If you love big dogs, like the gentle English Mastiff or the exuberant Great Dane, you know that you have to take a different approach to their care. Unlike smaller canine varieties, large-breed dogs come with health issues that have to be considered every step of the way.
One of the earliest decisions you have to make is whether to spay or neuter your pet. If you ultimately decide that spaying or neutering is appropriate for your dog, your next task is to decide when you should have the job done. Before you make the final decision, here are the things you need to consider.
Is Spaying or Neutering Your Large Dog a Good Idea?
The simple answer is, "Probably." If you bought a puppy as a family pet, the odds are good that you're not planning on doing any breeding. Leaving your pooch intact could potentially cause health problems down the line, including certain types of cancers. Having your dog spayed or neutered not only reduces the chance that your dog will contract such a horrible disease, but it also eliminates the possibility of an "oops" pregnancy and a litter of puppies you weren't expecting.
If your pup is a female, spaying also keeps her from going through uncomfortable heats every time her cycle comes around. Having to endure a cycle for no reason can also put a strain on your dog's health. If your pup is a male, neutering him is also a great way to prevent roaming. (The large-breed dogs tend to avoid the aggression that comes along with being unaltered, but roaming when they catch the scent of a female in heat is still quite a problem.)
In short, the only really good reason not to have your large-breed dog altered is a desire to breed the animal — and that's nothing you want to take up lightly.
When Should You Spay or Neuter a Large Dog?
There's a lot of confusion about spaying and neutering large breed dogs. Small dogs are often spayed or neutered when they're only six months old (before the females go into heat and the males have an opportunity to develop aggression from testosterone). Doing that to a large-breed dog, however, can have detrimental effects on the animal's health. The growth hormones provided by the dog's intact reproductive system contribute toward muscle and bone growth. A dog that is spayed or neutered too early can end up losing out in height and develop painful conditions like hip dysplasia.
Ultimately, the decision to spay or neuter your large dog is one that you should make in conjunction with your vet after carefully considering all the pros and cons, including how the chance of puppies fits into your lifestyle.
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