Fixing Your Puppy And Caring For Their Health

If you have brought home a new puppy, then you'll want to be sure you make good decisions regarding their care. One of the things that you will need to decide is whether or not you are going to have the puppy spayed or neutered to ensure they can't reproduce. A female dog will be spayed, and a male dog will be neutered. Here are some of the things you want to consider when you are thinking about whether or not fixing your puppy is the right choice:

Is there reason to believe you would want to breed them in the future?

If your puppy is a purebred dog or one that you want to specifically mix with another breed, then you may have intentions to possibly breed it in the future. If this is the case, then you won't want to fix the puppy. You should make sure that you get a full exam and workup done once the time has come to breed the dog so you can make sure it is healthy and worthy of breeding.

Can you see yourself showing them competitively in the future?

If you have a purebred dog that has good conformation and you feel would be a good show dog, then you won't want to have them fixed. Having them fixed can prevent you from being able to show them in many of the dog shows because a requirement of many shows is that a dog must not be altered.

Are they going to be a working dog that performs duties for you?

If you have got your puppy in order to have it grow up to be a working dog that performs specific tasks, then you may not want to have it fixed before consulting professionals and making sure altering it won't cause it to lose some of its instincts or drive for doing the job that you want it to do. Also, keep in mind that if the dog ends up being a fabulous working dog, then you may decide you would like to have a litter from them in the future so you can produce more dogs with their great features.

Is the dog going to be strictly a family pet that stays in your home?

If your puppy is intended to be a family dog that you plan on keeping inside, then you may want to have it fixed as soon as possible so you won't end up dealing with the bad habits they can develop. While any dog can mark their territory in your home, the chances are greater that they will do so if they aren't fixed. An unaltered dog will be more likely to run off on you, they will be more likely to get into fights with other dogs, and they will even be more likely to develop bad habits like humping people's legs.

Conclusion

While fixing your puppy is up to you, there is something that you want to be sure you do, and that is to have your puppy vaccinated. This will help to prevent them from getting diseases and illnesses that can be very hard on them if not fatal. Always follow your vet's suggestions with regards to a vaccination schedule for your puppy. Contact a veterinary clinic like 1st Pet Veterinary Centers for additional information.