Should You Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Whether you may think so or not, this is a very big decision to make in the life of your pet. There are many things to consider, so today I am just going to go over basic guidelines and give you advice to make an informed decision.

Let’s talk about getting your pet “fixed” first.

There are many people all across the country who think all dog owners should have their pets “fixed”. The number one, best reason to get your dog “fixed” is to drastically reduce the chances of a dog attack. Most people are attacked by an unneutered, adolescent male dog. Specifically these dogs are looking to protect their territory, and defend it however necessary. Getting him neutered will decrease the chances of an attack.

In addition to cutting back on the possibility of an attack, neutering your male dog will also decrease his random urination (once neutered he will no longer feel the urge to “mark his territory”).

If you have a female dog, there are obvious pluses to getting her spayed; every time she comes into heat, you will have more male dogs around your house than you ever thought possible and you run the risk of her getting pregnant and having puppies (you will have to pay for her medical bills, plus the cost of raising the puppies).

Also, having her spayed reduces her risk of breast cancer, and will eliminate all messy spotting associated with her heat cycle.

Overall, dogs who have been spayed/neutered are less likely to roam and be involved in a serious accident such as getting his by a car.

If you don’t want to get your pet fixed:

There are a few good reasons why an owner would not want to get their dog fixed. The most common reason is to show their dog. The American Kennel Club requires all competitors be “unaltered” meaning they have not been spayed or neutered.

Another reason you would not be getting your dog “fixed” would be because your intent is to breed. Although this might sound tempting, don’t get too excited. Most breeders spend countless hours (and dollars) caring for and raising a litter. You shouldn’t even begin to try breeding your dog without the help and consultation of a reputable breeder.

Basically, I just want to point out that there is good and bad to both sides.  You should still think about how you want your life with your pet to be. Think about the reasons behind purchasing your animal. If you bought your animal for companionship, I am a strong advocate of getting her “fixed”. There are just too many stray animals out there, and even perfectly good animals get dropped off at shelters.

When you are trying to decide whether to have your pet “fixed” or not, just remember it is estimated that 9.6 million pets are dropped off at shelters across the country every year. PLEASE take this information into consideration when making your decision…..DON’T ADD TO THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED PETS!!

Thanks for reading! As always your participation in comments and discussions are encouraged and greatly appreciated!!