Essential information for all dog owners
Myth One
Is it good for a female dog to have at least one litter.
The facts
There is absolutely no evidence that having a litter of puppies has any health benefits. In actual fact, there are risks associated with giving birth and include the need for a caesarian section and pre or post partum infection, especially if the bitch is too young to have a litter. All can result in the death of the bitch or pups, leaving you with a hefty vet bill and possibly a litter of puppies to hand raise.
Myth Two
The dog feels she or he has missed out by not be able to reproduce.
The facts
Dogs do not view the world as we do, they do not understand the concept of reproduction as producing a family, it is simply a biological urge. An undesexed dog will seek a mate, but this doesn't mean they miss the experience of mating or having a litter of puppies.
Myth Three
It is good for the children to experience the birthing of puppies.
The facts
There is no doubt that the vision of children and puppies together is an enchanting one, but there are more practical ways to educate your children on the wonders of birth. Many children are repulsed by the bitches labour, and can learn little from the experience that cannot be gained through books. If you want your children to discover the joy of raising puppies without bringing an unwanted litter into the world there are organizations such as the Guide Dog Association that need foster carers for their young dogs. Alternatively, you can foster for one of the organizations listed on the back, there are many orphaned and abandoned puppies and kittens that need caring homes till they reach the age at which they can be adopted.
Both you and the community will benefit from you desexing your dog.
Your dog registration fees will be cheaper. Councils have provided a generous incentive scheme to encourage dog owners to have their dogs desexed, registration fees for a year are considerably lower for desexed dogs in comparison to entire dogs.
Apart from removing the risks associated with giving birth and mating, desexing actually can prolong you pets life. In females desexing has been shown to reduce the possibility of breast cancer, uterine infections and false pregnancy.
In males, it aids in the prevention of prostate problems and testicular cancer.
In addition to the physical rewards, there are behavioural changes that make your dog a better pet without affecting their normal behaviour. Desexing prevents behaviour problems such as wandering, aggression, urine marking other anti-social behaviour in males.
Indiscriminate breeding also causes many problems because there are simply not enough homes for the accidental litters that are born each year, so desexing is recommended for both male and female dogs.
There are simply too many unwanted puppies born. The RSPCA euthanised 7,735 dogs last year, many the result of indiscriminate breeding, their owners simply being misinformed on the facts on desexing. In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.
When should you get your dog desexed?
Your dog can be desexed from the age of 6 months, though some organizations have begun to desex earlier than this with no adverse effects.
The operation is a standard procedure and involves removal of the testes for males and ovaries and uterus for females.
The procedure has never been safer, with many diagnostic tests available to determine your dogs suitability to the various anesthetics available. Discuss any questions or concerns about desexing your dog with your vet.