Reproduction > Spaying and Neutering...

Spaying or neutering refers to the removal of the male's testicles or the female's ovaries and uterus, in order to eliminate the ability to procreate, and reduce sex drive. Neutering has also been known to reduce aggression in male dogs.

Animal control agencies in the United States and the ASPCA advise that dogs not intended for further breeding should be spayed or neutered so that they do not have undesired puppies.

In the less developed countries of Europe, spaying or neutering of dogs is less common, and owners are usually instead advised to keep their dogs on leash and under supervision to avoid unwanted matings; drugs are used to prevent pregnancy and abort unwanted litters.

Because of the overpopulation of dogs in some countries, puppies born to strays or as the result of accidental breedings often end up being put to sleep in animal shelters.

Spaying and neutering can also decrease the risk of hormone-driven diseases such as mammary cancer, as well as undesired hormone-driven behaviors. The hormonal changes involved with sterilization are likely to somewhat change the animal's personality, however, and some object to spaying and neutering as the sterilization could be carried out without the excision of organs.

Contrary to myth, it is not required for a female dog to either experience a heat cycle or have puppies before spaying, and likewise, a male dog does not need the experience of mating before neutering; these myths are responsible for numerous unnecessary health problems and unwanted puppies. Female dogs spayed before their first heat have a vastly lower incidence of many forms of cancer than dogs which are spayed after their first heat or pregnancy.

A female dog can become pregnant on her first heat cycle (which can take place as early as six months), and should be kept away from intact male dogs, including littermates, over the age of 4 months.