In honor of World Spay Day and National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month (AKA Beat the Heat Month) I decided to write up my thoughts on what has become a controversial topic. This blog is only going to entail my personal opinions based on my experiences in animal welfare and as a dog trainer. I will not be discussing any of the medical benefits or possible risks from surgery. Please don’t comment asking about these things or to inform me of a study that has been done. I am not a veterinarian and am not qualified to give medical advice. Period. I urge all of my clients to bring this topic up with your veterinarian so that you can discuss the medical side of altering your pet. However, I am also decidedly pro spay/neuter. All of our pets are fixed and I do tend to encourage owners to spay and neuter their animals. Let me tell you why.

It is the responsible choice.

We euthanize approximately 1.5 million shelter dogs and cats each year. That’s right folks, that is a lot. I don’t know about you, but that is far too many deaths. The sad part is, this is not because the animals were old or sick or had behavioral problems, animals are being euthanized because there is simply nowhere for them to go. There are not enough homes and there are too many pets. It is that simple. Spaying and neutering your pets is the most responsible decision that you can make because it literally saves lives. Spaying or neutering one dog will save 67,000 lives in only 6 years, and this is assuming only 2 puppies survive from each litter. Spaying or neutering one cat will save 420,000 lives in only 7 years, again assuming only 2 kittens survive from each litter. Considering that the average size of a litter is is 5-6 puppies and 4 kittens, these numbers are low estimates.

I know that some of you are saying, “But Dulcey. I AM responsible and will be very careful to make sure that my pet doesn’t reproduce.” And maybe you are, but I have heard that more times than I care to admit, and guess what? The vast majority of people mean well, but aren’t as equipped to manage intact animals as they think. Our shelters are full because of this thought process. I truly believe that people TRY to be responsible, but management inevitably fails. Gates are left open. Pets dart through our legs. We take our eyes off of our pets for a moment. We are human and we make mistakes. But should animals suffer because of it? Is the reason you are keeping your pet intact worth the lives of thousands of other pets? No.

It has behavioral benefits.

Altering a dog is NOT the fix all for behavioral issues that some would have us believe. However, it does greatly reduce or eliminate behaviors that are sexual in origin. For example, dogs that are intact will often perform masturbatory behaviors such as humping, mounting, etc. If the dog is fixed then the need and desire to perform these behaviors is eliminated. Spayed and neutered animals are also much less likely to roam or run off to look for a mate, scent mark, etc. (Important note: not all humping is sexual, and it can be a behavior brought about by overstimulation and high arousal levels.) When looking at behavioral benefits, spaying/neutering your pet sooner rather than later is typically better since some of these behaviors can become learned and practiced out of habit.

But what if you are a breeder?

If you are a responsible and ethical breeder then I do not have a problem with this. However, the vast majority of dogs should not be bred. Dogs should only be bred if they are proven to be structurally sound examples of the breed, have exemplary temperaments, AND are shown to be free of health issues through medical testing. Breeding dogs is a very expensive hobby with little to no financial pay off if it is done correctly and with the animal’s welfare in mind. (Blog on choosing a responsible breeder coming soon!)

At the end of the day choosing to have your pet fixed is a personal decision. It is also a decision that your pet’s veterinarian should be involved in. And any questions or concerns regarding the medical benefits and/or surgical risks should be directed towards them.

Undoubtedly, my past work with homeless and abandoned animals has shaped my opinion on spaying and neutering. And I do truly believe that most animals should be fixed. However I do respect the owners right to choose what is best for their pet. Certain medical issues may prevent dogs from undergoing surgery safely, financial issues, etc. can prevent spaying and neutering from being options for some pets at certain times. As pet parents, we are responsible for making the best choice that we can for our dogs with the information that is available to us at that time. And this is all we can do!

With any dog, neutered or not, proper training and communication are critical to establishing and maintaining a positive lifelong relationship with your dog. This is where I come in! As a trainer, my role is to help you achieve realistic behavior goals with your pup. And I am happy to provide this support to all dogs.