Responsible Pet Guardianship

Neutering: There are many people who don't approve of castration; they feel that the castrated male is not a "whole" dog. Actually he is similar to the spayed female in that he will stay at home, and his main object in life will be the pleasure and love of his human family. The loss of his sexual instinct changes his personality only in that he becomes sweeter and more lovable. I don't advocate castrating all male dogs, but if a dog is not to be used in breeding, castration slows him down, and his life will henceforth revolve around his family.  Reasons for Castration • In the presence of a congenital defect, such as cleft palate, harelip, of hip dysplasia, castration is indicated.  • There are some dogs who masturbate a great deal-"making love" to pillows, people's legs, and furniture. This is common in adolescence; however, if it continues into adulthood, dogs who seem to be oversexed are prime suspects for castration.  • There is a skin problem in the male dog which occurs because his bisexual organs develop in the testicles tumors that excrete female hormones, and this changes his appearance. he has large nipples and other female characteristics. To clear up the chronic skin problems exhibited by lots of hairs, continual scratching, and dark-pigmented bare spots, castration is the only cure.  • There is are some dogs who roam because they are lonely. Castration will keep them at home.  For a vicious, aggressive male I recommend castration- or else increase your liability insurance policy. * There is a common fallacy that castration turns a male dog vicious. Although inwardly he may be peeved at his owner for having had the operation performed, there is absolutely no change in aggressiveness or viciousness because of the operation. If anything, castration turns a dog into a gentler and less aggressive animal.  Will Breeding a Male Dog Calm Him Down? No; this is a fallacy. He might be calmed down temporarily after a night or two on the town, but he might also start roaming from home.  What Can Be Done With a Sexually Frustrated Male? If the dog constantly rides people's legs or goes around the house making love to pillows, etcetera, if discipline doesn't help, castration is indicates. This will cure all his frustrations. A castrated male dog makes an excellent pet, similar to the spayed female, as his entire life became centered on his human family.  Does a Dog, Male or Female, Need a Sex Life? No. Many dogs have a very happy life without experiencing sex, and without being frustrated. Many people think that their dogs need sex because of human frustrations. Females not to be bred I feel should be spayed.  How Often Does a Bitch Come into Heat, and How Long Does the Heat Period Last? The normal bitch comes into heat every six months, and the heat period lasts twenty one days, counting from the first day of bloody vaginal discharge. Some dogs don't come into heat that often, and there are dogs who come into heat every three or four months. Some dogs have "silent" heat periods, and other dogs stay in heat four to five weeks.  Spaying A question I am asked at least once daily is, "Should we spay our bitch, and if so, when?" Unequivocally I say that anyone who has a female pet whom doesn't wish to breed should by all means have her spayed, and almost the younger the better.  There are many good reasons for spaying a bitch. The heat periods are upsetting to the dog as well as to the owner When the bitch comes into heat, she is nervous and fretful. There are emotional changes during the three week period, and she is high-strung in her behavior toward her human companions and the male dogs flirting for her attention. Spaying eliminates the nuisance factor of male dogs congregating and the attendants problems. "Cherchez la femme" has inspired many dog fights and untold damage to property. Also, when male dogs gather in packs, rabies epidemics are often started. I don't advocate the spaying of all female dogs. There are many potential brood matrons who have such good temperament had fine conformation that they should be mated to perpetuate their desirable qualities. However, any dog that is not to be used for breeding should be spayed. There is no risk in the operation if it is performed by a qualified veterinarian, and it is relatively inexpensive for the many years of enjoyment that will accrue from it. It helps to keep the dog population from getting out of hand.  * Other Reasons for Spaying  • In most states it is against the law to allow a female dog in heat to roam at will.  • Spaying is useful in dogs who have irregular heat cycles and false pregnancies.  • Spaying controls all types of female problems, such as cystic ovaries, metritis, pyrometra, and nymphomania, especially if done at an early age, preferably before she reaches her first birthday.  • Spaying is indicated for vaginal tumors and vaginal prolapse.  • Some bitches in heat become very nervous and undergo a change in personality from quiet and friendly to excitable and biting. These "frustrated" female should indeed be spayed.  • In working dogs, such as Seeing Eye, spaying is indicated.  • Guard dogs used in the services and for police and guard work should be spayed so that their heat periods will not disrupt their training and performance.  When to Spay Since every dog owner and veterinarian seems to have his own opinion about the proper age at which to spay a bitch, whatever I say will surely will be contradicted. I advise spaying right before the age of sexual maturity, which is between five and seven months of age. By this time the dog has enough of her female characteristics to be properly endowed. And I definitely advise spaying a pet before one year of age, because these dogs rarely develop mammary tumors later in life.  There are a few Facts of Life You may Not Know. Fact 1: It is costing you, the American taxpayer, 230 million a year for animal control agencies to try to cope with the problem of surplus cats and dogs-mainly by killing. The reason: uncontrolled breeding of pets  Fact 2: The best solution to uncontrolled breeding is spaying and neutering. Spayed or neutered pets are happier and healthier. They are not made tense and nervous by unsatisfied sexual needs. In the case of females, they never will develop certain types of cancer. The best time to spay is before the first heat: five and half to six months for a cat; six to seven months for a dog.  Fact 3 "Just one liter" in NOT necessary for your pet's heath and well -being. The joys of motherhood are not part of your pet's goal in life.  Fact 4:  If your pet is not being spayed or neutered, you may be encouraging uncontrolled breeding. The results: Excess animals with a short life expectancy.  Fact 5:  The cheapest form of birth control for a dog cost $1.98 - the price of a leash. Obey the leash law. Do not let your pet roam unsupervised, day or night, with or without a tag.  Fact 6: Letting your pet have a litter is NOT the way to explain the "Miracle of Birth" to children. The "miracle of birth" is lost in the cruel destruction of life. The lesson that children learn from it sooner or later is: Life is cheap, easy to destroy and forget.  Fact 7: Unwanted pet pregnancy can be terminated. If your pet becomes pregnant before you have had a chance to get her spayed, you can: • Have the pregnancy terminated with an injection of stilbesrtrol within 24 hours • Have her spayed while pregnant. Ask your veterinarian  Fact 8: Handing out puppies and kittens on public sidewalks is not only illegal: it also contributes to the problem of unwanted pets. The person who takes your puppy or kitten today often abandons it tomorrow.  Fact 9: The thousands of unwanted or uncared - for stray dogs and cats - owned and un-owned - that roam our cities lower the quality of life for all humans:  • They are run over by cars and trucks and often cause traffic accidents.  • They increase the danger of animal bites - especially among children and senior citizens - and are a menace to persons in parks, other recreation areas and school yards.  • They litter public and private property with their excrement and are a heath hazard to everyone.  • They kill or injure smaller forms of wildlife still living in some cities.  Every hour in the United States, more than 2,000 dogs and 3,500 cats are born, compared to 415 humans. The yearly statistics include more than 17 million dogs and 30 million cats. Add these animals to an existing pet population of 54 million dogs and 56 million cats and the total exceeds one billion! Earlier puberty, multiple births and briefer pregnancies make dogs and cats far more prolific than humans.  Animal care and control agencies do their best to find loving, responsible owners for as many pets as possible, but there are simply not enough homes for all these animals.  American Humane estimates more than 15 million healthy, friendly dogs and cats will be euthanized this year simply because they are "unwanted".  You can save lives and help solve the pet overpopulation tragedy by neutering or spaying your pet. This will reduce the number of dogs and cats being euthanized by reducing the number of pets being born. Please Spay Or Neuter Your Pet.