5 benefits to keeping your dog intact

While many will say that spaying/neutering will prevent or help with behavior problems, others believe that spaying can increase aggression in some females.  Some GSD owners have experienced an increase in dominance, aggression and pushy behaviors in their females once spayed. It is thought that this is due to the female hormones (ovaries) being removed, which gives the testosterone that is naturally found in the females body to play a larger role in the dogs behavior.Cancer – Some feel that a dog is at higher risk for certain cancers (such as Osteocarcoma) when spayed/neutered due to the lack of sex hormones.  The dogs hormones are not just for reproduction purposes, the dogs need these hormones to fully mature and develop. A study done in 2002 at The University of Purdue found that there was a significant risk for spayed/neutered dogs to develop osteosarcoma compared to intact dogs of the same breed.  There is also some research that indicates spaying/neutering may increase the risk of cardiac tumors (especially hemangiosarcoma). Some also claim that while neutered males are safe from testicular cancer, their risk for prostate cancer increases.Urinary Incontinence – Some research has shown that around 20% of all female that are spayed will develop incontinence sometime during their lives.  Most believe that this is more likely caused by early spaying, which is why it is recommended that you should wait until a dog is mature before spaying.  Delay in growth plates closing – Early spaying/neutering has been shown to cause the growth plates of the dog’s bones to close later.  This can cause spayed/neutered dogs to grow taller than she/he would otherwise.  There are also concerns that by having these growth plates open longer, the dog is at a higher risk for fractures and other injuries.There have been many studies done over the years by various universities that show spaying and neutering can cause many different issues such as: higher risk of infectious disease, more likely to develop hypothyroidism, being more prone to hip dysplasia and a higher incidence in vaccine reactions.  In addition to those studies, some say that spayed/neutered dogs are at a higher risk of ACL injury and bladder infections .View the list »
Spaying/Neutering is a big decision and one that every responsible dog owner must make. Do your homework, research the pros and cons for yourself and do what you feel is best for your dog.

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As discussed in the previous article (5 benefits of spaying or neutering your dog), there are some benefits to spaying or neutering your German Shepherd Dog. However, there are also some benefits of keeping your GSD intact.

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While there are some benefits to keeping your dog intact, it is also a huge responsibility. Many people are not capable or willing to take the extra steps to keep their intact dog safe and fully prevent unwanted breedings from happening. If you are not positive that you can prevent your dog from being bred, it is probably best to go forward with the spaying or neutering.

If you have decided that you would like to breed your intact dog, please take the extra time to educate yourself on responsible breeding and what it takes to be a responsible breeder. Breeding should never be taken lightly and should not be something that you jump into blindly. Every person that produces a litter of puppies is a breeder. You do not want to become an irresponsible bad breeder, so take the time to learn, ask questions, educate yourself and do things right. If you are going to breed your dog, be as responsible as possible.

Some people are now choosing to keep their companions intact, even when they have no intentions of breeding. Here are five benefits of keeping your dog intact....

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  • Urinary Incontinence – Some research has shown that around 20% of all female that are spayed will develop incontinence sometime during their lives.  Most believe that this is more likely caused by early spaying, which is why it is recommended that you should wait until a dog is mature before spaying.  Delay in growth plates closing – Early spaying/neutering has been shown to cause the growth plates of the dog’s bones to close later.  This can cause spayed/neutered dogs to grow taller than she/he would otherwise.  There are also concerns that by having these growth plates open longer, the dog is at a higher risk for fractures and other injuries.There have been many studies done over the years by various universities that show spaying and neutering can cause many different issues such as: higher risk of infectious disease, more likely to develop hypothyroidism, being more prone to hip dysplasia and a higher incidence in vaccine reactions.  In addition to those studies, some say that spayed/neutered dogs are at a higher risk of ACL injury and bladder infections .
  • Cancer – Some feel that a dog is at higher risk for certain cancers (such as Osteocarcoma) when spayed/neutered due to the lack of sex hormones.  The dogs hormones are not just for reproduction purposes, the dogs need these hormones to fully mature and develop. A study done in 2002 at The University of Purdue found that there was a significant risk for spayed/neutered dogs to develop osteosarcoma compared to intact dogs of the same breed.  There is also some research that indicates spaying/neutering may increase the risk of cardiac tumors (especially hemangiosarcoma). Some also claim that while neutered males are safe from testicular cancer, their risk for prostate cancer increases.
  • While many will say that spaying/neutering will prevent or help with behavior problems, others believe that spaying can increase aggression in some females.  Some GSD owners have experienced an increase in dominance, aggression and pushy behaviors in their females once spayed. It is thought that this is due to the female hormones (ovaries) being removed, which gives the testosterone that is naturally found in the females body to play a larger role in the dogs behavior.
  • While we discussed in the previous article (5 benefits of spaying or neutering your dog) that spaying a female will cause her to gain weight, there are some people that strongly believe the opposite.  There are still many researchers and owners that believe spaying changes the dogs hormone balance and can cause unexplained weight gain in some females. Usually this can still be controlled by cutting back on her food and increasing her exercise.  This may affect some females more than others.
  • While spaying and neutering are considered routine procedures, they are still invasive surgeries.  Most dogs handle these procedures very well and recover quickly.  However, any time you put a dog under anesthesia and open them up, there are risks. Making sure that your dog is healthy and in good condition before surgery will help decrease any risk, but you cannot ignore the risk completely.
  • Basically when it comes down to deciding if you want to spay or neuter your GSD, it is important to do your homework. Do not let your vet or anyone else push you into the decision or try to make you feel guilty about not doing it too early.  Educate yourself on the pros and cons and decide what is best for you. For most people, spaying and neutering is a good choice and the pros outweigh the cons.  However, sometimes it is best to wait until the dog is a bit more mature and not jump into too early in the dog’s life.
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Suggested by the author:

, Akron German Shepherd Examiner

Valerie Miller is a German Shepherd owner and breeder in NE Ohio. She has owned GSDs all of her life and currently has two females that live with her, her husband and her 2 1/2 year old daughter. She participates in Schutzhund as well as other venues with her dogs as well as breeding occasionally...

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