Messed up dog!

La Buka

Hi,

I have a query for anybody in the know! Is it beneficial for a female dog to have at least one litter in her lifetime? We have a rescue dog who is still suffering the abuse from her previous owner & the trauma of weeks in the dog shelter. Over the last 2 years she has made massive improvements & gets better all the time & we're hoping she will be a 'normal' dog soon!
But my better half maintains it would really help her development if she has a litter of puppies, possibly two. Is this true? I'm of the opinion that neutering her might make her calmer, but I have nothing to base that feeling on, just a hunch :-)
Any advice/info would be much appreciated!

toadfly

That is an old wives tale there is no need for a dog to have a litter. There are several health benefits to spaying and the earlier its done the better.

Do her a favour and neuter her.

What rescue did you get her from that didn't spay her?

ISDW

No, there is no truth to that at all, its an old wives tale, all that will happen is that you will be bringing more dogs into the world when there are already thousands needing homes and being killed in pounds around the country. Things could go wrong with the pregnancy and the birth, and your bitch could die.

Mothers pass so much onto their pups, including temperament, if she is a nervous girl, then chances are, she will pass that onto her pups and they will be nervous dogs, with all the difficulties that can bring them and their new families. We have a dog here that was born in rescue, in a foster home. His mother has just come back into the rescue after being adopted 2 years ago, and it is amazing how much alike they are. He has always been a nervous dog, even though he came to us when he was 5 weeks old, and we did all the socialisation etc that is recommended. But she is exactly the same, the pair of them growl at the same things, hide under the bed etc. It has really brought home to me how important the temperament of the mother is when considering breeding a litter.

I would get her spayed, can help prevent pyometra and may help her in other ways.

Sigma Force

It's an old wives tale, and it would be a really bad idea to breed from a dog that is already traumitised if anything it'd be cruel to put her body through that.

She should be spayed but to be honest I would just give her some time first to become more adjusted before you do anything and in the mean time work with her and once she's more relaxed at home have her spayed.

PurplePrincess

Its ironic that I've just been looking at pictures on Facebook of dead dogs piled high in bins after their 5 days in the pound had expired. This country does not need any more dogs.
Your dog has had a bad start in life but she has no maternal need to have a litter. Just get her neutered and keep up the good work that you've been doing with her.

RubyGirl

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=416862655056631&set=a.416862651723298.99074.416857875057109&type=1&theater

Show this to your better half and ask them what's going to become of the pup's when they loose their cuteness. Please spay you dog?

Kukey

That is very sad.Poor dogs

Tranceypoo

Oh my goodness, please please get her spayed, all that having a litter stuff is utter nonsense, why do people even believe that still!!

Poor dog, did you get her from the pound or a shelter? A shelter would have spayed her, is she definitely not spayed?

westies4ever

Jaysus is that old wives tale still doing the rounds??? Please get the poor dog spayed, there's no need for her to have puppies.

La Buka

We got her from a shelter in Cork city. Pretty certain she hasn't been spayed. Didn't realise it was standard practice to spay dogs before going to a new home???

Also we hadn't taken into account that her temperament might pass onto the puppies. She's got a beautiful spirit, so strong & full of love. But she's still sooo nervous.

Thanks very much for all the comments & info.

Inexile

I have three bitches all of which have been spayed. One was done at 6 months, one about 9 months and one at 2 years. All the dogs are fine. The one done at 9 months was a bit difficult at first and still has her moment. but it is nothing that could have been improved by having pups. In fact if she hadnt been spayed she could have gone wandering in search of a mate .

Dogs dont need to mate and as others have pointed out we have too many dogs in this country who are dying because owners are being responsible for their animals.

If you are continuing to have some issues with your dog consult a good behaviourist.
Oh and thank you for adopting a dog.

Parsandeman

Why would you get a dog sprayed? Neutering fine but sprayed seems a little excessive. Is this to boost the dogs confidence?

meoklmrk91

Parsandeman wrote: »

Why would you get a dog sprayed? Neutering fine but sprayed seems a little excessive. Is this to boost the dogs confidence?

Spaying is the female version of neutering.

westies4ever

Parsandeman wrote: »

Why would you get a dog sprayed? Neutering fine but sprayed seems a little excessive. Is this to boost the dogs confidence?

Wise up. Male dogs get neutered, females get spayed. After hours is this way >>>>>>

Tranceypoo

La Buka wrote: »

Also we hadn't taken into account that her temperament might pass onto the puppies. She's got a beautiful spirit, so strong & full of love. But she's still sooo nervous.
.

I think this reason alone, even if the country wasn't overrun with strays and litters of puppies being dumped every day and over 5k dogs being pts every year (personally I think it's double that figure), is enough to get her spayed immediately and stop her from having any litters. I think I've heard about a particular 'rescue' in Cork, that may be the one you got her from, still that's a different post altogether.