5 benefits to spaying or neutering your dog

 Another controversial topic when it comes to spay/neutering is temperament.  Some people and trainers feel that neutering a male will help with dominance and aggression issues.  While not everyone believes or agrees with this, there are those who claim to have seen great benefits from it. Some trainers feel you are more likely to have issues between two intact males than you would between two neutered males.  However, other trainers believe that obedience training will help much more than neutering.   While controversial and not everyone agrees, there have been some studies and research that shows it is healthier to spay/neuter your pet. The fact is that a dog cannot get cancer in parts that it no longer has.  A neutered male will not get testicular cancer.  A spayed female is also less likely to get mammary cancer.  Some vets feel that spaying/neutering will prevent other types of cancer as well.  There is a common misconception that a dog will gain weight after being spayed/neutered.  This is untrue.  Most dogs end up gaining weight as they mature and get older.  If you pay attention to what you feed your dog and be sure that your GSD gets plenty of exercise, weight should be easily maintained - whether intact or not.   Obviously the biggest benefit of spaying or neutering your German Shepherd Dog is to prevent unwanted breeding and puppies.  Having an intact pet is a huge responsibility.  Even if you are extremely careful, accidents can and do happen.  The only way to prevent an accidental breeding 100% is by spaying/neutering your pet.  Often pet owners do not realize the negative effects that an accidental breeding can have on the over population of pets in this country.  Even just one accidental breeding can result in dozens or even hundreds of more unwanted pets. When your dog has an unwanted litter, those puppies could go on to have more unwanted litters, resulting in many more generations coming from just your one dog. Spaying and neutering will help to stop this cycle.  If you are keeping your dog intact because you want to breed him/her, please take the time to educate yourself and become a responsible breeder.  There are many unwanted pets being put to sleep every day because they do not have enough homes for them.  There are many more filling the shelters, pounds and rescues.  The biggest reason for this overpopulation is backyard breeders, pet owners breeding their dog for the wrong reason or allowing their intact dog to reproduce due to lack of responsibility.View the list »
Puppies may be cute and it may sound like fun to have a litter. However, they are are also a lot of work, make a huge mess, take a lot of time and cost a lot of money. Think long and hard before you decide to breed your dog!

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Spaying and neutering your German Shepherd Dog can be a controversial issue. There is a lot of information out there online, from the vets and other pet owners. Unfortunately not everyone agrees as to what is best, some feel every dog should spayed/neutered, some feel no dogs should be spayed/neutered and then most people fall somewhere in between.

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While there are some very good reasons that you should spay or neuter your pet, there are also some compelling studies that show it is beneficial to leave your companion intact.
There really is not right or wrong answer, you should do the research and determine what is best for you and your pet.

Here are the top five benefits of having your German Shepherd spayed or neutered. After doing your own research about what is best for your dog, you could also speak with the breeder (assuming you purchased your dog from a responsible breeder) and your veterinarian for more advice.

View the list
  •  Obviously the biggest benefit of spaying or neutering your German Shepherd Dog is to prevent unwanted breeding and puppies.  Having an intact pet is a huge responsibility.  Even if you are extremely careful, accidents can and do happen.  The only way to prevent an accidental breeding 100% is by spaying/neutering your pet.  Often pet owners do not realize the negative effects that an accidental breeding can have on the over population of pets in this country.  Even just one accidental breeding can result in dozens or even hundreds of more unwanted pets. When your dog has an unwanted litter, those puppies could go on to have more unwanted litters, resulting in many more generations coming from just your one dog. Spaying and neutering will help to stop this cycle.  If you are keeping your dog intact because you want to breed him/her, please take the time to educate yourself and become a responsible breeder.  There are many unwanted pets being put to sleep every day because they do not have enough homes for them.  There are many more filling the shelters, pounds and rescues.  The biggest reason for this overpopulation is backyard breeders, pet owners breeding their dog for the wrong reason or allowing their intact dog to reproduce due to lack of responsibility.
  •  While controversial and not everyone agrees, there have been some studies and research that shows it is healthier to spay/neuter your pet. The fact is that a dog cannot get cancer in parts that it no longer has.  A neutered male will not get testicular cancer.  A spayed female is also less likely to get mammary cancer.  Some vets feel that spaying/neutering will prevent other types of cancer as well.  There is a common misconception that a dog will gain weight after being spayed/neutered.  This is untrue.  Most dogs end up gaining weight as they mature and get older.  If you pay attention to what you feed your dog and be sure that your GSD gets plenty of exercise, weight should be easily maintained - whether intact or not.  
  •  Another controversial topic when it comes to spay/neutering is temperament.  Some people and trainers feel that neutering a male will help with dominance and aggression issues.  While not everyone believes or agrees with this, there are those who claim to have seen great benefits from it. Some trainers feel you are more likely to have issues between two intact males than you would between two neutered males.  However, other trainers believe that obedience training will help much more than neutering.  
  •  It is well know that intact males may “roam” when they smell a female in heat.  Dogs can smell a female in heat from miles away.  If your dog is determined enough and gets loose, he could get lost or hit by a car.  Once your German Shepherd is away from you, anything could happen to him. Microchipping your dog and having current tags on him may help you find him, however that will not keep him from being hit by a car or getting injured some other way.  Obviously obedience and maintaining control over your dog can help prevent things like this from happening, but if he does not have the desire to chase after a female in heat it may be easier to control. Some female dogs will also go in search of a mate while in season, so it is not just the male dogs that you have to worry about.
  •  Let’s be honest, having a female in heat is difficult to deal with.  It can be very messy while they are in heat, even if you utilize doggy diapers. You also have to go out of your way to ensure she is kept safe from males during her heat.  This can be exhausting, especially if you own an intact male in the house.  You may have strange dogs hanging around your house.  Remember, males from miles away can follow her scent to your house.  You should never leave your female in heat outside by herself, even if your yard is fenced in.Some females also become moody, sensitive or change in personality while in heat.
View the list
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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