Spaying and Neutering Breeders Club is an avid supporter of spay and neuter surgery for your pet. Spaying and neutering is recommended and encouraged by veterinarians as well as anyone concerned about the health and welfare of pets. There are different options for spaying and neutering that include ovary/testicle sparing surgery that keeps sexual organs intact while preventing unwanted behaviors and pregnancy. Spaying or neutering your pet provides many health benefits. Studies have shown that spaying and neutering can: 1. Lengthen your pet’s life and improve the quality of its life. 2. Reduces health risks such as certain cancers, mammary tumors, prostate problems and urinary tract infections. 3. Allows your pet to be a better family member by eliminating seasonal heat cycles, territory marking, sexual aggression, false pregnancies, and unwanted pregnancies and litters. Breeders Club recommended veterinarians and staff members are available for guidance and information regarding this important pet owner responsibility. OPTIONS WITH SURGERY There are different options for spaying and neutering available today that includes: 1. Traditional spay/neuter surgery where most/all sexual organs are removed (similar to a full hysterectomy), providing protections against certain cancers and disease. 2. Ovary/testicle sparing surgery that keeps sexual organs intact (similar to a tubal ligation/vasectomy). This option allows hormones to remain intact while preventing unwanted behaviors and pregnancy but provides protections against certain health issues and cancers that may occur with a traditional spay/neuter. AGE OF SURGERY Think of your puppy as a young child. Would you remove all of your child’s hormones before they were done growing/maturing? Of course not. As a human we understand how important our hormones are to our overall growth and health. Hormones are important to puppies too. Breeders Club recommends that you allow your puppy to mature fully for its breed prior to undergoing spay/neuter surgery so that he/she can fully benefit from the hormones that control such things as growth plates, bones, height, length, weight, etc. A veterinarian may push early spay/neuter because they want to ensure that an “oops” pregnancy won’t occur that could put your pet at risk of health complications that can occur with arbitrary breeding at a young age, but it is the responsibility of the dog owner to make sure that their pet is kept safely on a leash or in a contained yard to prevent unwanted pregnancy until a spay/neuter can be performed at the optimum age for the health and wellbeing of your pet. Breeders Club encourages our puppy owners to educate themselves on their options regarding spay/neuter and to speak to their veterinarian in order to make an informed decision regarding their pet’s health.