As a farmer it is essential that I breed the best progeny possible and cull out genetics that are not helpful for my flocks productivity, almost 100% of my males and about 60% of my females are not able to breed on. This ensures only the best genetics are kept and I import improved genetics via stud rams. Likewise with my dogs which have always been the backbone of my farm work force. I only breed when I have an upcoming need and always look to the best pairings to ensure the dogs are purpose breed for the tasks required. 

Having grown up with genetic improvement and purpose selection as the basis for any domestic animal having the opportunity to breed it still shocks me as to why people allow their animals to reproduce without any thought for the pregnant animal or the offspring. As custodians of domestic animals we are totally responsible for their wellbeing and this includes their reproduction ability.

I am often asked the question whether or not someone should breed from an animal, rather then give my honest answer which is most likely an emphatic 'no', I put the question back to the owner 'does your animal have amazing genetics and will their offspring improve the species?' that in itself allows the owner to see the light and do the right thing and neuter their animal as soon as possible.

So I put the comment out their that unless you feel that your animal will greatly improve the breed and species it should be neutered as young as your vet suggests is acceptable. There are numerous benefits of neutering early such as a reduction in aggression, reduction in marking urination, elimination of unwanted pregnancies, reduction in unwanted sexual activity as well as a 95% reduction in mammary cancers in females if done prior to a dog reaching sexual maturity. 

There are some other issues to take into account when considering desexing, some old timers suggest that allowing a dog to go through the hormonal changes of her first season and even pregnancy mature the dog much quicker for a herding situation however for pet dog owners this is not a concern. The major downside to having neutered dogs is their weight gain and loss of muscle definition which for some show dogs is an issue and for people who rarely exersize their dogs they do need to reconsider this and manage the amount of food given to their dogs.

The benifits of desexing far outweigh the cost of between $90 and $250 to desex your dog, so please be kind and consider this procedure for your dog and suggest it to others.