If you’re thinking about getting a dog, spaying, or neutering, it is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. In this article, we’ll explain why you should spay or neuter dogs you adopt, and how to go about doing so.
Your dog can still father puppies after neutering
Neutering a male dog does not make him sterile, infertile, impotent, or less virile. The only thing neutering does is prevent further reproduction. Neutered dogs will still have the same sex drive as before neutering. They will still be attracted to female dogs in heat and try to mount them if given the opportunity.
A common misconception is that once a male dog has been neutered, it will become less aggressive toward other male dogs because it no longer has an instinctual need for dominance over its territory or pack members. This is not true; being neutered does not affect an animal’s personality or disposition at all—it simply changes what parts of its body produce semen (i.e., sperm). Neutering also decreases testosterone levels in pets which may reduce aggressive behavior and territorial marking while on walks with their owners.
It reduces the risk of cancer
If you spay and neuter dogs you own,the risk of cancer is reduced, which is especially important in large-breed dogs. Spaying lowers the risk of breast cancer by 99 percent in female dogs and 97 percent in female cats. Neutering also lowers a male dog’s risk of prostate cancer by 99 percent and testicular cancer by 95 percent.
Breeding females should be spayed before the first heat cycle so that they do not conceive a litter of puppies or kittens at an early age (puppies are typically ready to leave their mother at eight weeks old).
Both male and female dogs can get uterine infections after whelping litter; neutering helps prevent these infections from occurring.
It’s cheaper than treating litter
The cost of raising a litter of puppies or kittens is much higher than the cost of spaying or neutering them.
According to the ASPCA (American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), if you were to get your dog or cat fixed, you could save yourself about $1,200 in food and veterinary bills by not having to take care of the animal while they were pregnant.
For example, a female dog can have between 2-13 puppies at one time, which would mean that she will need food and vet visits throughout her pregnancy as well as after birth. These costs are multiplied when there is more than one litter. However, if you get your pet fixed before they become pregnant, then this won’t be necessary!
Neutered dogs are less aggressive
Some people think that neutering a dog will make them more aggressive, but this isn’t true. Neutering actually helps to reduce male dog aggression and territorial behaviors like chasing cats or other dogs or trying to mate with females in heat. A neutered male won’t spray urine around the house like an intact dog would, either!
Neutered males are less likely to roam away from home.
If you have a female dog who is spayed before her first heat cycle (which occurs between six months and three years of age), she won’t become pregnant and escape your yard to find a mate when it happens—which means no unwanted puppies! The same goes for males: They cannot impregnate another female while roaming outside your property line looking for mates when they reach sexual maturity at six months old or older—and they also won’t be able to fight with other male dogs over territory or food sources because they lack testosterone levels needed for such behavior patterns.
Intact male dogs are more likely to wander, mate with females in heat and get into fights
Intact male dogs are more likely to wander and get into fights with other dogs. They are also more likely to mate with females in heat, which can result in unwanted puppies. Intact males can be aggressive toward other animals and people, especially if they do not receive proper training as puppies.
Importantly, allowing your dog to roam free may expose him or her to a variety of potential dangers such as traffic accidents and encounters with aggressive animals or humans.
Intact female dogs in heat are more likely to roam and attract unwanted suitors
When female dogs are in heat, they’re more likely to roam. They’ll go wherever the wind takes them, which means they might end up attracting not only male humans but also male dogs. In other words, your dog could get pregnant and then have puppies—and if you don’t want puppies around your house, that’s going to be a problem for you!
If this sounds like something you’re afraid of happening with your dog after she’s spayed (or neutered), there’s good news: it will never happen again. You’ve prevented it from ever happening! You’ve saved her from a lifetime of unwanted pregnancies and all the hardships associated with having children. And because she won’t be able to get pregnant anymore, she won’t attract any unwanted suitors either!
Other animals will not be euthanized because there is no room for them at shelters
While some shelters have no choice but to euthanize animals in order to make room for more, others will not be forced into this decision. The ability of a shelter to keep pets out of the shelter system completely is largely dependent on their ability and willingness to spay or neuter dogs. So if you spay or neuter your pet, you are helping other animals stay alive!
Spaying and neutering pets can help them live longer and be more well-behaved
If you neuter dogs you adopt,there are a number of benefits. According to the ASPCA, the procedure can decrease your dog’s risk of certain cancers, prevent behavioral problems like aggression and marking in the house, and increase the lifespan of both male and female dogs by up to two years. In addition, spaying or neutering can improve your dog’s quality of life by reducing its stress levels, which can help it feel more comfortable around other animals as well as humans.
Spaying or neutering also helps prevent unwanted litters—this is especially important for puppies who were born in shelters (which are often full) and kill shelters (which are often overcrowded). Spayed dogs are less likely than intact ones to get pregnant; if you want your pet to have puppies later on in life but don’t want any more pups now, consider getting them fixed before they reach sexual maturity.
Conclusion
We hope that you’ve learned something new about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets. All the reasons listed above are compelling, but we think the most important one is that it can help save lives. If you’re not sure whether you need to neuter dogs you adopt, talk with your vet or local humane society about their options and how they might benefit from this procedure.