For those of us who understand the benefits of spaying and neutering our dogs and cats, it can be hard to comprehend why anyone wouldn’t get their their pets fixed. Those in the know can help by sharing knowledge of the benefits, and debunking the all-to-common myths that are still believed by too many pet owners. If you are researching the pros and cons of spaying your dog or cat, or are looking for information to share with a friend or neighbor to educated them, this article will help you with facts so you or they can make a responsible, informed decision as a loving pet owner.

Here are just some of the great reasons to spay or neuter your dog or cat, and myths below that, courtesy of HSUS and the ASPCA:

1. Your pet will be happier.  If you care about your pet’s happiness, spaying or neutering is one of the kindest things you can do for them. See below for many of the reasons why.

2. Your pet will be healthier. In females, spaying helps prevent uterine, ovarian, and breast cancer which is fatal in about 50% of dogs and 90% of cats. Females spayed before their first heat (4-5 months old) are the healthiest, but it helps at any age. For males, especially if done before 6 months of age, it prevents testicular cancer and prostate problems.

3. Your pet will live longer. Because they are healthier (see #2), spayed and neutered pets have a significantly longer average lifespan. Also, neutered pets are also less likely to roam or fight (see #4), lengthening their lifespan.

4. Your spayed female won’t go into heat. This means you don’t have to deal with blood staining, yowling, and the more frequent urination – which can be all over your house! Female felines usually go into heat four to five days every three weeks during breeding season. That’s a lot of mess and noise!

5. Your male pet is less likely to roam. An un-neutered male pet is driven by strong hormones to mate, and will often turn into a Houdini escape artist to get out of their home or yard, especially if there is a female in heat close by, or sometimes even miles away!

6. Your male pet will be friendlier. A fixed male is less likely to want to fight with other pets, even females, who may not appreciate his annoying ongoing advances.

7. Your female pet will be friendlier. When a female pet goes into heat, the hormones can make her behavior become erratic. A usually friendly pet who goes into heat can suddenly become aggressive with both people and other pets in the home.

8. Marking & humping will be reduced or eliminated. This true is for both dogs and cats, and especially for males. Also male dogs will be much less likely to ‘hump’ other dogs… or people’s legs or your couch cushions!

9. It will save you money. Fixed pets have fewer health problems so vet bills are lower. They are less likely to bite, avoiding potential costly lawsuits (80% of dog bites to humans are from intact male dogs). They are less likely to try to escape and do damage to your home or yard, or cause a car accident.

10. You are saving pets lives. You may say your pet will never get out or run away, but that’s what almost every pet owner thinks – accidents happen! Pet overpopulation is a problem everywhere. For every human born, 15 dogs and 45 cats are born. There simply aren’t enough homes for all these animals.

SPAY NEUTER EXCUSES & MYTHS vs. FACTS

Here are some of the common myths, with the truths explained:

Excuse: It is more natural to leave my pet unaltered.
Fact: It would also be more natural to live in a cave and not have pets at all. But humans have chosen to domesticate dogs and cats, and with that comes a responsibility to keep them safe, happy and healthy. See above for how spaying and neutering is an integral part of that responsibility.

Myth: My pet’s babies won’t contribute to pet overpopulation.
Fact: Even if your pet is a purebred, and you can find homes for all their babies, those are homes that could have adopted a pet – there are purebreds of almost every single breed  in shelters and rescues. And though you might be a lifetime pet owner, can you be sure that all your babies’ homes will never give up their pet to a shelter?

Myth: It will change my pet’s personality.
Fact: A dog’s personality is formed by genetics and environment, not by sex hormones. Ask anyone that has fixed their pet! There are some behaviors that are typically reduced by fixing your pet, but they are undesirable… unless you like a pet that territorially urinates, tries to fight more with other pets, or tries to escape to get out to find a mate!

Myth: My pet will get fat.
Fact: Just like with people, metabolism and food intake is what determines if a pet becomes overweight. Just visit a shelter to see all the overweight unfixed pets! Fixed pets can be calmer, so do sometimes need to eat less.

Excuse: My pet will never escape.
Sit at an animal shelter intake desk for 1 day, and listen to how many owner’s reclaiming their pets say exactly that. Accidents happen. Don’t let the accident be your pet escaping and causing yet one more oops litter.

Here are some more articles about the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet, and the myths and facts:

• http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/spay_neuter_myths_facts.html
• http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/top-10-reasons-spay-or-neuter-your-pet

A while back we featured Abbie’s 10 Tips For Welcoming Home Your Newly-Adopted Dog in this blog, and it was so popular, we’re revisiting the topic with this article written by Diane Anderson, an expert animal behaviorist with the Central Florida SPCA. “When you make the life saving decision to adopt a new furry friend, you have great expectations… unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go quite as planned… now what? Remember, when you adopt a pet you are making a promise to them to provide them with food, water, shelter, training and companionship. Your new pet is more than willing to hold up their side of the bargain by providing you with unconditional love!

Strain is sometimes put on the relationship when human expectations differ from reality. One must remember that any dog has the potential to become an ideal companion under the right circumstances. You must ask yourself what those circumstances might be, and then begin to implement them.

It is important to remember to build your bond with your new dog and always love the dog you HAVE, not the one you wish you did! Once your pet enters your home it becomes your responsibility to deal with their behavior, whatever it may be. If the dog is yours, so then is the responsibility.

Dogs, like us, are a combination of nature and nurture. Every dog has a behavior potential that can be shaped by consistent and positive training. Dogs are incredibly resilient; they can begin to adjust to a new life today, no matter what their past might have held. Adjustment periods can be tough, but the end result is always worth the effort! If your dog just isn’t meeting your expectations… adjust them! Make it a point to seriously tackle each problem.

7 Tips For Getting Started With a New Shelter Dog

1. Introductions: If you are bringing your new friend into a household with a resident dog, make sure to introduce the two on neutral ground. Go for a walk! Do NOT walk he dogs right up to one another nose to nose, a side by side walk will encourage companionship and tire them out!
2. Behavior & Getting Comfortable: Begin obedience classes and have the whole family participate. Learn to shape what is desired rather than punish what is not. Obedience training has a settling effect on a dog and gives you an opportunity to bond and re-direct focus. Take time to touch your new dog all over. (Feet, ears, teeth, tail, paws…) This will make trips to the groomer and veterinarian easier for everyone!
3. Around the Home: Remember to dog-proof your home. (Especially important with puppies!) Walk around your house and yard and move anything you do not want the dog to get a hold of. If you do not want your new dog in certain rooms of the house, purchase baby gates to block their way. Remember it is YOUR responsibility to keep your dog away from things you do not want destroyed or that might be harmful to them.
4. Buying A Crate: If you will be crate training your dog, make sure to purchase a crate that is just large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around in; no more, no less. If you are buying a crate for your puppy to grow into, you can block off part of it with cement blocks. Stainless steel water and food bowls are recommended as they can not be torn up and ingested. Also, be sure to look for durable bedding; hard to chew up and easy to clean will make your life much easier!
5. What To Buy: You will want to purchase a simple 4-6 foot nylon leash with collar. No flexi-leads, harnesses or pinch collars will be necessary with proper training. You’ll want some toys as well. Get a nice variety and then rotate them every month so your dog doesn’t get bored. Hard Rubber toys are wonderful for dogs who chew, especially those that can be stuffed with anything from peanut butter and cream cheese to wet food and bananas! (You can freeze them to keep your pooch busy for a longer period of time!)
6. When Feeding: Feed them their food at set times. As long as they are healthy, when they are hungry, they’ll eat. (If will not eat anything for a day, check with your vet.) Do not leave food down for longer that 20 minutes; after that pick it up. Also, refrain from ‘free feeding’ your dog. It can lead to obesity and makes it difficult for you to monitor their eating habits.
7. Vet Visits: Even if your pet is healthy, make an appointment for your new dog at your veterinarian about two weeks after they’ve joined your household.
8. House Rules: Make sure the entire family understands the ‘doggy’ rules and that there is a clear consensus of what behaviors are to be reinforced and which ones will not.

If all of this sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is! But life with out dogs is not much of a life at all… in my opinion anyway!”

This post was written by Diane Anderson, she is an expert animal behaviorist with the Central Florida SPCA: www.orlandopets.org
Learn more about Jennifer, our blog author at Google+

Getting ready to adopt a new puppy? These guidelines are not a complete guide to raising a puppy (there are entire books devoted to that topic!) but will give you some of the basics, to help you prepare for the arrival and first few months of your new puppy. This basic training, socialization, and guidelines can be used starting at the age of 8 weeks, the earliest age at which most people would be bringing a puppy into their home. If your puppy is slightly older, as long as they are under 6 months old, these steps can still be followed. For puppies older than 6 months, many of these tips still apply, but start with our 10 Tips For Welcoming Home Your Newly-Adopted Dog blog article, and stay tuned to this blog for future older puppy & dog training articles here too.

Prepare for puppy’s arrival

Being prepared can mean the difference between getting a good start, or getting started off on the wrong paw. A puppy needs a safe, warm environment. Being raised indoors with as much human contact as possible is critical at this stage. Make sure you have all the basic supplies you need, including a great dog food. For tips on dog nutrition, click here!

* Puppy-proof a play area. Puppies will chew everything, from electrical wires to socks and shoes. You need a secure, puppy-proof, enclosed area and a crate for those times you cannot directly supervise your puppy (see our article about crate training for tips). Puppies typically are not housebroken, and should be kept in an area when it is ok to have accidents.

* Establish a daily routine from day one. A puppy feels secure having dinner, playtime, lessons and walks at the same time each day. Also, being left alone all day on Monday after having spent his entire first weekend with you can cause lots of anxiety! If you do bring him home on a weekend, leave him alone for progressively longer periods of time. Schedule your puppy’s feedings so that all meals are fed by 5-6 pm (if you go to bed at 11), and so your puppy drinks very little water after that. Be regular about your (and your puppy’s) bedtime and time getting up in the morning to help your puppy learn to hold it through the night.

* Establish your house rules. If you do not want your adult dog on the furniture or jumping up, do not allow the puppy on the furniture or to jump up. Ask all visitors (and family members!) to follow your house rules. No matter how cute it is when he’s tiny, most people do not want their full grown dog jumping on everyone.

* How you deal with crying, whining and barking. This depends your puppy’s age, temperament and experiences. There are preventative steps you can take for training your puppy not to cry in his crate during the night (which we will detail in our future crate-training blog article) but we’ll mention a key point: The worst thing to do is to let the puppy cry and bark for a long time, and then go get it out or give it attention. When you do that, you teach the puppy to PERSISTENTLY make noise in the crate, because you have shown the puppy that persistence pays! You don’t want to respond quickly to a puppy making noise in the crate, provided you are sure the puppy’s needs have been met.

Teaching basic commands

At the minimum, your dog should learn to come when called, walk on a leash and sit/stay.

* Never repeat a command. Repetition is dulling, and having the puppy ignore you when you say “come here come here come here” is training him NOT to come when called.

* Try saying “come here” in a fun, high tone of voice every time the puppy starts running towards you,and give the puppy lots of rewards/tummy rubs/verbal and food treats whenever he comes running to you.

* Say “Good sit!” every time the puppy sits for the first week. Then begin asking for a sit, and use a treat to lead the puppy by the nose toward you, then put your hand over the puppies head to so he looks up, and backs into a sit (this can take some practice – on your part!). You can also use your other hand or a wall to gently stop the puppy from backing up as you lead the nose up and back. Do not push down on their behind to ‘make’ them sit. You want to teach them to sit on their own!

* If the puppy does something undesirable, you can use a calm, firm “no”, but avoid a harsh tone and never yell and NEVER use physical punishment. Punishment and yelling serve only to make your puppy afraid of you. Cowering does not mean your puppy ‘knows’ he did something wrong, he is just reacting to your voice right at that moment and showing submission. It will not help him learn what is the right thing to do. If your puppy is cowering when you are verbally correcting him, use a softer tone of voice, and focus on rewarding the positive and avoiding/redirecting negative behaviors.

* Be consistent. Always use the same command to elicit the same result. Don’t use the same word to mean two different things. When you say “down” do you mean lie down or get off the counter? When you clap, does that mean “come here” or “stop chewing on that sofa leg”?

* Socialization during a puppy’s early months is critical. Time spent with the family means the puppy will become comfortable with the sights, smells and sounds that people make, and grow up accustomed to them, rather than afraid of them. Puppies can usually be left alone in a puppy-safe area (crate, kitchen, puppy run) for 1-2 hours for every month of age (i.e., a 2 month old puppy can be alone for 2-3 hours). Leaving young puppies alone for too long means they are not being properly socialized. Try to plan your absences during naptime, or play with your puppy to tire him out before leaving. Using safe toys to entertain while you are gone, such as rubber toys stuffed with goodies, can make time alone easier. Crates can make being alone less frightening as well, by giving them a small secure “den”.

What’s next?

With the basic guidelines above, you are off to a good start getting ready for your new puppy! You’ll want to read up on housebreaking, teaching bite inhibition, possibly crate training, and when your puppy is fully vaccinated (usually at 4  months old), walking on leash and exploring the world outside your home. Enroll your puppy in a puppy socialization class, and then follow up with  a good dog obedience class. Dog training and socialization are an ongoing process usually throughout a dog’s adolescence, and are a wonderful way for you and your dog to enjoy time together, and with other dogs.

This is the first in our series of puppy, dog, and cat behavior articles, to help readers with their newly adopted pets! The method I describe below is for DOG-FRIENDLY adult dogs. If you do not know if your dog is good with other dogs, or has ever shown any type of aggression to another dog (growling, snarling, barking), please do the introduction with a trainer or behaviorist present.

Ideally, you’ll have assessed your household’s current dog(s) before you add a puppy to the mix. Consider the physical condition of your current animals. Many people think getting a puppy will ‘liven up’ their older dog. Most older or calm/quiet dogs are quite content as they are and may be intolerant and very unhappy with a puppy’s boisterous behavior. In multi-dog households, a new puppy can throw off the balance and everyone might need some reminding of their training. A temperament and energy level match for your current pets is usually the best match, but if you do end up with a puppy and older dog, here are some suggestions to get it off to the best start!

– Get ready. Make sure your dog(s) are current on all their vaccinations, including bordatella (kennel cough) especially if the puppy is coming from a shelter or rescue kennel, or has been exposed to other dogs within the last 2 weeks that were from or in a kennel. Get your vet’s recommendations whether total separation (quarantine) is needed and for how long. There are many potentially fatal diseases that puppies can be ‘incubating’ that will not show up for up to two weeks. Altered pets are less likely to be territorial, so getting your current dogs fixed at least 1 month before introducing a puppy is recommended. Also treat your current dogs for fleas and other parasite prevention as recommended by your vet.

– Total separation. Just having the new puppy in the house is enough for your older dog to get used to, without having to deal with the puppy jumping all over him and his toys, bed etc. Try to have the puppy’s starter room be one that your adult dog does not use for sleeping or eating and is puppy-proof (bathrooms work well), or use a crate. Feed, play and train separately, giving equal time to both dogs.

– First introduction. Pick neutral and unfamiliar territory, such as a street or park you don’t usually visit, or if the puppy has not completed his vaccinations yet, ask a neighbor if you can use their yard. All dogs and new puppy should be on leashes. If you have more than one dog already at home, introduce them to the puppy one at a time. Start with the most friendly and submissive of your dogs.

For a really young puppy (4 months and under): start by having a friend holding the puppy in their arms. With your friendly adult dog on leash, let him take a good sniff. Then separate them, put the puppy down (puppy also on leash) and allow the dogs to approach one another at their own speed. For an older puppy or one that’s too big to be easily held, you can start with both dogs on leash, and let the adult dog approach and stiff while you restrain the puppy from jumping or doing the sniffing, it’s his turn only after the adult dog is done.

Stay relaxed! The dogs can sense if you are tense. Try to keep the leashes slack at all times. Verbal encouragement, such as “good dogs!” reinforce any good behavior. If the adult dog wants to stay away from the puppy, do not “force” him to say hello.

If there is any growling or other signs of aggression, you may need to do a slower introduction, such as walks around the neighborhood together, with the puppy walking behind (not able to touch) the adult dog. If the aggression continues, consult a behaviorist or trainer. If all goes well, allow the dogs to spend five or ten minutes together and then proceed to the next step.

– Short sessions. Going on walks together is a wonderful bonding activity! Even one or two walks a day is enough time together for the first week. If all goes well, you can progress to supervised off-leash access to one another, often after a big walk together, when both will be more relaxed after the exercise. Pick the largest play area possible so the dogs have room to move around. Remove all toys from the mutual play area to avoid possible fights over toys. End the play session if the older dog repeatedly exhibits ‘lay off me’ behavior such as trying to avoid the puppy, showing teeth, or growling/snapping. See next section.

– Allowable behaviors. Especially before the age of 4 months, or if they have not been around other dogs, puppies may not recognize subtle body language signals from adult dogs that they have had enough. Well-socialized adult dogs with good temperaments can set limits with puppies with a growl or lip-curl. These behaviors should be allowed, within reason – once or twice is ok, especially if puppy “learns” and stops the behavior. Do NOT correct an adult dog that is showing “correct” back off signals, but do step in to stop the reason for them: don’t allow your puppy to continue to harass your adult dog with too-rough or unwanted play. Step in and redirect puppy’s teeth onto a toy and get him to play with you instead, or end the play session completely.

For the most part, dogs adjust to puppies over time, but since the consequences of a problem can be severe, it is wise to follow a slow introduction process as outlined above to ensure all goes well with adding a new puppy to your home.

For introducing adult dogs, see our Multi-dog Home tips here.