I have a female English Mastiff.... This is the first female dog we have owned... I don't wanna hear all the stuff about "always spay and neuter"... that is not why I posted this... Every other dog we have had were males, and we did get them fixed... and the pug we have now is fixed.... so I do my part... however.. my question is this: Is it better to spay from the beginning, or wait until after a litter to do so??? We do have good homes lined up if we decide to breed her with our friends mastiff.. and they do have papers... so that would be taken care of.. The thing is that we are thinking against breeding her because we know that she will not look the same... But I have heard stories about NOT letting a female have a litter and then she turns mean... and if you she does have at least one litter, then she will better.. Is this true or just a myth??? How will getting a female fixed affect her demeanor??? She is calm and well mannered now.. will she stay that way??
2007-03-02 08:25:51 · 11 answers · asked by Mommy of 2 5 in Pets ➔ Dogs
We have only had 3 other dogs.. (males) and we kept them until old age.. just to let everyone know... and when we got them fixed they were calmer than before except one... he got a little testy with people....
2007-03-02 08:27:00 · update #1
Well, it sounds as though you know what you are doing.
I have a male German Shepherd, he is 7 mos. and I am also sick of hearing the spay & neuter thing. I fully intend to neuter, but only after he is 18mos old. (He is trained and fenced).
Why? Because a well-respected breeder put it straight. Many of these large breed dogs (like the Mastiff) are being neutered and spayed too early. Before hormones and bone development has been matured. She found that many neutered/spayed pups ended up having skeletal problems and never reached their full conformation.
Female dogs don't just turn mean..often there are other factors, like obedience or life changes or lack of exercise. Dogs do not 'reflect' on a litter, and miss their pups...nor are there any problems with spaying after a litter.
If you intend on having a litter, than of course hold off (spaying). If you are a responsible owner (sounds like you are), I doubt you will have any problems having a female in heat, and can control her access. Besides, your friends must like her so much that they just want her pups more for the great temperment.
A lovely breed the English Mastiff! Good Luck
2007-03-02 08:42:16 · answer #1 · answered by Tracey A 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Having your dog spayed before the first heat cycle is the best option. Spaying helps prevent many reproductive diseases. Mammary cancer is one, with every heat cycle the chances of her developing this goes up, a dog spayed before the first heat, has a near 0% chance of developing this. It also prevents uterine cancer and pyometra, a uterine infection which can be deadly.
The stories you have heard are just myths. Your dog is more likely to be more aggressive AFTER having a litter than never having one.
If she is calm and well mannered now, if anything she will become more calm and well mannered after being spayed. She won't have those hormones driving her "crazy" during a heat cycle.
Get her spayed now. It really is your best option
2007-03-02 16:40:48 · answer #2 · answered by Bindi *dogtrainingbyjess.com* 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is just an old wives tale that you should let the female dog come into heat or have one litter of puppies before spaying. I spay and neuter my females before they have pups and have never had any problems with them. I know all vets recommend spay and neuter, and I do believe there are too many unwanted dogs in this world,,,,,,but mastiffs are cool.
2007-03-02 16:31:43 · answer #3 · answered by msmelmel 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only rule about spaying that I know of is that you wait until they are about 6 months old before doing it.
If you dog is even tempered and calm now, spaying won't change that. Female dogs aren't, in my experience, as radically affected by spaying as male dogs are by neutering.
The thing about letting her littler is a myth.
2007-03-02 16:42:18 · answer #4 · answered by teflaime 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We've owned two female dogs and have had them both spayed without having a litter and they were not mean dogs at all, they were sweet and gentle.
Any animal that I've ever had that was female and spayed (males too for that matter) have had gentle dispositions. Maybe the stories come from owners of animals that hated them, lol?
Just my experiences....
2007-03-02 16:30:41 · answer #5 · answered by BVC_asst 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no reason to allow a dog to have a litter before spaying. There is absolutely NO truth to letting a dog have a litter will make her better. Spaying does NOT affect personality at all..what it is it is.
If you did decide to breed her these are things you would need to do first
1) show her to points/championship or have her evalauted by at least 3 unbiased breed knowledgable people/judges to make sure she is of breed standard
2) get health testing...OFA/PennHip, CERF/PRA, thyroid, etc
3) research her pedigree for health, longevity,temperament, breed standard
You will also need to make sure that are knowledgable in breeding complications that could occur within the breed and also learn basic breeding, whelping & newborn care
2007-03-02 16:58:31 · answer #6 · answered by Great Dane Lover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is better to spay before any heat cycles: at 6 months. Then your dog will never have a chance of getting mammary cancer later in life - that chance increases with each heat cycle. And yes, dogs nipples increase in size after being in heat & never go completely as small (& unnoticable) as they were before in very shorthaired dogs like this. They get & stay VERY big after having pups, too, FYI.
This is why I always have my female Boxers spayed at 6 months!
Oh, and with a spayed or neutered dog, you get one personality: not all the upheavals that come from hormone surges. So much easier!
2007-03-02 16:45:03 · answer #7 · answered by mustanglynnie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it is alays best to let a female dog have one litter before being spayed and no it doesn't spoil them, My female dog had two litters and then i had her spayed, the onlt thing that changed with her was her weight. she piled it on! her behaviour changed to a degree where she was more settled as she wasn't worried where the next male will come from!
2007-03-03 07:41:03 · answer #8 · answered by TERRY U 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having pups will bring out aggression in her. It will also make her teets hang low and look unsightly. It takes away from her body to make them, and for what, and for whom and why. My dogs demeaner changed drastically just from nursing a litter of kittens, and she's never even had pups. Keep your dog the way she is, looking good, feeling good, loving and trusting in you to make the right decision for her. Its not worth the money or the health of your beloved companion.
2007-03-02 16:35:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe it makes any difference. Just do it.
2007-03-02 16:28:46 · answer #10 · answered by Tiger by the Tail 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋