Everyone who has ever thought of introducing another dog into their home has probably had to deal with this.
I know I’ve tried it.
My fight was the other way around. Rottweiler is an unspayed female, but basically the same.
Depending on who claims the rightful throne in your home, if you’re considering a second dog, you’ll need to choose wisely.
There are four possible constellations in any home with two dogs.
If you have a non-neutered male, you can pair him with a neutered/neutered male or a spayed/intact female.
Not all constellations work, and in some cases it can be crucial not to pair your dog with the wrong one.
Behavior issues and excessive mounting aren’t the only possible issues, you also need to consider who your dog has the most chemistry with.
Neutering is not without risk either, so keep that in mind.
Unneutered male dog with spayed female
An unneutered male dog can live with a spayed female, but problems such as excessive mounting, sniffing, or licking can arise, which, in turn, increases stress and potentially fuels behavioral problems.
It might be wiser to neuter the male once he has finished growing.
If you recently added an unneutered male puppy, it’s probably okay to wait until bone growth is finished and then assess the need to spay him again.
Do you already have the unneutered male dog and the spayed female?
Then the only thing you can do is try to observe whether or not your male dog is showing signs of stress (male dogs can definitely behave as if they are in heat too).
However, if the male dog came or will come first and neutering is not a solution for you (too young/old, health issues, general risk of neutering), it can be a bit tricky.
If neutering the male to live with a female dog is not an option, the alternative is to introduce another neutered or neutered male dog into your home.
Keep in mind that the two-male constellation can be a poor choice, especially if your male dog or new male is only really in harmony with females.
Likewise, in case the female spayed comes first, you may want to think about adding another female or neutered male dog.
It is said that the best harmony exists between a male and female dog, but if an accidental litter cannot be 100% ruled out, you should look at other options.
A lot also depends on your own dog.
Some dogs are super friendly with every other canine, while others only like females or males (or no other dogs at all) and that’s totally fine.
If you have properly socialized your dog, you should know what he likes and dislikes.
You can tell pretty quickly who your dog likes better, especially if you had other males or females inside your house.
Never try to force a relationship with your dog and never blindly accept the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
Breeding puppies is no joke and health tests should be done before breeding. Too many “accidental” litters are born every year, month, week, and even day.
Can a male dog be attracted to a spayed female?
Yes, a male dog can be attracted to a spayed female, especially if the spay was recently performed or if it is an adolescent male.
Although spayed females no longer come into heat, males may still be attracted to them.
Keep in mind that mounting doesn’t always equal attraction, it may be due to emotion or other factors.
That being said, excessive mounting or sniffing are probably the most prominent signs that a male is attracted to a spayed female.
I have known dogs that seem to hump anything that comes their way.
While I can’t speak for my female rottweiler as she seems to smell particularly good for ANY male dog, I can attest to that fact from first hand experience.
The females have been mounted, excessively licked and classically courted (although this can sometimes be construed as play) and that despite the fact that they are spayed.
By the way: it can also happen that a neutered male dog is still attracted to an unspayed or even spayed female, as it is often a behavior pattern that does not go away with a snap of the fingers.
Why is my male dog trying to mount my spayed female?
While male dogs may try to mount spayed females out of excitement, it can also happen that a male dog is attracted to a female even though she is spayed, especially if the spay was recently performed.
Assembly may not seem like a problem at first.
After all, your female is spayed and nothing can happen, right?
Well, that’s kind of true, but if the male is constantly trying to mount the female, any situation can go south pretty quickly.
My female rottweiler doesn’t like being ridden at all and doesn’t seem to care what stage she is in (including before, during and after heat).
Granted, she’s not spayed, but at worst, spaying only adds to that as the hormones are changing.
Neutered and non-neutered males try to mount her outside quite often and I always remove her from that situation.
I couldn’t imagine putting my dog through that stress every day.
If you just brought home a new male canine or your adolescent dog is just starting to prepare for potential mating, you can keep an eye on him.
I have bred a neutered male dog and although there was a lot of mating in the early days, that behavior quickly subsided with a bit of steering in the right direction.
A male mounting a spayed (or even non-spayed) female is not always physical attraction, but may be due to arousal.
Male dog keeps licking spayed bitch
If a male dog continues to lick a spayed female, it is most often a precursor to mounting, playing, or other behaviors that have mating as the ultimate goal.
Sniffing and even licking are not uncommon among dogs that have just met, but too much licking can be a problem.
Females will generally show signs of being uncomfortable.
Lip licking, flattened ears, hair on end, withdrawing from the situation: it is essential to watch out for these signs.
To avoid further conflict, male dogs should not be allowed to chase their suspects of interest to lick or just sniff them.
I personally find it upsetting if my un-spayed Rottie encounters a male dog out of his heat who is incredibly persistent with sniffing and licking behavior.
Other dog owners may think it’s okay, but they often ignore the clear signs that the other dog is becoming more uncomfortable.
Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for veterinary care and is not intended to be. I am not a veterinarian or a pet nutritionist. If your dog shows any signs of illness, call your vet.
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