The Facts About Neutering Your Dog

Spaying or neutering your dog is an important consideration for any responsible dog owner. Not only does spaying or neutering your dog prevent unwanted pregnancy but it also can prevent conditions such as cancer and other reproductive diseases and conditions. Spayed females and neutered males are less likely to run away when other female dogs in the area are in heat and they are also less likely to engage in pack like behavior with other dogs.

Benefits of Spaying And Neutering Your Dog

There are many different reasons to spay or neuter your dog. While there is the obvious pregnancy prevention with spaying or neutering there are also other, more practical and subtle benefits. The following are all characteristics of dogs that have been spayed or neutered.

The dogs tend to be calmer and less aggressive towards both people and other pets.
Females will get along much better with other females, either spayed or not.
Males will be much less aggressive towards other males.
Males will less likely run or engage in pack like behaviors even if there are other female dogs in the area.
Males will be less likely to develop testicular cancers.
Females will not develop ovarian cancer and will be less likely to develop breast cancer provided they are spayed prior to having their first litter.

Spayed and neutered dogs do not become less protective or less able as watchdogs. This common myth is what prevents many people from spaying or neutering their dogs. The reality is the protective instinct is not based on reproductive hormones; rather it is a hereditary trait that has been developed within the breed. It is also very dependent on the training that the individual dog as had as well as the personality of the dog.

What is spaying and neutering?

Spaying is the procedure used for female dogs. The procedure is surgical and requires the veterinarian to make a small incision in the lower abdominal area between the hind legs. The reproductive organs are completely removed from the body cavity. The incision is usually stitched up with dissolving stitches. Often the dog will have to wear a plastic cone or Elizabethan collar around their neck for a day or two to prevent them from licking or chewing at the incision. The dog should be kept calm and avoid any kind of jumping or strenuous exercise for the first week after the surgery.

Male dogs are neutered. This process also involves surgical procedures and general anesthesia. The testicles are completely removed with the procedure. There is no possibility of reversing either of the procedures. As with females the male dogs will need to be kept quiet and calm for several days after the surgery.

It is important to remember that male dogs, even after neutering, may still be able to impregnate females for a period of a few days or even weeks after the surgery. This occurs because viable sperm may still be in the male reproductive tract. Be sure to keep neutered males away from females for a couple of weeks after surgery just to be safe.

Kelly Marshall is a popular contributor at http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - where you can find dog beds, dog steps, pet ramps, and more unique dog gear that you'll never find at your local pet store.

Do Herding Dogs Make Good Pets?

It isn't so much a matter of physical exercise, although that would make them very happy and tired. Mental exercise is an absolute must for herding dogs. With proper training and socialization, they are wonderful pets.

Modern breed research and understanding suggests that even intelligent dogs need training. What happens to a lot of herding dogs that get taken to the shelters is that their owners don't bother to train them. They hear the breed is intelligent and expect it to train itself.

Also a lot of the shelter dogs are impulse buys from pet stores, flea markets and parking lots by people who have no understanding of what a herding breed needs. An untrained and unsocialized herding dog can be a nightmare for a family with young children because they can and often do become very protective and territorial.

That can lead to the dog acting out aggressively based on his natural protective instincts or based on his fear. This is a broad generalization and not all dogs will react this way, but a strong guardian instinct is part of the herding breed standard. This is not surprising because they have been bred since ancient times to guard the farm, ranch, family and livestock.

Positive reinforcement training and consistent socialization are essential to living in peace (and having peace of mind) with a herding dog breed.

Dear Dog Owner,

Making Money Easily

In my early, to mid-twenties I made money easily, recession or not. I never had any debts, except the mortgage and money just seemed to flow to me. But then it all stopped rather abruptly and for years I was left with one question

Why?

In truth my life changed. It could be argued it completely fell apart. Perhaps the most challenging area of this - long term - was around money and career. In fact I've reflect on these challenges many times, i.e. why do they seem so difficult when all I want to do is do something I love or be spiritual.

Maybe you can relate to this.

More lately I've come to understand that my vibrational field changed. I began to attract and repel through this new spirituality (vibration) rather than my old. This meant that jobs and people and my experience of life began to change. At times I felt like my life was completely breaking down, but the truth is, I was actually breaking through.

I guess it's like a good spiritual healing. Your energy field is shattered and you can begin anew. And while you might feel like you're coming apart at the seems, you're actually reforming.

And what do we find on the other side of this reformation?

Most likely you'll find a person you like more. Someone more settled. Someone who appreciates much more than ever before. Perhaps someone who can tap into heartfelt love and laugh more easily.

Is it easy to do?

I didn't find it easy in the beginning. I'd also say I've been stuck in certain places for certain times. But the further along this spiritual route I've come, the more fun I seem to be having.

One of the areas we may fight with most is our careers or what we perceive to be our 'Life Purpose'. Here we seem to have a struggle with the physical need for money, verses spiritual way of being. It's a struggle that can go on for quite some time.

For years I read books on spirituality, but more recently Ive been fortunate enough to find a wealth of teachers. As these teachers have passed on their knowledge to me, the financial gates seem to have reopened. Its as if I had to get off the money path, in order to learn spirituality, so I could return to the money path, but with enlightenment.

My tip for you is to discover your life purpose - your true gift and talent and begin using it in ways that add value to the lives of others. I also suggest that a good teachers can help you, but you have to choose wisely.

Best
Neil

Neil Millar