Spaying & Neutering
We do recommend that all pet dogs be spayed or neutered eventually. The pet population is simply too high and many great and healthy dogs are euthanized simply because there are not enough homes. Breeding puppies is a huge responsibility and should only be done by someone who has a strong knowledge of early puppy behavior and practices, someone who believes in breed specific health testing and someone committed to bettering the breed that they have. Some of the most important lessons in a dog's life are learned between 1-8 weeks of age, while they are still (hopefully) in the care of a breeder and with their littermates.
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Associations position is as follows:
"The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) strongly recommends that cats and dogs not intended for breeding be neutered before sexual maturity, except when there are scientifically justifiable health or behavioural benefits that might be gained by delaying the procedure.
The CVMA supports all educational efforts to promote responsible pet ownership. Prevention of unplanned breeding (permanently accomplished by neutering companion animals) is an integral part of being a responsible owner. Neutering dogs and cats can also provide health and behavioural benefits, such as reduced risk of some diseases and undesirable behaviours that are influenced by reproductive hormones.
An owner’s decision to neuter, including when to neuter their pet, should be made in consultation with a licensed veterinarian after an assessment of each patient.
The CVMA advocates for further research into preliminary data that may suggest large and giant breed dogs benefit from neutering after growth plate closure.
The CVMA supports neutering of dogs and cats prior to adoption from animal shelters.”
Rules of Spaying and Neutering
Unless your a responsible breeder - spay and neuter your dogs, or take other steps to eliminate mating
Neutered males will often mark less and will often hump less - however if these behaviors have been occurring for some time, they may not vanish simply due to castration - other behavior modifications may be needed
Discuss the pro's and con's of early and late spay/neuter with your veterinarian