Scully

My main reason for doing it would be to prevent any chance whatsoever of unwanted "oopsie" pups.

Aside from that, the other reason would be because I was bound by a spay/neuter contract with a breeder. Ninja had to be spayed by 9 months old (if I'm remembering that correctly), and proof of spaying sent to her breeder. If we had decided on a boy instead, we would have had to sign a similar contract for neutering (not sure if the age would have been different though).

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Mom to Larsen, Ninja, and Scully (ATB ~ forever in my heart)
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Wioleta

A lot of shelters and rescue groups spay/castrate before adopting their animals out, as part of their plan for reducing pet overpopulation. I think they feel better adopting the animals out without having to worry that the new owners will be responsible about preventing unwanted pregnancies.

I can understand why they would want to do that, since they see such large numbers of unwanted or homeless pets.

But after being on this forum for a while, I can see why it would make sense to at least wait until the animal is fully mature, and possibly not to do it at all if you are able to monitor things closely enough to prevent any breeding.

Noba's_Mom

I found out Noba had hip dysplasia at 8 months old. I got him neutered at 14 months old when my husband and I met since he had a female unspayed. Due to Noba's displaysia I didn't want any oops puppies that could get that defect.

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Mom to Oda Nobunaga aka "NOBA" - 7 year old basset hound!

Loving a basset hound takes great patience, but is the most rewarding experience in the world!!

Herzo

I always felt that there was no reason to keep a dog intact unless you wanted to breed. But I have to say the more I read and hear others talk about it I am changing my mind.

All my dogs are fixed and thank goodness for that, but none of them where done real early and I defiantly think it is being done way to early.

I understand why shelters do it but I think doing it before the dog or cat has grown is wrong. I still don't think most people are responsible enough to have an intact dog or cat.

I didn't spay my first basset till she was about 4 years old and I had problems with her getting depressed and going into false pregnantsie (sp). And she died of mammory cancer.

So mixed feelings hear.

FranksMum

How I relate to this statement

I will say at the outset that I have always spayed my bitches whether on retirement or earlier if not good enough to be in a breeding programme. And without doubt, not having to confine them twice a year (or every 8 months as was normally the case with mine) was a definite plus

However, I don't as a general rule want, or need to castrate my males, unless for medical reasons. I had to have two of mine done, in old age, because of prostate flare ups and can only say I bitterly regretted it. Whether it happened to coincide with them getting on in years or not I don't know, but both went very 'soft', lacked their previous zip, tended to put on weight, and certainly grew heavier coats. Yes the prostate situation was cured, but ....

It was a pain living with entire males when the bitches were in season, but over all the years we had a small show/breeding kennel, we had no unplanned litters And kept right, no male should be roaming around siring unwanted puppies in any case.

I do believe also that the gentle Basset isn't really a good candidate for castration. They do go soft - I saw one who had been castrated at a little over 7 months and he stayed a silly puppy all his life. It was really quite sad. And after all, the only certainty with this surgery is no puppies. Everything else, medical reasons apart, is down to training.

shakespeare

Couldn't agree more FM and Bug!
Our next will be a boy, with plans on showing so castrating isn't an option but with any boy I would not have hime done unless there are medical reasons. Behaviours that are blamed on testicles can be trained. However, girls I spay after one or two seasons. Heats are easy - you just have to be more creative where you take them for walks to avoid the boys but it's the phantom pregnancies that were the real pain in the arse for all of us!

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The Highbury Hounds Tallulah, Isabel and Margot

Soundtrack

My question would be, if they are not responsible enough to maintain an intact animal, are they responsible enough that they should have a dog at all? Seriously, what's involved in keeping dogs from breeding is basically good stewardship. It's not that hard. Really.

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Scully

It's one thing to be responsible yourself, but sometimes situations arise when it's impossible to control the actions of other irresponsible people out there. What's coming to mind, is a story I heard on another forum years ago: Lady left her intact bassets at what her judgement told her was a responsible boarding kennel while she had to go away. End result: a litter of puppies, as strict instructions were not followed. Just a (maybe far-fetched) example of the kind of thing that can happen, since like it or not, many of us have times when we have to leave our dogs in other people's care for one reason or another.

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Mom to Larsen, Ninja, and Scully (ATB ~ forever in my heart)
www.countercruiser.com

Soundtrack

True, however there are many more things, many of them worse and more probable (getting loose/lost, getting incorrect or not getting necessary medication for example), that can happen to your dog in the hands of less responsible people. The above scenario would be pretty rare, especially considering the small amount of time during her life the bitch is actually able to conceive (avg 2 weeks per year).

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Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound
Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance

shakespeare

Agree a bitch in season - especially if she's standing heat - should not be boarded - her owners should not have put her in there. And unfortunately very irresponsible kennel owners as well.

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The Highbury Hounds Tallulah, Isabel and Margot