# Spay or Neuter: Male and Female Living Together



## GodsShepherds (May 3, 2014)

I have a male and a female who are 3 months apart. She's 6 months old and he's 9. I don't want to neuter my boy before he should be which I believe the minimum age should be a year but if possible, wait the two years out. I don't want my female to end up pregnant and it'll be extremely difficult for me to keep them separated when I work 8 hours a day. I live in a large apartment and there's no way for me to separate them.

I know it's important for a male to fully mature with his hormones so leaving him intact would be better but would it be a good idea to spay my female soon before her first heat to avoid a fiasco and also protect her health? 

Let me know and please be kind! I am a loving owner.


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## Sarah~ (Apr 30, 2012)

Do you have crates at home you could use to keep them apart? Or even closing them up in separate rooms?


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

I am generally anti spay-neuter. However, nature is nature. I have an intact male and and intact female and during the standing heat it is virtually impossible to keep them apart. I have an out door kennel that my female stays in while she is in heat. Even then, I have to manage my male very carefully to keep him away from her. My recommendation is to either alter one of them now or have a friend on standby to keep one of them when the female comes into heat.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I have an intact male at home, and rescue is spayed. I'm a big believer that if we want to consider ourselves responsible dog owners, then the priorities are to keep our females from getting accidentally pregnant and prevent bringing more "oups" puppies into the world. So to that end, if spaying your female before her first heat is responsible, if you are worried about it. 

Spaying and neutering is such a hot debate, but you have to do what will work best for your situation.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

*you have to do what will work best for your situation.*

this says it all :thumbup:


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

In your situation I would probably spay the female before she hits 6 months. Even if you could keep them apart easily, your living in an apartment would be an issue. Many males can be rather vocal when they know their favorite girl is in heat.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Hormones are beneficial for both sexes. Not just males. But people tend to be quicker to spay a female than neuter a male. Probably because they don't want to deal with a heat cycle. 

It's up to you which dog is going to be fixed. Or neither. There are kennels that the male can go to during a heat cycle. Crates, bedroom doors, many ways to keep them separate. But if you are positive that you cannot keep the apart, fixing one is an option. 

If you chose the female, 7-8 months is a good time and you should miss her first heat. If you chose the male, then anytime would work. 


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I am looking to this in the near future and will board the male dog during the heat cycle.
Another option is to have a vasectomy on the male but you still have the hassle of mating going on.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

lhczth said:


> Even if you could keep them apart easily, your living in an apartment would be an issue. Many males can be rather vocal when they know their favorite girl is in heat.


This.

When my girls are in season they spend most of their time in the second floor of our house while the intact boys get to stay in the basement.

The boys howl ... ALOT. I just can't see that going over very well in an apartment setting!


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

If I were in your situation, I would have the female spayed ASAP, preferably before her first heat. Otherwise, even if you have them crated and in separate rooms, it's going to be very difficult. Males have been known to break open crates, chew out windows and doors to get to females in heat.

While it's good for both sexes to have hormones while they are still growing, I think the benefit is greater with males than with females. So with that in mind, I'd sooner spay the female if there is a risk of accidental pregnancy.

What possessed you to get two opposite sex GSDs so close in age, while you're living in a small apartment?? Not trying to be mean, just wondering if there was a thought process or if this was something done on a whim. Believe me, we've all made less-than-perfect decisions in our lives, so I'm not judging. You're obviously a responsible owner if you want to prevent accidental breeding.


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