Fixing your large breed puppy

[Anonymous]

our vet told us the the longer you wait to spay, the higher the chances are for breast cancer. as well, the larger the dog, the more invasive the procedure. anyone heard similar?

[Anonymous]

Can I ask how you curb/prevent marking in the house before dog is fixed? It’s making me crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I ask how you curb/prevent marking in the house before dog is fixed? It’s making me crazy!

We've never had issues with our intact male marking in the house. Honestly, he doesn't mark any more than our fixed male dogs. The only time he will occasionally try to mark is when we take him to PetSmart and there is a spot where another dog has obviously recently marked. In those scenarios we know the signs and quickly give a tug on the leash and a verbal correction and he usually catches himself. He's an intelligent breed though, so he has the ability to think through his actions before he does something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can I ask how you curb/prevent marking in the house before dog is fixed? It’s making me crazy!

We've never had issues with our intact male marking in the house. Honestly, he doesn't mark any more than our fixed male dogs. The only time he will occasionally try to mark is when we take him to PetSmart and there is a spot where another dog has obviously recently marked. In those scenarios we know the signs and quickly give a tug on the leash and a verbal correction and he usually catches himself. He's an intelligent breed though, so he has the ability to think through his actions before he does something.

So you DO have issues with him marking. He is tempted to do so indoors, and you have to watch and correct him.

We've gone back to the days where owners don't neuter their pets. But combine that with the new mentality that dogs are allowed in stores, and it becomes a big problem. Dogs are peeing on displays of Christmas decorations in Home Depot and peeing on table legs in the restaurant patio. Yuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We plan to fix our female golden retriever at around 12 months. She is on the small side (40 lbs at 9 months). I have no desire to put up with multiple heat cycles. Hopefully, we will not even have to deal with them at all.

One downside of neutering late is that I see so many intact male dogs in my agility/obedience classes, PetsMart, restaurant patios, Home Depot, etc that are constantly marking inside. It's gross.

My golden had her first heat at nearly 15 months old.

[Anonymous]

I have a male lab puppy and plan to evaluate my decision at 18 months. I may not do anything or I may do a vasectomy if I can find someone experienced and the cost is not crazy. I have a lot of friends in the dog world who never neuter and they don’t have issues with behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a male lab puppy and plan to evaluate my decision at 18 months. I may not do anything or I may do a vasectomy if I can find someone experienced and the cost is not crazy. I have a lot of friends in the dog world who never neuter and they don’t have issues with behavior.

Sure, but the people in "the dog world" generally are experienced dog owners who know how to train their dogs well. A lot of other folks are not neutering their male dogs and then not understanding how to stop marking behavior. So the peeing in Home Depot continues...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a male lab puppy and plan to evaluate my decision at 18 months. I may not do anything or I may do a vasectomy if I can find someone experienced and the cost is not crazy. I have a lot of friends in the dog world who never neuter and they don’t have issues with behavior.

Sure, but the people in "the dog world" generally are experienced dog owners who know how to train their dogs well. A lot of other folks are not neutering their male dogs and then not understanding how to stop marking behavior. So the peeing in Home Depot continues...

Honestly, people in 'the dog world' do have behavioral issues with their unneutered animals. They just deal with it as show/breeding animals have to be kept intact, but they are neutered when they are retired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our vet told us the the longer you wait to spay, the higher the chances are for breast cancer. as well, the larger the dog, the more invasive the procedure. anyone heard similar?

I’ve heard the opposite