Why did you alter your dog?

I saw a survey on a webinar and it made me curious: why did you spay or neuter your pet?

Answer once for each pet.

For Kaylee I did it because it's what you're "supposed" to do. It really was just that she was the first dog I had that was mine and I wanted to do everything right and doing it right was getting her spayed at 6 months. I didn't really think of it in terms of stopping reproduction or hormones or even really health. Just, it's what you do.

Meg was spayed at about 18 months (after having a litter) by the rescue in West Virginia before transport to Vermont.

Gusto was done at about 11 months by me. I have zero interest in owning intact dogs. I had intended to keep him intact a couple months longer, but I was already sick of dealing with him drooling and chattering all over the training center.

I picked to modify behavior and for birth control. I know that I didn't want to deal with an unneutered dog (and still don't) but I realize now that behavior is moreso a training issue vs. an unaltered issue. I'm way more open minded to people opting not to neuter/spay, but it's probably something I'll always do, at the appropriate age (preferably never before 8 months for a small breed).

With Harlow, it was just what you were supposed to do. The vets pushed me pretty hard and I didn't give a second thought. It was for birth control, though.

Rider came altered from the rescue. He was a one nutter, anyways which iirc can be a health concern.

Futurepuppy will be unaltered for a period of time. Female until at least 2 for convenience and BC, male I may keep intact longer/for life. Not sure yet!

ETA: Whoops. I clicked vote too early on the poll and now Rider isn't in there. >.<

The girls were both spayed prior to me getting them, Skye probably as a puppy. Zoie was spayed at 10 weeks at the shelter.

I neutered Romeo..I think it was 10 months. I answer for behavior modification, but it wasn't for a current behavior problem. I just wanted to prevent male/male dog aggression, I guess.

Fiona is staying intact for the time being.

Neutered because of birth control.

We go to dog parks, I want to sign him up for day care, he plays with other dogs, the city license fee encourages neuter...

honestly it was the responsible thing to do. I let him play with other dogs a lot and I do take my eyes off him and god forbid something happened.

and I hate to say it but we were facing some dog reactivity pre-neuter and post it seems to have disappeared.... so I think behavioral as well.

Millie was spayed at 5 months. I was only 10 years old then and neither my mom nor I were responsible enough to handle an intact dog at the time, so to the vet she went.
Fable was spayed at 8 weeks by the shelter before she was adopted out.

Ideally my next dog will keep all her natural parts for the duration of her life, barring issues that make altering the best choice.

Other. Convenience is really the only reason I opt to spay outside of medical emergencies. I'm capable of preventing unwanted litters and dealing with the mess and behavior changes during heat cycles, but if I decide I don't want to anymore with a bitch I have no intention of breeding, out come the reproductive organs.

Blackie was neutered for behavioral reasons (he kept trying to mount the twins when we were out playing with him if I remember correctly). He was neutered at about 3 years of age.

Rose was spayed around 6 months, I think, purely so we could avoid puppies. She was an outdoor farm dog...you don't let an outdoor farm dog remain unaltered.

Chloe was spayed around 5 months because I was hoping it would help her aggression issues and I did NOT want to deal with her in heat. (For the record...it didn't help her aggression.)

Cooper was neutered at my decision at around 3 years of age, too, when I couldn't get his indoor marking to stop with training alone.

Abrams is intact and and will remain so for a while yet, unless I'm forced to do it earlier. I don't want to have him done until I feel he's fully mature.

Seamus was neutered because it was required when we rescued him and also because it was the 'right' thing to do, sort of like what Linds said.

To protect their health and birth control. When it comes to females, I may have changed my mind on the age I spay at, but I will always spay them - pyometra scares me, and I like to go to dog parks and I don't supervise my dogs outside. Intact female is too much responsibility.

Sawyer was neutered at 18 months by the rescue. Huck was spayed mostly because of convenience. We're currently living with my parents for a bit and they couldn't take her being in heat after the first time. So, bye-bye ovaries.

Both of my boys were neutered when I got them.

My childhood dogs, all male, were neutered for multiple reasons. Birth control, behavior modification (kind of, I think my parents thought that intact males just automatically mark everything etc) and, as others have said, because it's just what you do.

Future males that aren't show dogs will likely remain intact at least until full maturity and maybe indefinitely. Females I'm not quite so sure about. Pyometra scares me, and although I know it's not super super common, I've read that it occurs more in females that have never been bred. But definitely until full maturity as well.

Eden came to me spayed from her breeder.

Limit is neutered for birth control and behavioral reasons (I didn't check that box - oops).

Kastle is intact but will most likely be neutered around 5ish for health reasons. Maybe.

Summit came to me neutered from the adoption group.

Kili is being spayed next month at al out 19 months of age. I wanted her intact until 18 months to allow her to mature and develop normally since I worried about growth plates with agility. However, I do NOT have any interest in managing an intact female dog in heat. Also pyometras... I'd rather spay her at a time convenient to me than wait until her life is at risk and do it as an emergency (since I will absolutely not be breeding her due to health and congenital abnormalities there's no reason to risk an emergency). And mammary tumours are almost non-existent if spayed before the first heat. I don't think there is enough conclusive evidence about the increase in other cancers with altered dogs. If we get more conclusive evidence of that in the future and that the risks of other cancers with altering are greater than the incidence of mammary cancer then in future I may elect for just a hysterectomy. But right now I don't have enough evidence to satisfy me. I'm keeping my eye out for it though.

Mia is spayed for contractual reasons only.

Summer was spayed after her second litter she was having some reproductive health issues. Her litters were both still born.

Buzz was neutered at 28 months because we got Bailey and knew we couldn't keep two intact dogs of opposite sexes responsibly.

Bailey was spayed at 14 months because we realized we had no desire to breed her and nobody wanted to deal with an indoor/outdoor (at the time) dog in heat any more than you have to.

Gabby came to me spayed. She was more than likely done before her first heat, which was likely for convenience.

Lauren is drunked so she told me to answer for her!

Frodo was neutered because he was growing up with his littermate sister. NEUTER ALL THE BALLS!

Siri was spayed for behavioral reasons. She didn't cope well with the pain of being in season, and retaliated at Frodo.

They all came to me through a rescue, so they were all spayed/neutered already. They were, however, all altered as adults - Missy at 4ish, Jack at 3ish, and Heidi at 9ish.

In the future...if I have a choice...I think I'll wait until at least 18-24 months to alter. I have zero desire to breed, and don't want to own an intact dog long-term, but I would like to wait until they're more mentally and physically mature.