| Your veterinarian should initiate a discussion about | | | | season, sends out enticing messages to male |
| spaying or neutering at the time of your first | | | | dogs in the vicinity. Furthermore, because the |
| appointment, months in advance of the actual | | | | reproductive organs are gone, spaying eliminates |
| surgery. If he or she doesn't, then inquire. When | | | | the possibility of unwanted pregnancy as well as |
| the puppy is very young is a good time to start | | | | the regular heat period when dogs leave |
| thinking about whether you want to spay or | | | | blood-tinged stains on carpets and furniture. Lastly, |
| neuter your pet for preventative health care, | | | | the potential infections, cancers and other |
| birth control and to avoid some potentially | | | | problems involving the uterus and/or ovaries are |
| undesirable behavior. | | | | eliminated along with these organs. Diseases of |
| Many breeders offer pet quality puppies for sale | | | | the male reproductive organs related to the |
| with the stipulation that the dogs be neutered or | | | | presence of male hormones are not unknown, |
| spayed when they reach the appropriate age. | | | | either. Although neutering represents an |
| This is the breeder's way of insuring breed | | | | advantage as far as prevention is concerned, this |
| improvement, by only allowing high-quality dogs to | | | | is not usually the primary reason owners have |
| reproduce. You, of course, think your puppy is | | | | their dogs castrated. |
| absolutely perfect. And it is - for you, and as a | | | | Most people want their dog to be neutered |
| pet, but perhaps not as a model for future | | | | because they think it helps make him a better |
| members of its breed. | | | | pet. This may be true, for the following reasons: |
| Possibly the best reason to have your female | | | | Intact male dogs can act aggressively toward |
| spayed while she is young (most veterinarians | | | | other dogs and people because they are trying to |
| recommend six months of age) is for its health | | | | protect and control their territory. In the male |
| benefit. Mammary gland cancer is much more | | | | mind, "territory" may be your property, its toys, |
| common, in an unspayed (intact) female. If your | | | | females in heat, a bowl of food and so on. This |
| puppy is spayed before her first heat (at six | | | | type of behavior is unacceptable to most people |
| months, for example), her risk of developing | | | | and may be strongly influenced by the dog's male |
| breast tumors is substantially reduced. The odds | | | | hormones. Neutering a dog with aggressive |
| are still in her favor, though diminished, if she is | | | | tendencies at an early age may reduce these |
| spayed after her first heat. But if you wait until | | | | problems. Castration is also recommended for |
| she reaches maturity, say after her second or | | | | aggressive older dogs, although its chance for |
| third heat, the operation will not reduce her risk of | | | | success is less certain. |
| breast cancer. This is why it is important to have | | | | A neutered dog has less temptation to roam, too, |
| her spayed early in life. | | | | as well as fight. He probably won't embarrass you |
| Other reasons? The surgery itself, complete | | | | at important dinner parties by seeking romance |
| removal of the uterus and both ovaries, is | | | | with your company's legs. And just as important, |
| ordinarily quicker and less hemorrhagic in immature | | | | he won't contribute to the already burgeoning |
| females, so the risk of complications is reduced. | | | | population of homeless puppies, something we |
| Owners are spared the stress of having to | | | | should all be ashamed of. |
| confine the female who, when she comes into | | | | |