD. And only then because it's too much work for me to keep them seperated when she comes in. I don't want any oops litters.