I wanted a registered lab that would retrieve ducks and geeze and find shed deer and moose antlers.I looked around until I found a litter with what I wanted in traits and one where I had full breeding rights.I got a female so that down the road I can now look for a stud dog with the same traits that I want to breed to her when I want another lab.

You missed the point. I don't care about your opinion if you want to give it. But don't make comments like you did without offering reason. As dumb as those reasons may be...

The only time I have one done is for medical reasons. Even a pet mutt but I do look after my dogs and keep them confined to my property or a leash. I live in the country so I really don't have to but I figure if I take on the responsibility of a pet I should take care of it so it doesn't become someone else's problem.

You miss my point.It is not up to you what I post.At least I never called you dumb.

I’m looking at it from a pure health stand point. His behaviour is fine and he doesn’t free roam so I have no concerns about unwanted pups

Then I would not as from what I have read alot of the health concerns and having the dog neutered is better are minimal at best and alot is bogus information.

Lazarus and Cathryn have got it. I buy top end registered pups. I know what I can expect to get. Females get spayed before their first heat, cuts way down on breast cancer. Males get neutered at 12 to 14 months, lets them develop proper growth plates in the major joints, bulk up, cuts way back on testicular cancer and other issues. Neutering a well bred dog doesn't end the bloodline! Time for a new one? Go back to the same breeder and get another one. A good breeder sticks with a bloodline that works for him and you know what you are going to get. If a neutered dog gets fat, the owner feeds them too much and doesn't exercise them enough, PERIOD. They will hunt just as hard, be just as loyal, and have just as much drive as an intact dog. I've dealt with six labs, four beagles, a springer, and a standard poodle over the last 40+ years. All are or were spayed/neutered. None were fat or lazy. All were/are hunting fools and easy to live with. At present I'm working with my youngest daughters standard poodle. He has his canine good citizen ribbon and therapy dog certification. At present we are working on agility. I also hunt him on pheasants and rabbits which he delivers to hand. He cost me $1900 at 49 days old and would go back to the same breeder and get another one in a heartbeat. He is especially tuned in to my daughter and won't let her out of his sight. His only drawback is combing the burdock and sticktites out of his coat.

All these dogs that have passed died of nothing more than old age. Average age was between 13 and 15. The springer being the oldest and the hardest driver. She didn't start to slow down until she was between 11 and 12. She was my super dog.

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Spay/Neuter Your Dog

If you’re a new dog owner, then chances are your veterinarian, as well as other dog owners, have probably already recommended spaying or neutering your furry friend as soon as possible. Whether it

BY AMANDA FERRISMAR 29, 2016

If you’re a new dog owner, then chances are your veterinarian, as well as other dog owners, have probably already recommended spaying or neutering your furry friend as soon as possible.

Whether it be for health or ethical reasons, spaying/neutering is a standard procedure that most pet parents opt for. Rescues have been known to "speuter" pups as early as 6 weeks of age to discourage backyard breeders from adopting pups, and to prevent any oops litters. Many old school vets also encourage speutering to prevent health conditions like pyometra, and cancer.

Via: a hiddenkitty.tumblr.com

Well, new research suggests that altering your pup before they hit sexual maturity is actually really bad for their health.

Here are 10 reasons why you shouldn't be opting for a speuter before your dog has reached sexual maturity.

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10There’s A High Rate Of Hip Dysplasia In Altered Dogs

Via: giphy.com

One study showed that dogs that were altered at least six months prior to a diagnosis of hip dysplasia were 1.5 times more likely to develop hip dysplasia than their intact buddies.

Given the fact that some breeds, such as German Shepherd Dogs, are prone to hip dysplasia, it might be better to let your dog hit sexual maturity before you take them in to be fixed.

9Altering A Dog Doesn’t Fix Their Behavior

Via: giphy.com

Among dog owners, there is a stereotype that intact male dogs are more aggressive and more likely to start fights. In fact, some veterinarians recommend neutering male dogs when they’re six-months-old in order to stave off any aggressive behavior.

However, a study that looked at the relationship between aggression and spaying/neutering showed that there is little to support this old wives' tale. Aggression is more likely influenced by the dog's genetics and upbringing.

8Altered Dogs Are More Prone To Getting Cancer

Via: giphy.com

We’ve always heard that spaying or neutering our furry friend is a good way to decrease their chance of getting cancer.

Unfortunately, a study, performed by Dr. Benjamin L. Hart at the University of California, suggests that altered pooches have an increased chance of getting cancers such as hemanigosarcoma, lymphoma, osteosarcoma and mast cell tumors. The Whole Dog Journal adds that male dogs who are neutered are also more prone to developing prostate cancer too.

7They Are Also More Likely To Develop Joint Issues

Via: giphy.com

Dogs who have been fixed at a young age are more likely to have a higher occurrence of patellar luxation and CCL rupture.

If your puppy is active, whether he/she enjoys romping with friends at the dog park or is currently enrolled in an agility class, it might be best to hold off on altering them until they are fully mature.

6Altered Dogs Often Gain Weight

Via: giphy.com

Altered dogs often struggle with weight problems and being pudgy could make joint issues or hip dysplasia even worse.

Plus, having joint issues while trying to lose weight is difficult for both dog and owner. Not only do you want to make sure your pooch loses a few pounds, but you also have to make sure not to aggravate their joints by going jogging or jumping over an agility hurdle as well.

5They Are More Likely To Be Fearful

Via: giphy.com

Premature speuter has been linked to an increased incidence of noise phobias. There is also some evidence that suggests that spayed female dogs are more likely to be fearful while neutered dogs are more likely to be aggressive.

There was even a study that examined German Shepherd Dogs who were spayed between the ages of 5 to 10 months, which concluded that there was a significant amount of leash reactivity when compared to their intact/mature neuter counterparts.

4Many Female Dogs Develop Urinary Incontinence

Via: giphy.com

Female dogs who are spayed before they hit puberty have an increased risk of developing urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence in prematurely spayed (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) is also more likely to be more severe.

If your furry friend had a pediatric spay, then it is a good idea to research the symptoms of urinary incontinence just to be on the safe side. She might never develop it, but it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our pets.

3They Also Have A Chance Of Developing Hypothyroidism

Via: giphy.com

Dogs who are spayed and neutered before they hit sexual maturity are also prone to developing hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid doesn’t make enough thyroxine, a hormone that controls the dog’s metabolism. Some symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs include hair loss, weight gain, ear infections and being intolerant to the cold.

Thankfully, veterinarians are able to treat the disease by prescribing an oral medication, but your pooch will have to take it every single day for the rest of their life.

2There’s An Increased Risk Of Your Dog Developing Pancreatitis

Via: giphy.com

Spayed females are 22 times more likely to develop fatal acute pancreatitis when compared to their intact friends. Acute pancreatitis is usually more severe to its chronic form, and if the inflammation spreads, your furry pal might have to stay over at the vet in order to receive intensive treatment. In some cases when the pancreas has abscessed or when the pancreatic duct is blocked, your poor pooch will have to undergo surgery.

If your pup is displaying symptoms of acute pancreatitis, take them to the vet ASAP. These symptoms include: not eating, vomiting, lethargy, and abdominal pain.

1They Could Catch An Infectious Disease

Via: giphy.com

If you opt for a pediatric spay, there is a higher chance of your pup catching an infectious disease. Studies have shown that puppies fixed at 24-weeks-old or less are especially at risk.

New research has shown it is better to either keep your pet intact or to wait until they have hit puberty to alter them. Of course, the risks sometimes outweigh the consequences (re: fixing rescue/shelter dogs). Please consult your veterinarian if you are struggling with the decision. There is no "one size fits all" approach when it comes to your dog's health.

Sources: The Whole Dog Journal, Web MD Pets, Canine Sports, American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation.

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DOG NEUTERING IS AN EMOTIVE SUBJECT FOR WELFARE AND POPULATION REASONS BUT LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACTS…

It is hard to find a vet today that would recommend anything but early dog neutering, certainly before they are sexually mature, often around six months of age. The reasons given are always the same, to prevent unwanted babies and long-term health benefits, including a reduction in cancer.

However, unlike the appendix where it’s absence is not noticed in daily routine, the reproductive (or sex) organs play a whole host of hormonal roles that stretch far beyond the manufacturing of babies. Like dry food, parasite control, annual boosting and casual steroid shots, these things are not without consequence for the patient and rarely are the consequences ever discussed with the owner. People should be able to make decisions based on all the facts available, not just some of them. So here they are. Best grab a cup of tea for this one!

WHAT ARE THE GONADS?

In male mammals, the gonads are the two testes, and in females, the gonads are the two ovaries.

WHAT DO THE GONADS DO?

The gonads are best known for making gametes (single-celled germ cells), which is sperm in males and eggs in females. These two cells merge inside the female to commence the formation of a baby. However, the gonads also produce a variety of hormones, including the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone; and the male hormones including testosterone and androsterone, and, men necessarily have some of the female hormones, and women some of the male hormones.

WHAT DO THE SEX HORMONES DO IN DOGS?

While sex hormones in males and females function primarily in the whole “sex” business from conception to baby birth, they also play pivotal roles in the maintenance of body muscle and bone growth.

Testosterone: Testosterone’s dramatic effects can be clearly seen in lanky 13-year-old males. It controls all the typical puberty bits in males such as the growth of the adam’s apple, facial and body hair to the height and muscle mass of the individual. Adults testosterone continues to function in maintaining muscle strength and mass, and it promotes healthy bone density, as well as reducing body fat (one reason why neutered pets can put on weight).

Oestrogen: Oestrogen too functions in skeletal growth. At puberty, oestrogen promotes skeletal maturation and the gradual, progressive closure of the epiphyseal growth plate (plates of cartilage at the end of bones, which are responsible for laying down new bone). Oestrogen also functions in maintaining the mineral acquisition of the bones.

WHAT IS DOG NEUTERING?

Female dog neutering or ‘spaying’ a female animal involves removing the womb and ovaries (an ovaro-hysterectomy). Males are castrated whereby the testicles are surgically removed. This is done before dogs come into puberty (i.e. start producing sex hormones for the first time) which is very approximately 6 months in males and around 9 months in females, though breed and body size play large rolls here. General advice from the majority of veterinary circles is that responsible dog owners neuter at 6m months. In other countries, it is much earlier. Both operations are carried out under general aesthetic.

BENEFITS OF NEUTERING

The number one reason for removing the sex hormones is to prevent unwanted breeding, hence those on the front line of mopping up all our unwanted pups are very big fans. The major health benefit constantly cited is to prevent the possible occurrence of testicular cancer, perianal cancers and ovarian cancers in dogs and cats. Other reasons often cited is the spread of inferior genetic traits and to reduce problematic behaviour including male-male aggression around females in heat and the roaming behaviour of both males and females when love is in the air.

Oculus Prime our product and we’re very proud of it. It ships worldwide for around $5 and has a money-back guarantee that it will do the job stated.The Scientifically Proven Negative Side Effects Of Dog Neutering Before Puberty

The early neutering of dogs is not without it’s side effects or critics, and I’m certainly one of them. But please, before the heavily stressed and over-worked shelter staff post up about overpopulation problems (I spent a couple of years in them too), lets look at this issue with less emotion and more science.

1. Cancer

It is well documented in the literature that by removing the gonads in developing animals you certainly prevent the possible occurrence of gonadal cancers such as various forms of testicular, prostate and ovarian cysts and cancer.

But if ignore the fact that gonadal and mammary cancers are rare enough in the general dog population, dogs are known to recover very well from testicular cancer following diagnosis and castration, Furthermore while between 30-50% of mammary cancers are malignant in dogs and, when caught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good in dogs (Brodey et al. 1983, Meuten 2002).

Also, while these possiblecancers of your pet will be avoided, numerous studies show that removing the sex organs early in the developmental period of an animal causes cancer in your pet, just not in their testes or ovaries.

A study in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, compiled over 13 years found that “… neutering dogs appeared to increase the risk of cardiac tumour in both sexes”. The results showed that spayed females were five times more likely to suffer tumours of the heart than intact females (Ware and Hopper 1999), one of the three most common cancers in dogs today.

In another study spanning 14 years of research and involving 3062 purebred dogs with osteosarcoma compared to 3959 purebred dogs without osteosarcoma, it was concluded that sterilisation increased the risk for bone cancer in large breed purebreds twofold (Ru et al. 1998).

Upon further investigation using 683 male and female Rottweilers spayed or neutered before one year of age, both sexes were found to be significantly more likely to develop bone cancer than intact dogs with early sterilisation bestowing a staggering 25% likelihood of bone cancer in your Rottweiler (Cooley et al.2002).

In a study of 759 intact and neutered golden retrievers Torres de la Riva et al. (2013) and found significant issues associated in neutered dogs. Almost 10 percent of early-neutered males were diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, 3 times more than intact males.

It’s often stated that neutering a male dog will prevent prostate cancer but some authors refute this on the basis that “ non-testicular androgens exert a significant influence on the canine prostate”. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University found “…castration at any age showed no sparing effect on the risk of development of prostate cancer in the dog“.

All these considered, it’s hard to argue the cancer benefits to neutering early or you end up playing the whole “I see your very slight chance of testicular cancer and raise you a certain increase in bone and heart tumours”.

2. Abnormal Bone Growth And Development

Testosterone and oestrogen play pivotal roles in the development of your muscles and bones. It stands to reason that if you remove testosterone and oestrogen from the vital and dramatic puberty growth phase there will be consequences to that individual’s height, muscle mass and bone formation of the individual, compared to an intact animal of the same size and breeding. Studies show this to be absolutely the case.

Early Neutered Animals Are Taller

A study by Stubbs and Bloomberg (1995) set out to answer the following theory: Oestrogen tells the growth plates to stop. Thus if you remove the oestrogen-producing organs in immature dogs, female and male, you could expect cause growth plates to remain open and the dog to grow longer bones. They divided dogs and cats into three groups. Group one was neutered at 7 wks, group two at 7 months, and group three remained unneutered. They found that “early spay/neuter may result in a slight increase in adult height”. The earlier the spay the taller the dog.

A study by Salmeri et al. in 1991 found that (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months and that those spayed at 7 months had significantly delayed closure of the growth plates than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).

A survey of 1444 1yr old Golden Retriever owners by the Golden Retriever Club of America Inc., found (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.

While it stands to reason that being taller in itself is not an issue per se, in that it is assumed with the removal of the gonads closure of all of the physes will be delayed resulting in longer bones, it could also be assumed that this longer growth would be proportional across the joint. If this was the stand-alone orthopaedic concern in neutered dogs it may not concern us. It is when this extra growth is considered in relation to the increased risk of cruciate rupture and hip dysplasia, discussed below.

Increased Cruciate Rupture

Thus with no oestrogen to shut it down, these animals can continue to grow and wind up with abnormal growth patterns and bone structure. This results in irregular body proportions.

Grumbach (2000) quotes Chris Zink, DVM to explain the problem with neutering males and females early and cruciate rupture

For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle likely becomes heavier (because it is longer), and may cause increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament.

This is verified with a study by Slauterbeck et al. (2004)who found that spayed and neutered dogs had a significantly higher incidence of ACL rupture than their intact counterparts, regardless of breed or size.

In their study of 759 golden retrievers, Torres de la Riva et al. (2013) noted that while there were no cases of cranial cruciate ligament tear diagnosed in intact males or females, in early-neutered males and females the occurrences were 5 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

Increased Risk Of Hip Dysplasia

A study by the Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association showed that both male and female dogs sterilised at an early age were more prone to hip dysplasia.

In their study of 759 golden retrievers Torres de la Riva et al. (2013) noted that of early-neutered males, 10 percent were diagnosed with hip dysplasia, double the occurrence than in intact males.

In a study of 1,842 dogs Spain et al. (2004) found that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age. However it would be remiss of me not to add at this point that the same authors went on to note that the authors noted that dogs neutered at the traditional age were three times more likely to be euthanised for the condition as compared to the early age group, leading the authors to suggest that early age gonadectomy may be associated with a less severe form of hip dysplasia.

3. Longevity

Waters et al. (2009) found that neutering female Rottweilers before four years of age reduces life expectancy by 30%. Females that kept their ovaries the longest were nine times more likely to achieve exceptional longevity (13+ years).

The lead author of the study notes:

…like [human females] female dogs in our study had a distinct survival advantage over males, but taking away ovaries during the first four years of life completely erased the female survival advantage. We found that female Rottweilers that kept their ovaries for at least six years were four times more likely to reach exceptional longevity (13yrs of age) compared to females who had the shortest lifetime ovary exposure.

4. Increased Risk Of Hypothyroidism

When one hormone-producing organ is removed, other organs will be forced to pick up the slack. This can over stress an organ which can suffer as a result. Both Panciera (1994) and  Glickman et al.(1999) found spayed and neutered dogs to be more likely to develop hypothyroidism.

5. Increased Risk Of Incontinence

Both Spain et al. (2004) and Stöcklin-Gautschi et al. (2001) found early neutering increases the risk of urinary incontinence by 4-20% in females. Interestingly Aaron et al. (1996) noted that neutering it is associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males also.

6. Increased Risk Of Disease

Very early neutering increases the risk of disease in dogs. A study of shelter dogs conducted by the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University concluded that infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were sterilised at less than 24 weeks of age.

7. Behavioural Considerations

Spain et al. (2004) also noted an increase in undesirable sexual behaviours but also an increase in unsoundness, showing early age gonadectomy was associated with an increased incidence of noise phobias. I can personally testify to this from Guide Dogs. All our non-breeding training dogs were neutered at 6mths and sometimes there’d be five or six in a line humping each other.

More worryingly Spain et al. (2004) noted an increase in aggression towards family members, barking or growling at visitors, and excessive barking that bothered a household member in male dogs neutered before 5 and a half months.

But then again the same study found that dogs neutering dogs before 5 and a half months resulted in a decrease in escaping behaviour, separation anxiety, and urinating in the house when frightened!

Thus it’s hard to deduct anything concrete from this study. Perhaps as Spain et al. (2004) were using questionnaires, whereby lay people and vets were interpreting the data as opposed to trained behaviourists more could have been gleaned from this study.

In another study Hart (2001) found that in dogs affected with some form of cognitive impairment the “percentage of dogs that progressed from being mildly impaired (i.e., impairments in 1 behavioural category) at the time of the first interview to being severely impaired (ie, impairments in > 2 categories) at the time of the second interview was significantly higher for neutered than sexually intact male dogs.” In other words, mental issues could get worse in neutered dogs.

8. Wooly Coat

I can’t find a study to verify this, I can only testify to what groomers are repeatedly telling us, that desexed dogs have very wooly coats, commonly called “spay coat”. It seems to be an overproduction of the undercoat but until more is knows, this is anecdotal.

Neutering Dogs Early: Conclusion

Dr. Karen Becker is now a famous veterinary advocate for more thought to be brought back into the dog world. Her youtube video last year on neutering and article on the same subject gave me the bones of this article. The video received an enormous amount of support but also scathing criticism. Since then Dr. Becker has released another video on early dog neutering explaining her thoughts on the whole affair. She breaks down in the middle of it when she thinks about the number of animals she has harmed with her previous advice. Worth a watch.

To quote Dr. Becker:

“As responsible members of society, we owe it to our communities to proactively protect our intact pets from unplanned breeding at all costs. We must hold ourselves to the highest standard of reproductive control over the intact animals we are responsible for.

Clearly, there are health benefits to be derived from waiting until after puberty to spay or neuter your dog. However, there are also significant risks associated with owning an intact, maturing pet.

How seriously you take your responsibility as a pet owner is the biggest determining factor in how risky it is to leave your dog intact until he or she matures. If you are responsible enough to absolutely guarantee your unsterilized pet will not have the opportunity to mate, I would encourage you to wait until your pet is past puberty to spay or neuter.

If you are unable to absolutely guarantee you can prevent your dog from mating and adding to the shameful, tragic problem of pet overpopulation, then I strongly encourage you to get your animal sterilised as soon as it’s safe to do so”.

It is interesting to note that some vet organisations agree with Dr. Becker. While the American Veterinary Association pushes for early neutering there are some European Veterinary Associationsthat defend the view that “when reproduction is not an issue, then neutering, particularly of dogs, should be decided on a case-by-case basis…”.



In my opinion, it is quite clear that neutering your dog early, before he / she is a fully formed, mature adult, comes with very significant health concerns. The best advice from a health perspectiv

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To neuter your dog or not? New studies change answer for some

Carrissa Currier gives her dog Marlow a break during last May’s Furry Scurry in Denver. One of two important new studies on neutering male dogs suggests most dog owners should wait until their dog is a year old.

By STEPHEN M. SHELDON and SPECIAL TO THE DENVER POST | Special to The Denver Post

PUBLISHED: November 15, 2013 at 11:16 am | UPDATED: April 28, 2016 at 6:48 am

Should you neuter your dog, and if so, when?

If you are a bottom-line kind of person, and want your male dog to live as long as possible but don’t want to read the rest of the article, the answer is still yes — but wait until he is at least a year old.

If you are breeding or showing your dog, do not neuter him. Breeding and neutering are not used in the same sentence for obvious reasons. If you are showing your dog, you already know that shows like to see dogs with all of their parts. If your dog will be an athlete or a hunting dog, you may also want to consider not neutering your dog.

That’s because cancers we once thought were preventable by neutering, such as prostate cancer, are now thought to be increased by neutering. And there is now no doubt that large-breed dogs who are neutered suffer more bone and spleen cancers than those who are not.

It is still a small risk of developing these cancers, but allowing large-breed dogs to keep their testicles lowers the risk by 1 percent — a huge deal to scientists doing the study, but maybe not so relevant for dog owners, because this cancer already has a very low incidence.

Prostate cancer is another issue for dogs. Dogs suffer more prostate cancer than any species on the planet; however, according to renowned veterinary cancer specialist Dr. Greg Ogilvie, prostate tumors are still rare in dogs. And prostate cancer in dogs is not related to testosterone, as it is in humans. So neutering will not prevent it, and one study, done in 2002, showed that it increased it fourfold. My own clinical experience is the same; prostate tumors are rare, but occur mostly in neutered dogs.

There are still positive health benefits to neutering your dog. Neutered dogs suffer fewer prostate enlargement cases and infections, which are very common and can be costly to treat. Neutered dogs are less likely to contract venereal diseases and tumors of the penis related to breeding. They appear to have stronger immunity and catch fewer infectious diseases. They fight less, roam less and get hit by cars less.

Neutering also helps reduce unwanted pet pregnancies. Over 3 million dogs and cats are killed each year in shelters. And the No. 1 one cause of death in young dogs is euthanasia because of behavioral issues. For both of these reasons, neutering saves lives.

Probably the biggest reason your veterinarian will recommend neutering is to increase your dog’s lifespan and health during that lifespan. Two newly published studies — both of them game-changers on this question — are worth looking at.

var jerExpIds = [42530263];var jerUserAgent = 'Mozilla/5.0 A 20-year study by the University of Georgia looked at more than 40,000 dogs from 1984 to 2004. Neutered dogs lived an average of 9.4 years, those not neutered averaged 7.9 years. The second study, done at the University of California , looked at 795 golden retrievers.It found a significant increase in hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament rupture in neutered dogs — primarily those neutered before one year of age.

So when it comes to neutering, there isn’t one answer that fits everyone. If you have a golden retriever whom you want to hike with for many years, you may not want to neuter him. On the other hand, if you have a breed that has a tendency towards aggression and you have young children, I will advise neutering.

So talk to your vet. Let them know your concerns and make an informed decision together. (Full disclosure: My standard poodle, Lincoln, is neutered.)

Veterinarian Stephen Sheldon practices at Gypsum Animal Hospital, gypsumah.com. He can also be heard Monday mornings at 8 a.m. on KZYR radio, 97.7 FM. E-mail questions or topic suggestions to drsteve@gypsumah.com

TAGS: PETS

There is alot of information out there.

For the people that don’t know a high end lab puppy will run 5-10k. Mine two labs both have several hall of fame dogs in there pedigrees and both dads are at least 3 time GRHRCH champions the dams are HR and HRCH. I paid 1800 for my male and 800 for the female.
Onto spaying neutering I personally wont do it til the dogs are 26 months as it lets everything grow as intended. But it bit me in the rear this time as my male stuck the female at 24 months thru a wire kennel. Now I have 8 2week old puppies.

Good for you. Too many “breeders” out there now. My sons dog was allowed to breed once all the requirements were met from the breeder he bought him from.
Titled
All certs (hips, elbows, eyes, etc)
All certs required for the dam as well.
Too many folks with lap dogs breeding just because it has papers. If it ain’t a proven working dog then it shouldn’t be bred.

A person just needs to do his home work before having his lab bred.My self personally if I'm paying $1,000 or better I'm going to want breeding rights as I see fit be it hounds,beagles,or bird dogs.

True

I have never spayed or nuetered an animal unless it was necessary to the animals health. Responsible dog owners don't have an OOOPs. I have had labs all my life. Some I paid very little for and a few I have paid out the nose for. Because I don't have the time or the patients to train anymore I have opted to go with expensive dogs from a top breeder. Training is taken care of through the breeder/trainer. If in the event that I wanted to breed the dog can easily go through the breeder to set that up for me. He matches the dogs together for best results. There is a whole slough of medical checks that I have to go through to do this even though all his dogs are guaranteed. These checks can't be done prior to the animal being 2 yrs of age.

I will say this that there is nothing wrong with backyard breeders as long as all the homework is done prior to the breeding. I have had a few "cheaper" dogs that were heads and tales better all around dogs than some of the more expensive dogs that I owned and I have also had a few duds. I say duds because they did not fit the bill or meet the expectation that I had for the animal.

Do what you want with your dog. It's yours. If you think you may want to breed in the future then as long as the dog passes all the medical checks hold off.

Dang Catherine! Then our species will die out! Lol