Humans take years to sexually develop fully. In contrast, dogs seem to become sexually mature almost immediately! But when do dogs actually fully sexually mature?
When do dogs become sexually active? When do dogs first begin to develop sexually, and when is it safe to neuter them? Well, in this article, we’re looking into what happens as your dog begins to sexually mature, as well as what stages you can expect to notice.
So, let’s explore what happens when your dog becomes sexually active:
Male dogs first become fully sexually active after they are physically mature, when they are around 12 months old. Female dogs actually first become sexually active at anywhere between 6 to 15 months.
When does my puppy stop growing?
Did you know that a dog’s sexual maturity is primarily tied to their growth rate? Smaller dogs stop growing and thus become sexually mature often at around 6 months, for example, while larger dogs have to wait at least 9 months before becoming able to breed.
Sexual maturity happens a little while before a dog’s growth truly halts. On average, most dog breeds stop growing at around 9 months. Again, large breeds grow for a little longer, usually up to 2 years.
What happens when my dog sexually matures?
The things that happen to your dog as they become sexually mature are pretty similar to what humans go through. No, your dog will not get acne! But they may display some behavioral and mood changes.
If your dog is female, they will begin their heat. During the first stage (proestrus) of your female dog’s heat, you may notice their vulva swelling a little.
You may also see your female dog licking their vulva too. On top of this, you may spot a red, bloody discharge, though some female dogs groom themselves clean.
Your female dog will pee more often during proestrus – you may have to let them out into the yard every 5 minutes! Your female dog should produce discharge for anywhere from 7 to 10 days. But, they will be fertile for 2 to 3 weeks. This will occur about every 6 months.
Once sexually active, a male dog is fertile all year round. They will produce the hormone testosterone at a stable level. However, when a male dog first becomes sexually mature, they produce a much higher amount of the hormone.
The sheer amount of testosterone young sexually active male puppies produce can prompt other male dogs to attack them. So, be careful around other off-leash dogs when you go on walks.
The excessive testosterone in a sexually active pup’s body can also make the pup themselves a little more aggressive, both towards you and other dogs. So, keep up with training during this stage in their life to reinforce preferable behaviors.
Just like with females, a newly sexually active male pup will start to pee a lot more. Newly sexually active male dogs do this to mark their territory. When your male dog does this, be sure to keep on the ball about taking them outside. You can also use a dog pee cleaning spray if your male dog begins marking their territory in undesirable spots.
When does a male dog become sexually active?
Above, we touched upon how dogs start to become sexually active at a young age – technically in their late puppyhood. However, male dogs first become fully sexually active after they are physically mature, when they are around 12 months old.
When does a female dog become sexually active?
As we previously mentioned, female dogs go into heat around every 6 months. But when do female dogs first become fully sexually active?
Well, female dogs actually first become sexually active at anywhere between 6 to 15 months. Once again, this depends on the female dog’s size, as well as their breed.
When should I neuter my male dog?
Most veterinarians will advise you not to castrate your dog before they are finished growing. This is because castrating your dog results in reduced hormone levels. These reduced hormones can interfere with your dog’s growth, resulting in bone problems and other disorders.
That being said, it has been shown that neutering your dog early on can significantly reduce the risk of diseases like hip dysplasia, several different types of cancer, and cruciate ligament ruptures. Taking both these opinions into account, when should you neuter your male dog?
Well, the decision of when to neuter your male dog depends on your dog’s size and breed. If they are a small dog breed, for example, you can assume they’d be fully finished growing at around the 6-month mark. Whereas, if your dog is larger, it would be wise to wait at least 9 months.
If you don’t intend to breed your male dog, neutering them before 12 months appears to yield the best health benefits. Read my other article Benefits of Spaying and Neutering for more here
When should I spay my female dog?
As we just touched upon, both spaying and not spaying your female dog feature their own unique sets of health benefits and reduced risks. So, if you plan to spay your female dog, when should you do it?
Well, just as with male dogs, it’s important to spay your female dog as early on as possible if you want to reduce the risk of cancers and some physical issues. But you still also want to ensure that your female dog is fully developed and finished growing.
Thankfully, physical maturity is a bit easier to estimate with female dogs. Most owners allow at least one heat cycle to fully elapse before they spay their female dog.
Of course, if you want to breed your female dog, you will spay them much later. This is okay, too; every dog and situation is different. Get in touch with your veterinarian for the best advice.
What should I do for my sexually mature dog?
As we touched upon earlier, hormones can put your sexually mature puppy in danger. If they are female, the scent of their urine can entice males to come running from literally miles around, while a newly sexually active male is likely to be attacked by other males. So, what should you do about this?
One thing you can do is limit where your newly sexually mature dog walks, at least until they are fully adult. Don’t take them to crowded dog parks, especially ones with lots of off-leash pooches around.
Instead, if you can, let your dog get their exercise in a private, secure, fenced, off-leash area. You could also play active games indoors or in the yard, as long as there are no other dogs on the other side of the fence.
If you have a newly sexually active female dog, it is essential to keep it in private places when fertile. You may also like to use a doggy diaper or covering to keep your furniture clean.
The dog training programe
If you are looking to learn how to train your dog or puppy using force-free training methods then I recommend this online video course. I purchased it last year and some of the tips I learned I still use today. Most of the training methods aren’t available on the internet.
You will learn
- Attention skills
- Obedience skills
- Relationship skills and lots more
Each session is bite-sized with the focus on getting the student to take the action with information and demonstrations, find out more here.
