Will neutering my German Shepherd calm him down? (2023)

German Shepherds are curious and intelligent dogs that are also very active, especially when they are young.

From birth until about six months of age, your dog's testosterone levels (testosterone is a hormone produced by the testicles) are low.

But when he hits puberty (around six months), testosterone levels rise and your dog's behavior may change.

according toHilltop Animal HospitalAs male dogs reach puberty, they may change, take greater risks, become more aggressive or dominant, and move around in search of a mate.

When your German Shepherd starts exhibiting these behaviors, it seems to you to be hyperactive.

Spaying your German Shepherd can help calm him down.However, how many changes you see in your dog and how quickly you see those changes depends on a variety of factors.

If your dog is past puberty, it may take a long time for him to calm down, and you may see other problems.

Some German Shepherds can become hyperactive despite being neutered, but you can help them learn the correct behavior by taking the time to consistently train them.

How to Calm Your German Shepherd So You Can Live With Him

You can't rely on neutering your dog to turn it from a feral child into a good canine citizen.

Your dog is smart, has spent his entire life learning how to behave, and will likely continue to behave the same way whether he wants to or not.

You can help him by training him to behave and insisting that he always behave the way you want him to do.

The effectiveness of training depends in part on how old you are when you start training your German Shepherd.

As this trainer video from Assertive K-9 Training demonstrates, using aggressive training methods can lead to excellent results for puppies.

find a goodpuppy trainingclasses attended. If you're older, find something age-appropriate.

Discipline training your pup will go a long way toward having a dog that you can live with, but if it's not neutered, you may still find it too active.

A combination of neutering and training may be required to achieve the results you want. youYou need to be consistent in your training.Let your dog know what you expect of him.

What are the benefits of neutering my German Shepherd?

One of the biggest benefits of neutering your German Shepherd is that it will lose the drive to find a mate. Instead, he will stay at home.

It won't dig, climb, crawl or run out of your garden to satisfy its desire to reproduce.

This means your dog is not at high risk of the dangers that the whole world can throw at it.

He will stay home, away from fights with other dogs, away from cars that could easily kill him, away from people who might throw things at him, or even shoot him with pellets, shotgun pellets, or bullets.

they areGerman Shepherds don't howl either.Or complain about a neighbor's female being in heat, which sometimes happens even when the female lives far away.

A neutered male will not focus solely on his awareness of receiving females and will lose touch with everything else in his life until the end of his cycle. In general, he will be calmer and easier to work with.

Neutering means your dog won't cause pet population problems.

according toAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsIn the United States, millions of animals are euthanized each year for not having enough homes. Spaying helps reduce these numbers.

What other behavioral changes might my neutered dog experience?

Your dog is less likely to exhibit sexual behaviors such as riding on other dogs, pawing at your legs or furniture, and marking his territory frequently.

If you delay neutering until after puberty, he may learn to do some of these things and it may not stop after neutering, but it will become less necessary.

With time and training, these habits will disappear.

Your neutered German Shepherd may be more docile around you and other people, but will still maintain the drive to protect your home and family.

It will also retain his personality, so a cute, friendly dog ​​before neutering will be the same after neutering.

How old should my German Shepherd be neutered?

Experts are divided on the question of at what age your dog should be neutered.

Some people insist that your German Shepherd should be neutered before puberty so that it doesn't pick up any bad habits that develop after a certain age.

Other experts suggest that neutering your dog too early can be problematic.

according toAmerican Kennel Club, studies have shown that dogs neutered before puberty eventually become timid and insecure.

Several large, long-term studies agree that neutering dogs at an early age is not a good idea.

psychology todayVarious negative effects of castration, such as increased aggression and anxiety, are described in detail.

Spaying also doesn't fix many bad behaviors, it just makes them worse. The younger the dog is at the time of neutering, the more severe the behavior problems will be.

The best thing you can do is talk to your pet's veterinarian and discuss any concerns you may have.

Your dog's veterinarian knows your dog best, so they should be able to discuss with you when to spay your dog and why you should do it at that age.

What if I want to breed my German Shepherd before neutering?

It's not a good idea to randomly commit to breeding your dog.

You might think this is great and there should be more of it, but it's generally not a good idea unless you know what you're doing.

keep a dogIt can only be done by those who know what they are doing. It's not just about putting two dogs together and welcoming a batch of puppies 63 days later.

when youbreed your dog, at any given time, you are contributing to millions of unwanted pets filling shelters.

Your dog should also not be bred until neutered.

You might teach him to want to breed even after neutering because he knows he likes to breed, which leads to his problem behavior.

Without a clear understanding of any underlying genetic issues your dog may have, such as hip dysplasia or spinal degeneration, you could end up helping breed puppies with these negative traits instead of helping to eliminate them.

You also need to have a solid understanding of your dog's ancestry, what the strengths and weaknesses of its environment are, and whether it is likely to pass those strengths on to its offspring.

What other benefits can neutering give my dog?

According to the authorMichelle Welton, if your German Shepherd is neutered, he is less likely to be targeted by other males.

Even if your dog is not aggressive, if it is not neutered, i.e. intact, it is at risk of being attacked by other males. Once neutered, the risk is much lower because other males don't see him as a threat.

Spaying him will also give you some health benefits. Uncastrated men are at risk for prostate problems or testicular cancer.

Treatment is available if contracted, but neutering minimizes or eliminates the risk of these diseases.

Another unpleasant problem that can arise in intact German Shepherds, as well as other breeds, is perianal fistula.

This can look like a dog has a boil around the anus and can be difficult to treat. This problem is less likely to occur if the cat has been neutered.

To Summarize: Neutering Your German Shepherdcan calm him down

If your German Shepherd is hyperactive, you may need to have it neutered before you can live with it.

Living with a large male dog who is always active, always eager to run, or has trouble calming down can be difficult.

If this is the case with your dog, he probably needs to be neutered and he should be helped to calm down.

However, do take into consideration that research into automatically neutering all dogs, especially at a young age, can be harmful to them.

Spend time with your dog, play with him, and train him. You may find that neutering is not necessary in order for him to be an excellent companion.

Recommended reading: The Complete Guide to Neutering a German Shepherd (+Pros and Cons)