Am thinking on the same thing.

I always advise pup owners that if they dont intend to breed,which most dont as they want pets only,to neuter,but to speak to their vet about it and ask for the pro's and con's.

I dont neuter before a first season,many do,but would rather wait until matured a bit.

Friend had her bitch done before her first,as her vet advised her it would help prevent mamary cancer as the hormones hadnt passed through yet.
She does a lot of agility and her girl had to recently have a knee op.The vet advised her it was because of the early neuter

But we had a bitch done before her first season,and she lived a very active life until 13.

I speak about the mess a bitch will leave,the destruction a boy can do if a girl in the neighbourhood is in season etc.and also if the unthinkable happens and they are stolen,they wont be used as a breeding machine.

I always tell people out walking that my dogs are done,or if im with the boys i tell them they are just waiting to be done this week,or if they seem a bit wierd and try looking i say they have just been done but are still swollen

Mel

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www.fairlenium.piczo.com
Health testing for the future.

I do not know if it will work Dennyboy, but thought maybe offering refund when done would maybe help.

Did you have a look at Sallyanne's link re early neutering or spaying? Very nteresting reading, especially regarding bone growth.

As I personally don't agree with routinely spaying or neutering (although each to their own, it is hardly dog abuse!) I find it hard to advise people to do so, and so have issues with putting a clause into my contracts. However, all puppies are, and always have been endorsed, and I discuss future breeding with potential puppy owners. Only one or two have suggsted breeding might be something they'd consider in the future. I have explained to them clearly that the puppies papers are endorsed, and that they have signed a contract to this extent. I have also put in the contract that lifting the endorsements is subject to health testing and at my discretion, so ultimately it is my choice.

I do accept that people can ignore the endorsements and breed unregistered dogs, but to be honest, I think these are the sort of people who would also ignore neutering/spay clauses, regardless of if they get money back for doing it or not.

I think the best way to protect puppies we breed, and the breed, is to stay in touch with new owners and be as open minded as we can. For example, if one of my puppy owners came to me and were adamant that they wanted to breed, had had all the health tests done, but hadn't show or worked their dog with success, I would try an dencourage them to as much a possible, tryand put them off as much as possible too. But if they still wanted to breed, and I felt they had otherwise thought it through thoroughly, then I would consider lifting endorsements. I would probably try and get the dog to a breed specialist to be assessed though. Whilst I don't agree with what the puppy owner might be doing ethically, at least they then wouldn't be breeding unregistered dogs without my knowledge, and their puppies could be protected by endorsements. However, it is a very grey area for me, and no as black and white as I have probably made it sound.

In any case, I have a good relationship with all my puppy owners, and am sure i could convince them wait for a sibling rather than a son or daughter.

Mmmm very true re types of people who would ignore spay/ neut contracts anyway.
I have never had a past owner wanting/ trying to breed without contacting me, but I always worry incase it ever happened.

We've always had our bitches spayed before their first season at around 6 months old or so and never had any problems with their health afterwards. The only bitch that we let have her first season and then spayed was our JR as the vet advised this - she was the small JR not a parsons, and all I can remember from the trip was it was something to do with the ribcage needing to grow and her internal organs (I was only 7 at the time) I'm still unsure exatly what he said.

That's a bit like people saying they have smoked al their lives and never got cancer.

There is clinical evidence as to the risks of early spaying.

Also, I notice that those who are very anti-dokcing because they see it as mutilation are often the ones who are pro neutering.

The incidence of mammary canceris actually quite low. It is also an easily treatable cancer.

Some bitches bleed more than other when in season. You can either confine them to an easy to clean room, like a kitchen for some of the time, then get them to lay on a blanket when in carpeted rooms, or have them outside more, or buy special 'pants' for them to wear. Or just put up with it, and shampoo carpets afterwards.

It's quite cruel to confine them to a crate for long periods of time, especially during a season when they may already feel out of sorts. I don't even like shutting mine in the kitchen, so go down the pants route when thye are heaviest.

I don't believe anyone should spay a dog for their own convenience.