According to the Animal Cancer Foundation, around 6 million companion dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States alone. Apart from preventing testicular tumors and cancer, neutering your German Shepherd would also prevent prostate problems as he ages.
Unaltered adult males will regularly have the urge to mate. In fact, most male dogs will have an urge so strong that they do whatever they can to access a female in heat, the scent of which they can track from considerable distances. When they can track the scent of a female in heat, they could go to great lengths in order to escape from home. Unneutered male dogs are also more likely to adopt unwanted behavior like urine marking, mounting, and humping.
These are all linked to hormonal changes, especially as they reach sexual maturity. You need to consider whether you will need to board your dog or have them go some place where they require neutering over their lifetime. The most obvious disadvantage of neutering your German Shepherd is that he will no longer be able to father a litter once the procedure is done.
German Shepherd breeding is best left to the professionals. Besides, there are enough dogs in shelters that need permanent homes. Twenty-five percent of them are purebred, many of who are German Shepherds. Conventional beliefs suggest that neutering keeps German Shepherds from developing aggressive behaviors. For many decades, this popular belief has been uncontested and anecdotally supported. They were also observed to be more fearful and sensitive to handling. At the end of the day, it all comes down to genes, environment, and upbringing.
A study by researchers at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center suggests that neutered male dogs are more likely to suffer from injury of the ACL, a ligament that connects the femur and the tibia. Male dogs that are neutered before maturity are said to have longer bones. While their tall appearance is appreciated, this is believed to be the reason for their predisposition for not only ACL injuries but also elbow and hip dysplasia. Nevertheless, whether neutered or not, German Shepherds are predisposed to hip dysplasia due to their size.
A good diet and proper exercise throughout their lifetime should provide ample protection from such injuries. German Shepherd males can be neutered as early as eight weeks with the common practice being around 6 months old. For most, the decision to neuter at around 6 months is because this is typically the time they reach sexual maturity.
However, a study by University of California-Davis researchers showed that only 8. The researchers suggest that the best time to neuter a male German Shepherd is around months, or at least 12 months old. While risks for joint disorders are lowest when neutered at years, the other benefits of neutering will already be irrelevant by that age. Accordingly, neutering around 1 year old would still be ideal. The table above breaks down the results of their study by age and associated cancers.
Types of canine cancer included in the study were the following:. Results of the study suggest that neutering between 6 and 11 months is most ideal to prevent canine cancer. Of the males, were neutered and were intact, and of the females, were neutered and intact. They compared the occurrence of joint disorders in intact dogs and in those neutered before six months of age , from six to 11 months, at one year, and at two to eight years.
For some of their analyses, they grouped all dogs neutered before 12 months and referred to them as early neutered. In their findings, the researchers noted that 6. That fell to Hip dysplasia was the most commonly experienced joint disorder. And testicular cancer, though a more common occurrence in older intact male dogs, offers better treatment outcomes compared to other cancers.
So what should dog owners do? Should you spay or neuter, and if so, when? Hart agrees. While you make that calculation, bear in mind a reminder from Dr. Hart: although the risk of developing certain cancers and joint disorders increased when certain breeds were spayed or neutered early, most dogs will not develop these conditions. The emerging research can give us a picture of the likelihood of certain outcomes, but can never fully predict what life will look like for your particular dog.
Have a non-urgent question for a veterinarian? Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Dog Name Finder Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration. Find out the best and worst foods for your dog and which to avoid. Additional Resources AKC. Clubs Offering: Training Classes. This is both a time they have reached emotional and physical maturity. German Shepherds stop growing physically at about a year old. Are intact dogs more aggressive? Intact dogs un-neutered dogs are more prone to wandering, urinating, and other aggressive behavior.
With proper training, however, all these problems can be kept under control effectively. Start training when they are young and things should be fine. What is the best age to neuter a German Shepherd? When to Neuter your German Shepherd There are a lot of ethical reasons to neuter your dog. Neutering is a serious decision that should be made only after counseling with a licensed vet.
Risks Associated with Neutering Before a Year As I mentioned earlier, the reasoning behind neutering a dog before a year seems sound.
Growth plate issues. Testosterone is an important regulator in an animals growth, especially communicating with growth plates. Testosterone signals when growth plates should close, thus leading to healthy normal development. Without normal amounts of testosterone, growth plates will continue expanding leading to dogs that are significantly taller than is normal.
They will also be longer limbed, lighter boned, and have narrower chests and smaller skulls than is healthy. Orthopedic issues. Due to the premature closing of certain growth plates and the perpetual growth of others, German Shepherds that are neutered prematurely often have serious and persistent orthopedic issues.
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