S/n okay for pets, but not for people?

[verderben]

Nonetheless, I would honestly only consider buying from a breeder who is active in their breed rescue. To me, part of being responsible and improving your breed, includes helping the dogs in your breed that are not from good breeders.

I totally agree with this!

 

[verderben]

There are thousands of huskies in breed rescues. All the ones we've tried to put the many huskies we get in our shelter in have always been full to the brim. Hey, when we were looking for a basset hound, I went to the shelter to see if they had any (we get like...three a week) and ended up taking home Maggie, my beautiful dalmation mix because her life was more important to me than having a purebred basset hound.

And, if you have to go to a breeder, then this thread is not about reptuable breeders. We're against breeders that are the reason for millions of dogs dying and the "lucky" ones that are sold that have health problems beyond belief.

The difference is you were looking for a pet only, and breed didnt matter but you prefered a basset. I was looking for show quality huskies. My point was certain people may have a need for certain breed traits in a dog for certain reasons, such as someone with bad allergies who cant have a Husky or a Lab but can have a Poodle or Bichon. They aren't going to go and adopt a dog of whatever breed or breed mix instead. My only point was that saying someone who has an intact dog of whatever breed isn't causeing animals to be put down. It's irresponsible owners who dump thier pets that are the cause, not people looking for a specific breed from a breeder.

 

[shadowfacedanes]

I am astonished when dog and cat owners who choose not to neuter/spay their pets express surprise or contempt if their choices are questioned by other animal lovers.

And I am suprised that people assume all people who own an intact animal are incapable of making good decisions and that they should be subject to what YOU feel is a good owner. My dog cannot be spayed at this time. IF and when my vet and I determine that the risks of her being unaltered outweigh the risks of her being spayed, I'll make my decision then.

There ARE responsible owners of intact dogs and cats. If you are a serious breeder who is honestly working to improve a breed, then you should have no problem supporting your choices, and should not be offended if people ask you to defend them. You most of all should understand the harm ignorant and irresponsible people do to the dog and cat populations.

Yet you insult those who have chosen not to spay in your first paragraph.

And once again, another person has lumped irresponsible owners together with responsible informed owners.

 

[BostonBanker]

I hate when people try to use this excuse because it just isn't true. If someone wants a Toy Poodle they sure as hell aren't going to go to the pound and adopt a Lab/Shepherd/ Rott mix. Just like when I was looking for Huskies to show I sure as hell wasn't gonna change my mind and go to the pound and get a mix a mutt instead. I have nothing against mixed dogs but people looking for specific breeds or traits in a dog for whatever reason just are NOT going to go to the pound and adopt something else instead. and to suggest they would is just silly.

Did you read my whole post? Because you have quoted a small bit of it out of context. I wasn't talking about buying a dog - if you want to buy a purebred from a good breeder, go for it. While I believe there is a dog in rescue for everyone, I don't believe that rescuing is for everyone. If you are looking for a dog to show in conformation, by all means, go to a good breeder. I do believe that breeds need to be preserved, and that there needs to be breeders out there doing it.

I was referring to the OP's comments about wanting to breed her dogs, who, from my understanding, have no health tests, no show record, and are from places that likely got them from puppy mills. Breeding those dogs is absurd. If someone wanted a cute little fluffy dog with no real history, they could go to a shelter. This dog below? Was from a high-kill shelter in WV. Sweet, young, healthy, housebroken, non-shedding...THAT is a dog who doesn't need to die so that more like her can be bred.

 

[IliamnasQuest]

I have an intact dog (in fact two, if you count the five month old puppy) and I'm not at all insulted if someone questions me on my choice. I'm glad to discuss it with them. I fully encourage people to spay/castrate their dogs unless they have a specific goal for that dog that requires it to remain intact AND they can manage their intact dog responsibly.

I worked for a vet for six years, saw/assisted in thousands of spays/castrations, and only once did a dog ever die on the table - and that was from a health problem that was in the dog, not from what the vet did. But I DID see many dogs with mammary tumors, prostate problems, testicular cancer, pyometra, etc. And I also saw many bitches with whelping problems and several of those bitches died either during whelping or later from infection. I helped hand-raise puppies from birth. I have NO doubt that when it comes to risk of spay/castration compared to risk from whelping or health problems, there's much less risk from neutering than there is from leaving a dog intact.

That being said, I do have an intact bitch that I'm showing and still considering breeding. That's my choice, she's an exemplary, titled bitch that is only one of six in the U.S. in her breed who have passed all six health clearances. Most of you have already heard all that so I won't go into it again .. *L* .. I fully understand the risks involved in keeping her intact, I manage her so that she doesn't have any opportunity to be bred, and everything is fine. If I choose not to breed her in the next year or so I'll have her spayed so as to avoid pyometra (been through that with one bitch and she was a VERY sick little girl, wouldn't want it to happen again).

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

I believe in S/N and have always advocated it at 6 months.....that is until I started researching more about the whole proedure. Since I got Caiza who is almost 2 and a half years old I held off on fixing him to allow him to grow properly and develop mentally. I know I am a very responsible person and can live with an intact male without letting him roam free to go make babies up the street. I always believed that intact males can be very honory and have minds of their owns but Caiza has proven to me that an intact male can be just as much relaxed, calm, and obedient as a fixed male. The only down side of owning an intact male is that I have to always watch who he comes in contact with being other intact males or else he will fight. Otherwise neutered males and of course bitches he gets along fine with. I believe everyone has a "right" to do what is best for there dog and best for their situation. I don't bother to waist my time on getting angry because someones dog is intact because they don't want to S/N. Everyone has the right to make a choice whether it be for them or their dog. I believe that some human beings should be fixed, like the ones who sell their bodies for drugs and have crack addicted babies only to have those babies be sent to foster care and become the "states" problem. I personally don't care what you do with yourself or your animals as long as you are responsible about it! The only problem is, is that to many people aren't and that is why we have the OVER-population problems that we do. Just my two cents....

 

[FoxyWench]

personally the risk of cancer eating away at my dogs insidies if shes not spayed simply because i was afraid to put her through the low risk of a spay surgery (and if a dog gets ovarian or cervical cancer because of the type it generally goes unnoticed untill its too late) that risk is fare greater than the one taken by a spay surgery...

and the spay/neuter surgery is SAFER in most breeds than the risk of pregnancy...
you have to remember...most people that do loose their dogs during a pregnancy dont mka eit full public knowledge...so theres no realy way to compare those numbers.
however being involved in breeding my entire life and knowing the risks, id much rather take the now TINY risk of the spay/neuter surgery than the risk of my girls life unless shes an absolute spectacular specimine of the breed...

 

[Tankstar]

And I am suprised that people assume all people who own an intact animal are incapable of making good decisions and that they should be subject to what YOU feel is a good owner. My dog cannot be spayed at this time. IF and when my vet and I determine that the risks of her being unaltered outweigh the risks of her being spayed, I'll make my decision then.



Yet you insult those who have chosen not to spay in your first paragraph.

And once again, another person has lumped irresponsible owners together with responsible informed owners.

I agree. Some animals just can not be speutard due to health reasons. My dog has bad heart murmurs, and I am not going to risk a surgery that isnt neccaseraily needed to neuter him, when in the long run I may lose him under the knife. Many people can have intact dogs and be totally responsible. I get grief at the dog park becuase my dog is intact. he is not mean, doesnt try and hump other dogs, UNLESS they try humping him first. He is never out with out me. i wouldnt risk it.