Fixing vs. Not Fixing your dogs

[Weeg]

I would plan on supervision AND the lead.

Even if you train her to come every time you call, there will probably be a few times when she disobeys-- and the most fertile point in her heat cycle might be one of those times, if a male dog is available. (And I've never yet met a person who could run as fast as a lab, so trying to just run and grab her will probably not work if she wants to get away.)

Definitely. We'll probably have a person on the other end of the lead, to make sure this doesn't happen. Thanks!

 

[Gizabelle]

I have to admit, even though I am 100% pro S&N, when the time came for my current sheltie to go under the knife, I had some small regret.
I would have given anything to have a pup or grandpup from my last dog.
One litter couldn't hurt, right?
IMO, yes, even one litter in my situation would have been wrong.
Here's why:
1. I'm not a breeder. I haven't done a fraction of the research necessary to prepare myself for such an undertaking. I do know, however, that my dog falls outside the breed standard anyway (she's too big) Passing on her genetics would not serve to improve the breed, only make more pets that need homes.
2. Complications with pregnancy and welping.. would I really be willing to risk my best friend for some obscure future goal of my own?
3. Finding a suitable sire. Again, I lack the base knowledge and experience to judge. What if everything looked good on paper, but in reality I was perpetuating serious genetic or behavioral problems?
4. Could I find the best possible home for every puppy? Could I ensure that every puppy that my actions brought about would never be ill-treated, used as a puppy mill breeder, abandoned, or end up in a shelter?

The resounding answer was NO...it is absolutely not worth it, not even once. I am not a breeder, and I will not risk adding to the homeless dog population.
Given the multitude of health benefits associated with spaying...for me, it was a no brainer.

 

[LaFleche]

Females yes, males no unless there arises a medical indication for it.

 

[LaFleche]

Our neighbour (farmer) once had a female Bernese mountaindog and one morning was faced with quite a few dangerous males that broke through their double-glazed kitchen windows to get to their bitch in heat. Dangerous males, because they were not trained or educated whatsoever and attacked our neighbour when trying to intervene and get the strange males out of the house. It turned out they came from as far as more than 25 km away and their owners did not care.

Needless to say that some of them were successful and some 63 days later the female had 14! mixed puppies.

We had similar experiences when owning two intact females, but were lucky to scare and fight these uncontrolled males off, so no puppies here.

But ever since we only have males.

 

[AnnaWolf]

My mother in law did'nt get her dog spayed, she developed ovary cancer and breast cancer had to go under surgery.
We let our dog have 2 cycles and than got spayed.
The male dog from our neighbours escaped 4 times trying to get to her.
On 1 trip he almost got to her, I was lucky I wasn't walking alone and he was'nt agressive. My boyfriend could drag him away at his backlegs and I could get her home.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

My dog nor cat are fixed no need to be theres no males around and my cats an indoor cat only, if people have their cats outside then yes they should be required to be fixed

 

[allenw]

If your not going to breed females at least should be spayed unless you have the facilities to keep males away from the females.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Every single animal we have had besides one cat was spayed completely or neutered. But I've started considering maybe not with any males i have at least (I'll definately try the ovary sparing one if i get females, never knew that was a thing) when i get my own place. Something about altering now just seems.... i dunno how to say it without offending someone

 

[Weeg]

Our neighbour (farmer) once had a female Bernese mountaindog and one morning was faced with quite a few dangerous males that broke through their double-glazed kitchen windows to get to their bitch in heat. Dangerous males, because they were not trained or educated whatsoever and attacked our neighbour when trying to intervene and get the strange males out of the house. It turned out they came from as far as more than 25 km away and their owners did not care.

Needless to say that some of them were successful and some 63 days later the female had 14! mixed puppies.

We had similar experiences when owning two intact females, but were lucky to scare and fight these uncontrolled males off, so no puppies here.

But ever since we only have males.

Oh my gosh! Thats nuts! I'm considering keeping a dressage whip at my side when we walk Ember. I do not what to be fighting off any dogs empty handed. Crazy!

 

[Weeg]

My dog nor cat are fixed no need to be theres no males around and my cats an indoor cat only, if people have their cats outside then yes they should be required to be fixed

This is kind of my situation. My cats are indoor outdoor, so they are spayed, but we don't have any close neighbor's. Any that are close you have to walk a trail to get to their house, and I'm 90% certain all their dogs are altered. I do understand that if they aren't they will show up at our house though no matter how far away they are.