I thoroughly agree I have usually had my bitches spayed after they have hada litter if I'm having one from them or after a season, but I've still had mammory tumours from a spayed bitch & none from a bitch who wasn't spayed tillshe was 12 & only then because she developed a pyo. I considered having my last dog neutered as he had behavioural problems but had the chemical neuter first on the advice of my behahaviorist & it made him a lot worse so I never had him done.

I wholeheartedly agree. My "pet" dogs are both neutered/spayed but my personal working collie is entire. My husband's working dogs are all entire. I won't be neutering my next "pet" GSD as a matter of course and will wait and see how we get on.

I think it is very easy to think neutering can rid the world of unwanted pups and aggressive/dominant behaviour etc, but that is a myth. As long as the owner is responsible, then unwanted pups won't happen. My first GSD was a rescue and she came with a few issues and was rather boisterous with other dogs. However, she never showed aggression towards other dogs until she was spayed

I think vets and other animal professionals should be pushing education rather than blanket neuter policies, and then let the responsible owner make an informed decision.

Unfortunately you cannot police irresponsible owners

Dawn, I so wish I ran my own boarding kennel so I didn't have to preach desexing, vaccinations, and other crap that is my employer's desires... I would love to say "Keep your dog bits!!"

But, I believe both my borders have their colour down as "black" from their original vet... Obviously, as they were 6 weeks when they first visit and they were black then, stuff what the breeder says they are!

That is so true and it is those very same people who probable do not visit the vets anyway, will breed from their animals just because they can and if they don't bother to care properly for the dam and pups they will make money.

It is also true that should we have licensing it would again be these people who would not bother, what’s the point, they can always get another one should the first be taken away, or they dispose off it in order to escape a fine.

DITO
you never know what they may take away,,, if they dont know golden from brown,, he could lose a leg in surgery

Hi Leema.

I think many people will think a baby Border is black, even some breeders are puzzled at a very early age, and of course the blue and tan I black and tan when its very young.