usmclove

To spay or not?

I'm concerned with it affecting her weight and temperament. I will most definitely get Justice spayed, but I'm wondering about Sacha? Definitely not breeding as I have two females. lol

Thoughts?

jdd

Spay.

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workingk9s

I think spay too.

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usmclove

It won't affect her weight and temperament will it? I've heard spaying a pup will affect that....

monicaei

No, it wont. Exercise and caloric intake determines weight. Genetics and environment determine temperment.

My spayed female could run a sub 8 minute mile at 10 years old (and much faster and further when she wasnt an old girl) and was the nicest dog you could ever be lucky enough to meet.

SPAY

KoaRad

Spay... Doggie periods sound like zero fun to me.

I have a male, but saw zero personality change when I neutered.


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VZ-Doberman

Spay.

Rosemary

I vote for spaying both of them. I've been through dealing with a bitch in season once. It was five times too many.

Genetics, socialization, and food and excersize levels is what affects temperament and weight.
The smaller of these two dogs is 12 years old, and was neutered at 6 months. The larger is almost 3 (on the 22nd), and was spayed at 9 months. Neither one of them could be called overweight.

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usmclove

lol yeah I agree... Sounds like a plan

She goes to a doggie park everyday and we do walks and she runs and plays quite often with Justice so she gets lots of exercise. She's on a organic dry dog food diet and all natural training treats... I would think that's a pretty decent diet isnt it?

dglvr

bitch panties SUCK.. much easier to live with a spayed girl.

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usmclove

lol!!!

RedFawnRising

"Go Uterus!" just doesn't have the same ring to it as "Go Nuts!" but you get the idea.

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Shell81

Spay, spay, spay! Temperament is not affected by spaying a female, and weight is affected by food and exercise.

Not spaying on the other hand means you have to deal with heats, and panties and blah. Also, the risk of certain types of cancers (mammary, uterine etc) is greatly increased in an unspayed bitch, as is the risk of things like pyometra (uterine infection that will require a spay, and can be fatal).

If not breeding then there is no good reason to leave a bitch intact. Spay them and then just love them without worrying about heats, and all of that crap.

usmclove

awesome. that was the concern because you hear about dogs get fat after spaying or neutering and they become more temperamental or less playful and I LOVE her temperament right now and I definitely don't want it to change.

jdd

Actually NOT being spayed could change her personality. Hormones do crazy things to them sometimes.

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Deathmetal

Maybe I was lucky-Zira's in heat, almost done and it wasn't that bad. That being said- To have an intact bitch is a lot of work! Spending a couple weeks worried about every offleash dog, no playdates, what if she gets loose (she was houndini when we first met, harness, collars meant nothing and yes they were on properly!) Etc etc? Its a lot of responsibility. Plus health concerns like pyro. If your not 100% commited to keeping her safe, 100% responsible, spay! Also if you have kids or a hubby makes sure everyone is clear on the rules. Kids don't listen or hubby thinks they know better? Its not going to work out. Spay.

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usmclove

Thank you for bringing up kids and hubby... two 5 yr olds and a husband does change the dynamic some. Thank you!

Shell81

VERY excellent point. I have seen some bitches who got "weird" to say the least after starting heats. Hormones made them, well, bitches.

I have yet to see a dogs temperament change because they were fixed. Sure, males will often mellow out without the constant desire to find a girlfriend, but not actually change temperament. My favorite example of this is my last dog. I co-owned him with his breeder, who used him at stud after his show career was finished (to me and my family he was just a pet). When he was finished his stud career he was neutered (I'm a tech and sometimes I think I know "too much", I was too worried about things like testicular cancer to leave him intact if not being used. He was about 5). Nothing changed, he was still the same goofy, lovable, playful guy he had always been. His activity level and food stayed the same, and for a lab (who are notorious for getting fat) I have to say his weight was almost perfect his entire life. Aside from the, um, lack of balls, he was the same dog. From all of my experience doing what I do, I can say I have yet to see a dog whose temperament changed negatively (as I said, some males will mellow out etc) from being fixed. I rambled, I tend to do that, but I hope this made some sense lol.

PatchworkRobot

I also vote for spaying.

My (spayed) girl is not over-weight in the least and has a fantastic temperament. I've not seen a negative temperament change after a dog got speutered.

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dobebug

LOL! I don't do bitches but would echo whoever it was that said you'd probably get more changes in temperament on an intact bitch than a spayed one because of the hormonal swings that occur with every season.

But I do keep males and occasionally neuter one--the neutered male in the household right now is 9.5 years old and was 78-79 pounds when he was showing in conformation. As soon as he finished his championship I took four pounds off of him because we intended to start training in agility and I think show weight is just plain too fat for an active agility dog. His weight hasn't changed worth speaking of in nearly 7 years--it's between 74 and 75 pounds.

But I control his calories and his exercise--his personality and temperament did not change after being neutered. He's still opinionated, sure that he's the boss of everything, pretty dog friendly and standoffish around strangers.

I'm fine with all of those things. And although I generally don't neuter my dogs those that have been neutered have neither gained weight, become sedantary nor had any personality/temperament changes.