Early Spay Neuter

Many of you who know me or have purchased puppies from me know that I am NOT a fan of early spay neuter any longer. The research is out there and more and more studies are affirming the early studies. It is not good for the long-term health of your dog.

As pet owners we have been brainwashed that your pet MUST be neutered or you will produce unwanted puppies. This is not true. This real issue is the difference between responsible pet ownership and irresponsible owners. In many places in Europe spaying/neutering an animal EVER is considered animal abuse and is banned. So the immediate question is, what do they do with all of their unwanted offspring? ....they do not have a pet overpopulation problem in Europe and this is due almost entirely to responsible pet ownership.

Many of you as pet owners will receive a lot of pressure from your neighbors, trainers, boarding facilities, doggy day care to spay/neuter your animal immediately. Many of you will receive pressure from your veterinarian.

Please be an advocate for your dog's health. Take the time to do the research on the peer-reviewed studies (2013-2014). And be willing to say "no!"

I receive calls all the time from pet owners telling me about their dog's ill health. Further into the conversation I can tell you that every one of the dogs who has poor health coincidentally was spayed/neutered early, was given combination vaccines prior to eight weeks of age and received annual combination vaccines. Many of these dogs are eventually euthanized due to their health issues. The veterinary care costs for these animals is staggering.

For the sake of your animal's long-term health please do your homework. Responsible pet ownership in 2015 means protecting your animal's health.