Neutering
So, the Fiance is wondering about whether or not to neuter a dog we get.
http://eskidogblog.blogspot.com/ the latest blog entry is his thoughts with regards to pros and cons, so, if any of you more experienced owners/breeders could have a quick scan and either leave some comments here or there, I'd be really grateful.
http://eskidogblog.blogspot.com/ the latest blog entry is his thoughts with regards to pros and cons, so, if any of you more experienced owners/breeders could have a quick scan and either leave some comments here or there, I'd be really grateful.
Comments
Spaying and neutering refer to the surgical sterilization of an animal. In other words, spaying and neutering ensures that your pet cannot reproduce.
Most vets will perform this surgery on a pet that is at least 5 or 6 months old. It is best to have this surgery done before your pet reaches sexual maturity. Females should be spayed before their first heat. Note that some vets will also perform pediatric spay/neuter. Please consult with your vet.
We all have a responsibility to prevent unwanted animals from being euthanized everyday, simply because there are no homes for them. Even if your pet has a litter and you find homes for all of them, each of those pets takes a potential home away from other homeless pets waiting in a shelter. But aside from this responsibility, there are also significant health benefits for your pet.
Benefits of Spaying
* Prevents pregnancy and the complications arising from pregnancy and delivery
* Eliminates the heat cycle - you won't have to listen to the sounds of your female in heat, trying to get out and find a mate
* Prevents unwelcome males from trying to seek out your female pet in heat
* Reduces the urge to roam. This makes it less likely that you will lose your pet, which in turn makes your pet less likely to contract a disease, get in a fight, get injured, or become a victim to cruelty, poison, or traffic.
* Eliminates sexual discomfort, distress, or distraction ... making your pet happier and more content.
* Reduces or eliminates the possibility of disease in the reproductive system.
Benefits of Neutering
* Reduces the distracting and destructive behavior associated with the male's efforts to get out and find a mate
* Reduces the urge to roam. This makes it less likely that you will lose your pet, which in turn makes your pet less likely to contract a disease, get in a fight, get injured, or become a victim to cruelty, poison, or traffic.
* Eliminates sexual discomfort, distress, or distraction ... making your pet happier and more content.
* Eliminates testicular tumors and reduces prostate gland problems.
* In cats, neutering stops or reduces marking behavior (territorial spraying of urine).
* Reduces the urge to fight.
http://www.pawsperouspets.com/tips/spayneuter.shtml
Basically, putting all personal feelings aside (like I'm a man so I want my dog to have his nether orbs..)
I think you need to answer lifestyle and environment questions about your ability to be responsible with an intact dog (including, not limited to preventing unwanted litters, working with/socializing to manage behavioral issues due to hormones, etc).
Personally, if I ever get the opportunity to raise another dog from a pup, I am going to wait a full two years before neutering, giving the pup a chance to naturally mature before the procedure.
I have no problem with the sex of our pup and I want it spayed/neutered, at a time that's appropriate. I also have no problem waiting 1 or 2 years and dealing with behavioral issues that may arise due to it. It's what you've got to do, right?
Thing is, John (fiance) would like to breed Akitas one day and I think he's forgetting that there's no way at this moment in time or for the next 5/10 years that we'd be able to responsibly breed our dogs and that if we were in that position than getting another dog would not be a problem. I do genuinely think it's more a "man" thing. He wanted to show our dog but I explained the amount of time that goes into it and how we wouldn't be able to dedicate that amount of time to make it worth while and he understood. The only reason in my eyes to keep the dog in tact would be for showing/breeding. As that's not going to happen, I see no problem.
if a male dog, learns to be territorial, then there is a high chance that even after being neutered he would still be territorial.
also, neutering your dog also helps with the community. There are so many dogs out there that needs to be adopted. Having puppies would only increase the problem with the dog population.
=] my boyfriend also had the "man" issue when he came to neutering. But, they should man up to the responsibility of a dog owner, and get it done anyways.
in the end is the choice is still yours =] good luck!!
You do make a good point about the territorial issues, though.
For me, I've always been a firm believer in earlier spay/neuter, before the dog is sexually mature, solely to prevent unwanted litters, and secondary to manage behavior issues and later health issues (like ovarian cancers, etc). For most people, it should end there, because most people aren't dedicated, responsible dog owners.
However, the more I understand about the natural life the dog leads, or should lead, the more I'm realizing that part of a natural rearing of a pup means allowing them to reach both sexual and social maturation before a spay/neuter. Empty heats are hard on females, and males are incredibly promiscuous if allowed to be - but dogs are sexually mature between 6 months and 1 year but are not socially mature until they are about 2 years of age. Since 2 years is usually the age at which a breeder would deem acceptable to breed a bitch, that is the maturity level I would want to allow my dog to reach, naturally. Growth in most breeds is also complete by this age.
I want to learn the differences, if any, between a dog neutered at or before 6 months, and one that is allowed to naturally mature in all aspects. It's a personal preference for whenever I get the opportunity to raise another dog, naturally and responsibly.
http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
For behaviorial reasons, some service dog organizations, (I believe it was Canine Companions for Independence?), had discovered that pediatric neutering increases a fearful response in a genetically fearful dog. It shouldn't affect a temperamentally sound dog though. It would explain the rare cases where neutering, counter-intuitively, increases aggression. For female dogs, it's known among behaviorists and some breeders that spaying an aggressive female can increase her aggression. Of course, you still don't want such a dog to reproduce, but spaying should not be considered a panacea for aggression.
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=3324
I personally believe if you want the full benefits of natural hormones and maturation, you should wait to spay/neuter until 24 months of age. If you can't wait that long, it is best to do it as early as possible. I seem to recall a discussion we had in which people who had their pups s/n at 6 months of age or earlier remained more "puppyish", while intact or later s/n resulted in a more emotionally mature dog.
I know that many Kai breeders here have the usual mission statement that includes "preserve the breed....blah blah" and wouldn't sell a dog to someone like me without experience breeding without a contract. They would at the very least ask for pictures of the breeding facilities.
I don't want to get on a high horse here, but I wouldn't buy a dog from someone who is so care free about neutering, but that may just be an American Culture. If I remember correctly, this is your first dog. I would recommend that you neuter your Akita, gain experience with the breed, move to a new home that could fit a breeding program, and then think about whether or not this is a commitment that you want to make. Give it 3-5 years though.
I misunderstood John, thinking he would one day want to breed off this pup, he is more concerned with the age/testosterone/development aspects.
Sorry!