What are the Health Benefits to the Dog?

There are several health benefits to neutering. One of the most important concerns the prostate gland, which under the influence of testosterone will gradually enlarge over the course of the dog’s life. In age, it is likely to become uncomfortable, possibly being large enough to interfere with defecation. The prostate under the influence of testosterone is also predisposed to infection, which is almost impossible to clear up without neutering. Neutering causes the prostate to shrink into insignificance, thus preventing both prostatitis as well as the uncomfortable benign hyperplasia (enlargement) that occurs with aging. It is often erroneously held that neutering prevents prostate cancer but this is not true.

Other health benefits of neutering include the prevention of certain types of hernias and tumors of the testicles and anus. Excessive preputial discharge is also reduced by neutering.

What Behavioral Changes can be Expected after Neutering?

The only behavior changes that are observed after neutering relate to behaviors influenced by male hormones. Playfulness, friendliness, and socialization with humans are not changed. The behaviors that change are far less desirable. The interest in roaming is eliminated in 90% of neutered dogs. Aggressive behavior against other male dogs is eliminated in 60% of neutered dogs. Urine marking is eliminated in 50% of neutered male dogs. Inappropriate mounting is eliminated in 70% of neutered dogs.

What Exactly is done Surgically?

An incision is made, generally just forward from the scrotum. The testicles are removed through this incision. The stalks are tied off and cut. Castration is achieved. If the testicles are not removed, the desirable benefits listed above cannot be realized. The skin incision may or may not have stitches.

What can I Expect upon Discharge from the Hospital?

The scrotum is often swollen in the first few days after surgery, leading some people to wonder if the procedure was really performed. If the dog is immature at the time of neutering, the empty scrotum will flatten out as he grows. If he is mature at the time of neuter, the empty scrotum will remain as a flap of skin. Sometimes the incision is mildly bruised. Most male dogs are eager to play by the day after surgery but, to keep the incision intact, it is best to restrict the dog from boisterous activity.

At what Age can Neutering be Performed?

Neutering can be performed at any age over age 8 weeks provided both testicles have descended. Dogs neutered before puberty (generally age 6 months) tend to grow a bit bigger than dogs neutered after puberty (testosterone is involved in causing bones to stop growing, so without testosterone the bones stop growing later). The same behavior and prostate health benefits can be realized no matter what age the dog is. (In other words, a dog does not become “too old” to obtain the same health and behavioral benefits of neutering.)

The traditional age for neutering is around 6 months of age and many veterinarians still recommend neutering at this age.

Will he Become Over-Weight or Lethargic?

Activity level and appetite do not change with neutering. A male dog should not gain weight or become less interested in activity post neuter.

Will he still be Interested in Females?

His interest will be reduced but if he is around a female dog in heat, he will become aroused by her. Mounting behavior often has roots in the expression of dominance and may be expressed by a neutered male in a variety of circumstances that are not motivated by sexuality.

What if a Dog has an Undescended Testicle?

Undescended testicles have an increased tendency to grow tumors. They may also twist on their stalks and cause life-threatening inflammation. For these reasons, neutering is recommended for dogs with undescended testicles. This procedure is more complicated than a routine neuter; the missing testicle can be under the skin along the path it should have descended to the scrotum, or it may be inside the abdomen. Some exploration may be needed to find it, thus there is often an incision for each testicle. The retained testicle is sterile and under-developed. If there is one descended testicle it will be fertile, but since retaining a testicle is a hereditary trait, it is important that the male dog not be bred before he is neutered.

Is Neutering Legally Required?

In some areas, neutering may be required as municipalities attempt to prevent pet overpopulation. Check with your local city or county officials.

CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNA: Starting April 2008 (grace period until October 1), the City of Los Angeles has adopted mandatory spay/neuter for all dogs and cats. On February 12, 2008, the City Council of Los Angeles gave final approval to a new law that requires all cats and dogs in the city to be spayed or neutered after the age of four months, with some specific exemptions allowed. The Mayor signed the ordinance into law February 26, 2008. Violations are subject to three levels of increasing penalties, starting at $100. After the third violation, non-compliance is a misdemeanor.

Exemptions to the spay/neuter requirement are:

* Is a breed approved and registered with a registry or association approved by the Animal Services Commission, and does or will actively show or compete.
* Has earned or is in the process of earning a special title (i.e., agility, herding).
* Is used as or is in training to be a guide, signal or service dog.
* Is a dog trained or in training, for use in law enforcement, military or rescue activities.
* Has a letter from a licensed veterinarian certifying that the animal should be temporarily or permanently deferred due to age or health.
* Has a valid breeding permit issued to the owner pursuant to existing city ordinance.
* Additionally, all intact dogs must have an intact dog license from the city.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY: In non-incorporated regions of Los Angeles County, neutering, microchipping, and rabies vaccination are legally required for dogs by age 4 months. Read more about this and see if your area is included.

Date Reviewed/Revised: 03/21/2008
Copyright 2008 – 2009 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

Throughout your lifetime as a dog owner you are guaranteed to hear the words “puppy mill” whether you realize your dog is a puppy mill dog or whether you hear about the raiding or closing down of one on the evening news. The unfortunate reality is that puppy mills exist and as long as they remain supported by people frequenting them to purchase puppies they will remain in business.

What Are Puppy Mills? Puppy mills are mass breeding operations that focus on producing puppies for profit rather than for sound health and temperament. Puppy mills are almost always substandard structures with substandard conditions that result in the breeding of sick puppies who fail to thrive and frequently develop health problems later in life.

Who Goes To Puppy Mills? It would seem obvious that if only you knew it was a puppy mill you would not frequent them; however, puppy mills sell their dogs through individuals and to commercial pet stores so no one ever gets to see the actual puppy mill itself. Many of the commercially owned pet stores purchase their dogs from puppy mills because they get the dogs at a discount and many individuals are tricked in to purchasing puppy mill puppies when they purchase from individuals at local events or through newspaper ads.

How Do I Know If I Have A Puppy Mill Dog? Once you have welcomed your dog in to your home delving in to this can of worms can be painful and sometimes unnecessary. There is only one true way to prove that your pup is a puppy mill dog and that is to track the individual you purchase from or to pay a surprise visit to the “kennel” address if you have one available. Keep in mind; however, that these individuals rarely care about their animals and upon being confronted there is no telling what their reaction may be. When I contacted Jet’s “backyard breeder” (an individual who sells puppies for profit without considering the health of the dogs – thing puppy mill on a smaller scale) to inform them that before he was a year old he was displaying signs of hip dysplasia they told me they were “unaware of the problem” in their bitch; however, if I brought him back to them they would replace him with another dog. The thought of returning my boy was sickening especially knowing what they would do to him and I refused this offer adamantly, this confused them until they realized that perhaps I was seeking money for vet bills and then they began to treat me as hostile, I told them I was seeking nothing other than for them to stop breeding their bitch and was told that they would “look in to it.”

How Do I Avoid A Puppy Mill Dog? The fact of the matter is that puppy mill dogs deserve all the love in the world and there is nothing wrong with having one; however, the effort is to shut down the funding of these puppy mills by refusing to purchase their dogs. Many puppy mill dogs from mills that are raided are put up for adoption through your local humane society and most times their story will tell you of their plight. Adopting a puppy mill dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have as they are eternally grateful for being free from their past life; however, if you are afraid of the potential health problems down the road and are looking for a healthy dog you will need to research qualified and professional breeders who can guarantee the health of their dogs – be prepared to pay for this dog more than twice what you would for a backyard breeder / puppy mill dog – you really do “get what you pay for” when it comes to the quality of a breeding. Personally, if you are looking for a pet as opposed to a show dog or a professional breeding dog (please don’t add to the canine population unless you are qualified to do so!) then I recommend talking to your local rescue organizations or your local humane society and they can help match you with the perfect dog for your needs. Rescuing a dog is not only rewarding because you saved a dog from sure peril but it is also rewarding because rescue dogs somehow seem to understand that they have been given a second chance.

Learn more about puppy mills at StopPuppyMills.Org

If you recently brought a new puppy in to your house you may be one of those people who already understands the pain behind those needlesharp puppy teeth; however, you could also be one of those people who thinks it’s “cute” when Harry playbites at your fingers. The problem with playbiting is that it is a behaviour that is ingrained in to your puppy and it is something which comes naturally to him; however, since we have domesticated our dogs playbiting can lead to other problem behaviours and should be nipped in the bud as soon as possible.

In the wild, you will see this with wild dogs as well as big wild cats, dogs play bite their siblings to get their attention and while this is an effective way to react to same species siblings even in domestication, it is not an acceptable behaviour among human siblings and family members. Catching and deterring play biting as soon as possible in a young dog is always the most effective technique at eliminating this potentially destructive and dangerous behaviour. Deterring play biting is as easy as replacing fingers with a toy or a stern “no” – always make sure that you say “no” to the play biting and not to the toy which you have given or else your dog will be confused as to what is expected from him. Play biting can also be deterred with a spray bottle filled with tap water, this is also a very effective technique at deterring other problem behaviours.

So what happens if play biting isn’t deterred? The answer is pretty obvious, once your puppies baby teeth fall out and are replaced with those adult teeth play biting hurts a lot more and can be a lot more destructive and potentially dangerous especially to young children. Biting should NEVER be encouraged in any dog EVER and as a responsible pet owner it is your job to remind your dog that biting, play or otherwise, is an unacceptable behaviour – remember, your dog relies on your for triggers as to what is or is not acceptable.

People very often underestimate the importance that socialization plays in your dog’s life, whether you obtain a puppy from a breeder or whether you adopt a four year old dog from the shelter, the importance of socialization stands. Socialization and the continuation of socialization for dogs throughout their lifetime not only leads to a well rounded dog but it also leads to a well behaved dog who understands what is expected of him in society and from other individuals.

One of the biggest problems that occurs in young dogs is that new owners do not understand the need to expose their dogs to other stimulus outside of the home. Exposing your new dog to foreign stimulus like children, other animals, vehicles and other things your dog will not experience in their home environment is important for your dog to learn about these things. Avoiding exposing your dog to new and different stimulus can cause a fear reaction when your dog grows older which can result in fear biting or submissive urination.

Great ways to socialize your dog include training classes, visiting local parks, visiting local dog parks, visiting pet friendly stores and walking on busy streets and pet friendly locations. When you have a new dog in your family you really need to take every opportunity to expose your dog to as many stimulus as possible, this will result in a well rounded dog who is familiar with his surroundings in all types of environments.

Many people find that their new dog isn’t bonding to them as they had imagined it should. Upon rescuing or purchasing a new dog you may have the ideal Timmy / Lassie sitiuation planned out in your head; however, things didn’t eventually turn out that way and you are now left wondering what went wrong. The thing to know about “owning” a dog is that even though you are providing your dog’s basic needs and are theorectically his “master,” he is also a free spirit and just as you are free to pick and choose your own friends your dog is just as free to do the very same.

There are many reasons that your dog may not be bonding with you as quickly as you would like, primarily (and try not to get your feelings hurt) he may find someone else more attractive. The reasons why dog’s choose various people to bond with are numerous, perhaps someone is sneaking him treats and so he is bonding to them in the hope of receiving more treats, perhaps there is more than a friendship connection – many dogs feel a psychic connection to their people and feel more comfortable around individuals because of it, perhaps there is something in you that reminds your rescue dog of their past life and he needs a little time to adjust or perhaps you’re not doing enough to maintain your dog’s sense of well being. While some of these things can be helped others simply cannot.

While you may not be able to change your dog’s mind about bonding with another family member you can put yourself on the forefront of your dog’s mind by making sure that his other needs are met. Sure you feed him and let him out to potty but do you spend the time to walk him everyday, play with him and groom him? These things may not be essential to your dog’s basic life but they are essential in keeping your dogs mental wellbeing.

Another way for you to increase your bonding with your dog is to engage in an activity together, there are a multitude of training classes that you can take part in or you can look to sporting events such as agility or even look to volunteering for search and rescue work! The bottom line is that your dog loves you, even if he doesn’t love you “as much” as you think. You are your dog’s parent and while you may not be his favorite parent you are a part of his pack just as any other family member is. If you feel an urge to become closer to your dog, work towards bonding more with him through activities together and you will both be happier with the results.