Should I get my puppy fixed?

Question

I love my little shitzu very, very much. And people in my bfs family are saying that I should get her fixed, cause her additude might change and she might turn mean. But I feel that she might want puppies later on in life. Who am I to decide if she'll have puppies or not. Dogs have feelings too...

Answer 1

If you love your dog, you'll get her spayed. Unspayed dogs are SO much more likely to develop untreatable cancers, and she might die while giving birth. Besides, there are already so many homeless dogs. Please fix her, it'll lengthen her life and you'll have done your part to stop overpopulation.

Answer 2

Who are to decide if she'll have puppies or not? You are the OWNER, and the responsible decision is to get your dog spayed.

A dog is not a human. They don't feel they are "missing something" if they cannot have puppies. In fact, the dog won't even know that she is fixed!

The mere fact that you have an intact dog and are asking this tells me that the dog is not of breeding quality. A reputable breeder would have had you sign a contract to get the dog fixed if it isn't a show-prospect dog. (And unless you specifically bought a show-prospect, it is not show-quality.)

Here's an easy way to evaluate if you should ever CONSIDER breeding your dog(s): http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/skatekitten2288/Petneuter.jpg

There is a lot more to breeding than just sticking two dogs together. The following website is great (although some of the links are broken, the information that is there is very good).
http://www.learntobreed.com/

Also, a few more questions (there are many many more, this is just the tip of the iceberg!):
- Is/are the dog(s) AKC [or your country's equivalent] or UKC registered? (Not Contenential Kennel Club, APRI, or any other of those non-legit/non-reputable/scam registries)
- What is the dog(s) pedigree like?
- Are you planning on showing the dog(s) in confirmation to prove that they is a breeding quality specimen?
- Have you had any breeding experience or have you found someone that is a reputable breeder to be your mentor with this?
- Is the dog over 2 years of age?
- Has the dog had all the genetic health checks done (CERF and OFA)?
- Are you willing to keep all the puppies if suitable homes cannot be found? If you find homes and the new owners at some point cannot care for the dog, are you willing to take it back?
- Do you realize how much it will cost? If you do things right, even if you sell the puppies for $1000 each, you will likely still be "in the hole".

Also remember that there is also the chance something will go wrong and your dog or all the puppies could die. Are you prepared for that? Is it worth it to risk losing your pet? Here are some true stories about people's breeding experiences (and these are people that KNEW what they were doing and still ended up with a bad situation on their hands) http://www.geocities.com/learntobreed/truestories.html
.

Answer 3

If the dog bit a child in the face, totally unprovoked, and badly enough he needed 16 stitches, the dog should be euthanized unless the reason was a treatable health issue that's subsequently addressed. A two year old dog is an adult, not a "baby puppy", and she will never be able to be trusted around people after this, regardless of any training done. Add: This isn't food aggression. The kid wasn't messing with a dog that HAD food, toy, bone, treat, etc. He was standing NEAR the bin where the food is stored. Resource guarding is protecting something the dog *has*. Totally different situation. If the kid had tried to take a dog's toy away, stuck his hand in the food, etc., that would be one thing. Those situations could be avoided. But how close to the place the food is STORED is too close for this dog to tolerate? Was it even the fact food was stored nearby that triggered the behavior? This dog isn't safe. Someone else is likely to be hurt. She should be euthanized.

Answer 4

Get her fixed. Millions of animals are euthanized every year in this country. And yes her pups will be cute and you would know all the people that take the pups, but what about further down the line when it's out of your control?
Dogs, as far as I can tell, don't care one way or another if they have puppies. It's strictly a biological event for them - no human type emotions.
It is also safer for her to be spayed. She won't try to escape, which they do when in heat, to look for a partner and risk getting hit by a car or wander off so far that she can't find her way home. She wont' risk a pyometra (infected uterus) and it will greatly reduce her chances of getting mammary tumors.

Answer 5

If you really love your dog, get her spayed. Please.

Don't add to the overpopulation of dogs. There are THOUSANDS of homeless dogs already. And even though you may think you would be able to find loving homes for her puppies, if you hadn't given them those new puppies, they could have rescued a different dog!

Your dog's personality will not change at all. I have 3 dogs and 1 cat, all were spayed and they are all still as energetic, playful, happy, and care-free as they were before they were spayed. I doubt they even know the difference.

As her responsible owner, it is your duty to decide to not allow her to have pups. Your dog isn't going to realize "HEY! She spayed me! Now I can't have babies! Darn it!" Your dog will never know any better, and she will be happy and healthy.

Also, spaying your dog will decrease her chances of getting certain cancers. And think about it...dogs go into heat about every 6 months... do you really want to have to clean up after her when she does? I doubt it's fun. Especially if you're only doing it because you think it's not fair for you to spay her.

Please. Do the right thing. Spay your dog. She won't change, and she won't notice!

Answer 6

If you want to breed her, is she a purebred registered with the AKC, or an equivalent in your country if you dont live in america?
Will she have health tests done?
Breeding a dog costs more money than fixing one!
Spaying or Neutering Is Good for Your Pet

Spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
Spaying and neutering can eliminate or reduce the incidence of a number of health problems that can be very difficult or expensive to treat.
Spaying eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer, particularly when your pet is spayed before her first estrous cycle.
Neutering eliminates testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate disease.
Spaying or Neutering Is Good for You

Spaying and neutering makes pets better, more affectionate companions.
Neutering cats makes them less likely to spray and mark territory.
Spaying a dog or cat eliminates her heat cycle. Estrus lasts an average of six to 12 days, often twice a year, in dogs and an average of six to seven days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat can cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
Unsterilized animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than do those who have been spayed or neutered.
Spaying and neutering can make pets less likely to bite.
Neutering makes pets less likely to roam the neighborhood, run away, or get into fights.
Spaying and Neutering Are Good for the Community

Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted animals.
Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks.
Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.
Stray pets and homeless animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and frighten or anger people who have no understanding of their misery or needs.
Some stray animals also scare away or kill birds and wildlife.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/skatekitten2288/Petneuter.jpg

it is cruel for you to want her to have puppies. A dog has puppies because of instinct, not desire, and pregnancies are hard on some dogs! Dogs do have feelings, but not complex emotions circulating the idea that they want to procreate!

Fixing your dog will not change their attitudes at all!

Answer 7

Yes you should get her spay. You say that you love her VERY much. Then you will want to to what you can for her to extend her life and keep her healthy. Every time that she has a heat cycle (period) it makes her more and more likely to get a reproductive cancer in her later years.
As far as her wanting puppies... There has never been an incidence in all of my years dealing with dogs in all of the fields that I have where I have sen a dog suffer from depression due to being spay. Their reasons for pregnancy and birth are primal and in n way emotional.
Separate yourself from all of that and do the right thing for your precious pet.
Much luck to you.
~Tyed~

Answer 8

Actually, dogs do not have the same emotions that we do. THey are incredibly simple. If she doesn't ever have puppies, she won't "miss" not having them. Besides, you would most likely sell or give away a majority of them. I have one spayed dog, and the other I just picked up from the vet from her spay. I can tell you that neither have had any attitude or personality changes.

Answer 9

Dogs may have feelings, but they can't make choices, they can only react to stimuli.
you are her owner, and you have every right to decide if she has puppies, if you are buying food, paying for the vet, and giving her shelter, then it doesn't matter what she may or may not want. She won't miss not having pups, she won't even notice. She will however, not get ovarian cancer later in life, and she will behave better.

Answer 10

Dog do not WANT puppies, nor do they miss not having them. They are DOGS!! NOT people!!!! They may have "feelings", but not like that! They are not capable of that kind of thought! They do not sit around and wonder when they will having some darling little puppies. They act on instinct!!!!!!!

Answer 11

she doesnt even know she can have puppies...she doesnt even know what puppies are. they dont have the consept of that kind of reasoning. as for you....get her fixed...she will bleed every month and you will have to watch out for other dogs trying to get to her. also there is less chance of her having problems in that area if those parts are gone. always spay and neuter.....the animals are much happier and safer