Neutering Myths
MYTH: I'm a responsible owner and can make sure my unneutered dog doesn't mate adding to the dog overpopulation crisis.
FACT: The truth is unless your dog is neutered you can't guarantee they won't reproduce. All it takes is for your dog to go missing, or be stolen, for him or her to end up being bred from.
MYTH: My dog will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is dogs get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.
MYTH: It's better to have one litter first.
FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now neuter puppies from three months of age or younger thus avoiding a surprise season. Neutered dogs on average live 2-3 years longer.
MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: Even if children are able to see a dog give birth—which is unlikely, since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion—the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life, and that by preventing the birth it will in-turn save the lives of others in rescue.
MYTH: But my dog is a pedigree.
FACT: So are at least half the number of unwanted dogs ending up in rescues around the country. There are just too many dogs—mixed breed and pure-breed and not enough homes available for them.
MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: Neutering does not affect a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. Although neutering is known to reduce inter-family aggression it will not effect a dog's natural guarding instincts.
MYTH: I don't want my male dog to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Dogs don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered. However an un-neutered male dog left with high levels of testosterone in his system but unable to fulfill his desires could be consider by some as cruel.
MYTH: But my dog is so special, I want a puppy just like her.
FACT: A dog may be a great pet, but that doesn't mean her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional dog breeders who follow generations of bloodlines still can't guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner's chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies might receive all of a dog's (and her mate's) worst characteristics.
MYTH: It's too expensive to have my dog neutered.
FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your vet's fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or castration surgery is a one-time cost—a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It's a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter. Most importantly, it's a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets. If you are struggling financially to afford the neutering of you dog please get in contact with us.
MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies.
FACT: You may find homes for all of your dog's litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs in rescue who desperately need good homes. Also, in less than one year's time, each of your dog's off-spring may have his or her own litter, adding even more dogs to the population crisis.