Why sterilize your dog? Why not?

Myths abound!
Here are the facts:

1. MY DOG WILL GET FAT AND LAZY.
With the right amount of food and exercise, your pet will not become fat. He will require fewer calories to maintain proper weight and should be fed less - he will be less expensive to feed! A dog's laziness or inactivity depends on his personality and temperament.

2. IT'S IMPORTANT TO LET A FEMALE HAVE ONE HEAT PERIOD.
One season is one extra risk of unwanted pregnancy. She will be temperamental, will drip on your floor, and will attract a yard-full of waiting suitors. There is no proven benefit to waiting.

3. SPAYING IS DANGEROUS.
When done by a licensed veterinarian, routine spay/neuter surgery is actually less dangerous than the stress and danger of complications possible in pregnancy.

4. STERILIZED PETS AREN'T GOOD WATCH DOGS.
If anything, they are more content with home and family and are more devoted. The "bad" watchdog would be "bad" sterilized or not.

5. BUT MY DOG IS PUREBRED / UNUSUAL / SPECIAL
If you think your pet should be bred for any of these reasons, visit your local shelters. See the many special, beautiful dogs and the large number of purebreds there. 70% of these dogs will be killed. There aren't enough homes for them all. For every puppy you place, another goes homeless. Don't add to the tragedy.

6. BUT MY DOG IS A MALE!
While a female dog can have two litters per year, a male could sire that many in an afternoon! He can sense a female in season within a 2 ½ mile radius and will do anything to get to her. Neutered males are far less quarrelsome and more content to stay home with you.

7. I WOULDN'T DO IT TO MYSELF, I COULDN'T DO IT TO MY DOG!
Animals conceive and produce litters purely on biological instinct, and instinct which lasts for that moment alone. They don't feel deprived by sterilization, but an unsterilized dog will feel extreme frustration when in season or when they sense an in-season female is nearby. This frustration often leads to behavior problems and aggression.

See also:
Mounting
Marking
The Escape Artist
The Door Dasher

THE BENEFITS OF SPAYING & NEUTERING:

1. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO PREVENT THE BIRTH OF UNWANTED LITTERS.

2. YOUR PET WILL BE HAPPIER AND MORE CONTENT.
An unsterilized pet is often anxious and frustrated. He or she may pace or whine, act aggressively or inappropriately to furniture or people. He is not happy inside or out, and is driven by something he cannot understand.

3. IT CAN INCREASE YOUR PET'S LIFE EXPECTANCY.
Spaying eliminates uterine infection and reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering prevents testicular and prostate cancer. In addition to the health benefits, your pet won't face the danger of being in fights, run over or exposed to diseases while on the prowl in search of a mate.

4. CAN'T AFFORD IT? - YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO!
The cost of sterilization is minor compared to the cost of feeding and raising litters. If all goes well, the veterinary care of the dam and her litter will be substantial - and what if things do not go well? Problems in delivery could lead to Caesarian section, lost puppies or even the loss of the mother. A sterilized pet often requires fewer vet bills and, with the reduced food intake required, is less expensive to feed!