Spaying and Neutering (what your vet may not tell you)

[Doglistener]

I thought I might remind people of some of the problems that spaying and neutering may cause. I am all for spaying and neutering but at the right time or you may just regret you actions.

Press release from PAACT
Professional Association of Applied Canine Trainers
Important observations on the psychological affect of early Spaying and Neutering

Spaying and Neutering
What Your Vet and the Rescue Centres May Not Tell You



Spaying and neutering can make for a better and more affectionate family pet. It is a medical fact that spaying and neutering can prolong the life of our pets and may reduce the number of health problems in later life. Females can benefit from spaying by reducing the incidence of uterine, mammary, ovarian cancers and uterine infections such as Pyometria.

Neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate and testicular cancer. They are less likely to develop unwanted behaviour's such as marking, sexual aggression, and mounting, and are less likely to escape, roam, or fight with other dogs.

Some vets recommend that our dogs are spayed or neutered anywhere between 5 to 16 months. In America some are being done at 8 weeks old. Many rescue centres such as Battersea Dogs Home and the RSPCA/ASPCA spay and neuter as a matter of course, whatever the age. My colleagues and I have some serious reservations about this advice and practice.

There have been many scientific studies on the beneficial outcome of spaying and neutering on a physiological level, but none I can find on a psychological and behavioural level.

As behavioural consultants and obedience trainers, we find that we are treating many more cases where dogs are displaying (paedomorphic) tendencies. That is puppy like behaviours in adult dogs, which we believe could be related to the incidence of early spaying and neutering.

We have also observed that bitches spayed too early may be far more interesting to intact males; unwanted male attention may cause the female to become aggressive and protective of this attention in adulthood.

With regard to neutering, we believe that males should not be castrated until they have been cocking their leg for at least one month, and should be at least 10 to 16 months of age (depending on breed and size), unless there are medical or serious behavioural issues. In females, we believe that they should have at least one season first; then wait approx 3 months before considering spaying.

Many vets and rescue centres will neuter a male dog before they have cocked their leg. It is at this point dogs start to seriously mark territory. Not the half-hearted attempts we see in immature dogs. The immature castrated dog may squat for the remainder of it

[mouseatthebusstop]

my bitches have all been neutered inbetween the first and second season except Tiggie who was a bit later because I was showing her. My male was over 2 years old also at the end of his showing days
I do agree with what you are saying BUT it's better to neuter at 5 or 6 months than to have puppies at the first season or unwanted puppies anytime
You need to be certain a male will not get at the young bitch I have a 6 ft high fenced garden but I still watched her when outside incase a stray male manage to get in