We’re not veterinarians, but understandably, training clients will often ask for our opinions regarding various medical topics. From food allergies to explanations regarding hip dysplasia and our opinions of flea and tick prevention, we have our beliefs and opinions. While we gladly share our thoughts, it’s always important to discuss any medical question you have with a veterinarian that shares your beliefs on the role of the medical establishment to be sure you’re getting the most professional and personally relevant answer possible.
Outside of food allergy and parasite prevention questions, the topic we’re asked most about is spaying and neutering. On the surface, the answer seems simple, as there is no doubt that with the exception of genetically superior, purpose-specific dogs, pet dogs should be universally kept from breeding, and the easiest way to do this is by desexing them.
The answer to the question, “Should I spay or neuter my dog?” is most always, “YES!” That said, despite the overwhelming support by responsible members of the dog community for spaying and neutering (such as this Pinterest page), the less common but equally important question, “When should I alter my pet?” does come with some serious considerations.
Considering the world’s dog over-population problem, it is understandable why dogs that come into shelters are automatically spayed and neutered. But if you purchased a puppy or found a young intact dog that is clearly less than fully mature, and you are responsible enough to keep an unaltered dog safe from themselves and other dogs, holding off on altering your pet until they are fully mature (roughly between 12 and 24 months old, depending on the size of the dog – small dogs mature quicker) does come with some very important benefits that are very worth knowing and discussing with your vet. This article does a great job of explaining the reasons behind our opinion in great detail and the link at the bottom of the page to a video by Dr. Karen Becker is very enlightening and definitely worth watching. (It’s about 25 minutes long.) Again, holding off on desexing your dog is only an option if you’re the type of dog owner that is committed to keeping your dog safe in all circumstances. This includes supervision in fenced areas, as dogs have been known to jump over and even mate through fences.
Sometimes, the people we speak with who do not want to alter their pets are taking this stance because they desire to breed their dog. Our response to the statement, “I’d like to breed my dog” is most always along the lines of, “PLEASE, DON’T.”
It is unquestionable that the only reasons one should ever breed their dog is because:
- their dog’s inclusion in the breeding pool will actually improve the health of the breed
- demand for the offspring to perform specific tasks is without question
Additionally, the only reason anyone should ever begin to think about becoming a breeder is because they have committed to a long-term lifestyle that focuses on creating the type of dogs mentioned above. In the same way that good people don’t have a baby just to see what happens, good people don’t breed dogs to fulfill a curiosity either. The commitment to understanding genetics, breed health and standards, animal husbandry, and becoming an important part of the dog’s breed community should run deep for anyone even remotely thinking about breeding.