When should I have my dog fixed?
The most common age for getting puppies fixed is six to nine months, but as long as your dog is healthy, spaying or neutering can be done at almost any age.
What is neutering?
Neutering is when a vet surgically sterilizes your male dog by removing the testes. Neutering prevents your dog from being able to father puppies.
What is spaying?
Spaying is when the vet removes a female dog's reproductive organs so that your dog is unable to have puppies.
What are the benefits of spaying or neutering my dog?
Spaying
Spaying your female dog before her first heat can help prevent serious health issues such as uterine infections and breast tumors.
Female dogs who are not spayed typically go into heat every six months, for approximately 2 - 4 weeks. While your female dog is in heat she will excrete a bloody vaginal discharge, and may seem edgy, clingy or jumpy. Spayed female dogs won't go into heat if the surgery is done while they are young.
Neutering
By neutering your dog early you can help to prevent testicular cancer and certain prostate problems. Male dogs that are neutered are less likely to roam or try to escape from home searching for females. Reduced roaming can help to protect your dog from injuries due to fights with other males, or even traffic accidents.
When male dogs are left unneutered they are more likely to be more aggressive to other dogs, mount other dogs or people, and to spray urine in the house to mark their territory.
Cost
In the long run, spaying or neutering your puppy could save you money by not having to pay for litters of puppies and treatment for illnesses that could have been avoided by fixing your dog, and treatment of injuries due to them escape from home and getting into fights.
Less Pet Overpopulation
The importance of reducing the number of unwanted puppies cannot be overstated. Shelters across the USA are filled with homeless and unwanted dogs. If pet owners spayed and neutered their dogs, there would be fewer dogs sent to these shelters. Puppies deserve a nice home. Neutering or spaying you dog will help to reduce the number of animals living on the streets, and fewer euthanizations.