Undoubtedly, responsible dog ownership means considering spaying and neutering. There are a multitude of reasons for spaying and neutering. One of the main considerations is health. It is for the health of the dog and the health of future generations of dogs. Without planned, careful breeding, health issues are passed along to future generations of dogs and that just involves pain and heartache. For example, anyone who has seen a dog - young or old - who is crippled with hip dysplasia cannot shake that memory of such pain and discomfort. It is horrid. Spaying and neutering are steps in addressing such problems. The issue that I would like to address is when to do this procedure.

This is strictly a personal preference on my part. Some veterinarians consider this surgery any time after pup is six months old. My personal preference is to wait until after two years of age. The reasons for this is that this allows the dog to mature and develop the look of a mature dog. Males, especially, by age two will have developed full muscularity and their full masculinity. The issue of muscularity is mentioned because if the dog (male or female) is expected to be a working dog, such as on a farm or in the field, the amount of muscle mass is an important factor. For females, having the surgery done too early seems to lead to incontinence issues in the later years. The published literature on this issue is mixed. I hasten to add that this is a personal observation on a limited sampling of dogs. Nevertheless, even with reassurances of the safety of the surgery at an early age, I prefer to wait until the dog has passed the age of two. I recognize that this may fall under the category of superstitious behaviour on my part and that is fine. This is where my comfort level lies on this issue.

Catherine