As our understanding of the health benefits progresses, it’s becoming increasingly common for veterinarians to recommend waiting longer to spay or neuter young dogs.

If you’re unsure WHEN to neuter your young male dog, please discuss this in depth with your vet. But if you’ve decided to delay neutering and are now facing the new experience of raising an intact male dog, this article is for you! 

These are some important things to know, expect, and be prepared for.

Male puppies can reach sexual maturity as early as 5-6 months.

This means a puppy who is barely older than a baby himself could produce puppies if he gains access to a female in season. Careful supervision of your young boy is essential to the prevention of accidental breedings.

If your boy has unsupervised access to a fenced yard, be certain the fencing is secure – intact males can become creative and determined escape artists when motivated by the scent of a female in season.

Do NOT allow him to interact with females in season. Things can happen quicker than you think, so don’t rely on supervision to prevent accidental breedings. Anyone can get distracted for a moment!

Plan to exercise extra diligence as long as your boy is intact to make sure he doesn’t engage in any secret trysts.

Intact male adolescent dogs need structure, socialization, and support.

Adolescence is a rough life stage for almost all living creatures, and your young intact boy is no exception. Isolating him through this time is not be healthy for his development. What he needs is thoughtful support and education on how to be socially appropriate.

• As with all adolescent dogs, it’s essential for your young boy to both have healthy canine friendships AND to learn that he need not concern himself with every dog he sees. Intact males can have particularly strong feelings about greeting or assessing other dogs, so you will need effective strategies to show him appropriate behavior. Problem behaviors practiced during adolescence can become life-long habits, so please consider getting help if your boy is struggling around other dogs! 
• Your intact male is likely to engage in behaviors you would be wise to interrupt. This could include intense interest in the urine of female dogs, marking with his own urine, humping other dogs, or being overly pushy or forward to other dogs. Having gentle and effective strategies for interrupting these behaviors will prevent your boy from building bad habits.
• Speaking of behaviors that might seem a bit *ahem* unsavory… Some intact boys engage in masturbation, and it’s important to realize this behavior is a biological need — no more abnormal than drinking water. Instead of punishing or suppressing this behavior, it is healthiest to provide a designated body pillow or toy for this activity and direct his attention to it when needed.
• Making sure your young boy has adequate exercise, enrichment, and training is essential. Engage him in fun training or play every day. Not only does this help fulfill his needs, but it builds your relationship and communication. Don’t relax because your boy graduated from a Basic Manners class. He needs you to remain actively engaged throughout his adolescence. Consider enrolling in an advanced class like Walkabout, Rocket Recall, or Super Tricks — or trying a dog sport like agility or scent work! Learning new things together is one of the BEST things you can do. 
• Make appropriate social behavior a priority! Some intact boys REALLY struggle to think clearly in close proximity to other dogs and it is essential to work within what they CAN do. If your boy can’t focus in a group class or gets fixated on other dogs in public, private training can help you understand how to help him through this phase. With appropriate intervention, you WILL get through this together! 

Don’t blame his hormones for everything!

Remember, adolescence is challenging for all living being and being neutered is not quick fix for your boy’s behavior challenges.

Neutered males will also pull on leash, bark at other dogs, hump, jump on visitors, ignore their recalls, or engage in urine marking. Training and environment are often just as important as reproductive status.

When things get challenging, reach for training first. Although neutering may impact hormone-driven behaviors, it will likely not resolve all the problems you are facing. It is often perceived as a universal behavior cure, but research has demonstrated that neutering can cause or contribute to behavior problems, too.

Don’t fear raising your intact boy.

Raising an intact male dog for the first time may require a little extra awareness, particularly around his reproductive behavior, secure containment, and behavior around other dogs. But being intact doesn’t prevent a dog from being affectionate, trainable, social, and an excellent family companion.

When you need support, we are here! Reach out at any time if you have questions or concerns about your boy’s behavior, we would be happy to help.