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The Puggy Page
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SPAYING AND NEUTERING CAN DO A LOT MORE GOOD FOR YOUR DOG Discussions about whether to spay or neuter a dog can be as touchy a suject as religion or politics. Some people (men especially?) seem to think having a neutered dog somehow reflects on their own potency - - would a 'real man' have an 'it' for a dog? Why not? Another argument seems to be that a female dog will be a 'better' dog if allowed to have a litter -- the joy of motherhood, and all that. It's a myth. Letting your children see the 'miracle of birth' is another poor excuse. Everything doesn't always go smoothly, so they'd better be prepared for the 'miracle of death' too. Unwanted children are usually looked after one way or another - - perhaps not as well as one would like, but not allowed to starve, either. Unwanted puppies are something else again. Each year the humane societies kill thousands upon thousands of unwanted dogs and cats. In many cases, it happens because dogs are allowed to roam free, (a bad idea to begin with, since they may be hurt in traffic or by other hazards) and copulate at will. The owner of the female dog is suddenly faced with 'an unwanted pregnacy' -- with no possibility for a shot -gun wedding or 'child support' to help with the burden of a bunch of puppies. Even when a litter is planned, there may be little thought to what will happen to the puppies - the neighbours don't want them after all. REAL BENEFITS Apart from the question of responsibility to these living creatures, there are very real advantages to spaying and neutering. You can avoid a whole raft of future problems by having your female dog spayed as a youngster. - The bitch will not have messy twice-a-yearseasons. In addtion, you may find: - A reduced cost for a dog licence. Spaying, the removal of the dog's ovaries and uterus, can be done at any age, but veterinarians agree that it is best done early in life. As the female gets older, it becomes a more complex operation. The procedure is performed under anesthetic and entails a brief stay at the animal hospital. Cost vary from vet to vet, but weighed against the charges of boarding your pet during her 'difficult days', or the price of raising a litter of puppies, it is usually quite reasonable. Some communities hold a spay and neuter clinic to encourage the practice. There is not truth to the old wives' tale that spaying a dog makes a dog grow fat. A properly fed and exercised spayed bitch can be just as slim as her unspayed counterpart. The operation will not affect any dog's working abilities. Two of the prime arguments against spaying a bitch are: She can never have puppies and she can't be shown. If you own a good quality purebred bitch and feel that some day you might like to have puppies in order to carry on the line, you might consider alternatives to spaying. The same holds true if you'd like to show your bitch at dog shows. Obedience trials, however, allow spayed or neutered dogs in competition. Iii some areas, birth control pills are available, they will delay the start of a bitches season or prevent it completely. These pills must be obtained through your veterinarian. Unlike the female, who can only be bred for a few days, a male dog can be sexually active every day after reaching puberty. This may not be a problem for city and suburban dogs who are usually confined to a home, fenced in yard or kennel or walked on lead. The residents in the outskirts or rural areas take more freedom with their dogs and allow them to roam at will, which may well result in some unexpected disasters. - Your male could become seriously injured if another male is in the area and also interested in the bitch in season. In some cases neutering a male may improve the character of an agressive or argumentative dog, it also may eliminate the wandering tendencies. Neutering a male is a much simpler operation than spaying a bitch and is usually less expensive. Most vets reccommend neutering between eight and ten months of age. A vasectomy is an alternative to neutering, but it will do nothing towards improving the behaviour. He will still roam, mount, fight with other males, urine-marking etc. Like a spayed female, a neutered male may not compete in dog shows, only Obedience Trials. There is nothing about spaying or neutering that will prevent your pet from living a long and happy life. A dog that loses is capacity for sex does not develop emotional problems (in many cases is helps solve behavioural problems). In many cases a pet not distracted by 'Lady Love' will give you more affection. |