Dear Tiffani,
I have a dog I adore. Sheba has a great personality, she protects the family, and she was easy to train. I would love to have one of her puppies and I heard it is healthy for dogs to have a litter before they get spayed. I�m sure I could find good homes for the puppies and I want my kids to experience the miracle of birth. We are getting excited about the idea; do you have any advice how to find a good "dad"?
Signed, Canine Matchmaker

 

Dear Matchmaker,
I am so glad you brought this issue up. I'd like to share some information you may not be aware of and hopefully prevent likely problems. Many folks don�t realize the scope of the pet overpopulation problem and that they can easily help correct it.
Although your reasons for wanting to breed Sheba sound compelling, I'm hoping once you realize the larger implications, you will decide against it. I�d like to clear up some of the many myths associated with having puppies.
It sounds like you love your dog and want another just like her. I'm sorry to tell you that it is very difficult to find an animal just like a beloved pet, even if they are that pet's offspring or sibling, or from the same breeder. Animals, like people, are individuals.
When breeding a dog, their personality is not naturally passed on genetically. While personality traits may be similar and you often hear, "Oh, she got that from her mother," behaviors are learned from the parent and their living environment. Temperament is a consequence of how an animal is raised, treated, and trained, as well as breed tendencies.
One way you can choose a pet's personality is to visit us at the Stafford Animal Shelter, talk about what you want, and we can introduce you to a number of adult dogs whose personalities are already formed. Your family can choose one you like and all our pets go home on a �test drive� so you get a risk-free chance to see if they are the right fit.
Another issue is that you mentioned Sheba is a great protector of your family. Animals tend to get much more protective when they have a litter. Aggressive behavior is even more intense when nursing, and it could put you and your family at risk. Exposure to an overly protective and aggressive mother could also negatively influence the puppies� behavior and personalities.
Finding an appropriate father is also tricky; there is no way to know which of their genetic traits will be passed on. Regardless of your matchmaking, having a female dog in heat will draw unneutered males from miles around; they can smell a female in heat from five miles away and will be determined to get to her. She can breed numerous times during one heat cycle and have multiple fathers to the same litter.
As far as your children experiencing the �miracle of birth,� your family can participate in kitten or puppy foster programs. An added benefit is that you won�t have the expense of a litter. Raising a litter of puppies is costly and there is a chance of complications to the mother that would lead to expensive veterinary bills. Too, you won�t have the headache and responsibility of trying to find good homes for your pups. Fostering an orphaned litter is an excellent opportunity to teach your children about the problems that stem from pet overpopulation.
Continuing medical evidence shows that spayed females are healthier. Spaying prevents certain types of cancers, such as ovarian and uterine cancer. Mammary cancer risk is greatly reduced if your pet is spayed before her first heat. Plus, you won�t have to deal with the mess, noise, or inconvenience of a pet in heat. Spaying and neutering is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your pet and your family. Your pet will live a longer, healthier life. You can expect an altered pet to be less aggressive, and more relaxed and affectionate. Altered pets are less likely to roam, get hit by cars, fight, and spray or mark their territory.�
Not spaying and neutering pets directly affects the number of animals that lose their lives in shelters and on the streets. Spaying and neutering helps the community. It reduces dog bites; a majority of dog bites are by intact males, and nursing and pregnant females are more likely to bite than spayed females. The legal liabilities of owning a dog that bites are becoming severe.
Having Sheba spayed will free up homes for pets that have already been born by preventing more unwanted litters competing for a limited number of homes. Also by spaying her, you can be a part of the movement to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets.
Please talk to your veterinarian about the risks and challenges involved with Sheba having puppies. I know you love her, and wouldn�t want to put her in jeopardy. There are so many puppies and dogs in our community without homes, I hope you won�t add to that number. Plus, now that you know how much healthier and safer Sheba will be spayed, I don�t doubt you will do the right thing.�
Thank you for being a responsible pet parent, Tiffani

Tiffani Zimmerman is the Behavior Specialist at the Stafford Animal Shelter. Email questions to her at behavioradvice@imt.net, call 406/222-1312, or read archived columns at www.staffordanimalshelter.org.