Puppy or Dog Spay/Neutering:

  When your puppy reaches about six months of age, it is time to start thinking about spaying or neutering them. As you know, there is an overpopulation of dogs in this country. One cause of this is owners not altering their dogs. Unless you are a professional breeder, and your dog is purebred and, preferably, registered with a breed registry, your puppy should be altered.

  There are several organizations that will spaying or neutering your puppy for a reduced cost if money is an issue and, if you got your puppy from a rescue they may already be altered or will come with a free altering when you adopt them.

Be responsible about breeding your dog
  Please don’t breed your mixed breed dog in the hopes of making a lot of money off of the puppies and, if you decide to breed your purebred dog, please do so only after you have a list of definitive buyers for the puppies to come. If you breed with the hopes of being able to sell all the puppies without having buyers already, you will run the risk of not being able to find homes for them all and either having to keep them or take them to a shelter. Either case is not ideal.

Reduce cancer risks
  In addition, spaying your female puppy before she has her first heat almost eliminates the risk of her getting mammary cancer (down to about 0.05%). If you do not spay your puppy before her first heat, the risk is 8% after one heat and goes up even more with the next cycle to about 25%.

Dogs in heat!
  Also, you will have to deal with a dog in heat, which isn’t always a pleasant experience. She will become restless and will want to wander off to find a male and males will be attracted to her. She will experience a menstruation that will have to be controlled with female underpants for dogs or it will stain your carpet and/or furniture.

Neutering
  Neutering your male is important as well as it will help prevent marking and will reduce wandering due to searching for a female in heat. It will also help him be less distracted by his hormones and more willing to work for you and pay attention. You will also be preventing him possibly finding a stray female and breeding with her thus contributing to the homeless, unwanted strays.

The procedure for spay and neutering

  The procedure for both sexes does require anesthesia but the surgeries are so common that they are nearly risk proof. It is a very quick, simple operation that leaves such a small scar; you almost can’t find it once your puppy heals. Your dog will be able to go home the same day and will need to take it easy for a week or so but will be back to normal in about three days. 

  Ultimately, it is your decision as a dog owner what you will choose for your puppy. Just be sure to research thoroughly all of the pros and cons and base your decision off the facts.