We recommend spaying or neutering your pup after 18-24 months of age to allow the dog to develop into the full adult he was meant to be, altering to early could stunt there growth, could cause skin issues, they could have no muscle tone, be tall and lanky and will not look like the parents! Between 18-24 months of age the growth plates are closed .

Also,If you spay or neuter to early, you can have unstable joints and will be more susceptible to cruciate ligament tears, ACL issues, hyperextension, hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia.

IMPORTANT: Also, don't forget, hormones also contribute to how your dog LOOKS.
(Imagine cutting off an 11 year old boy's or girls hormones, where would those 25 year old’s be???)

Structural growth is done by 24 months of age in canines and the third year they really muscle out, chest drops & their heads box out.


Do not fall for the false “he’ll get testicular cancer” or “she’ll get breast cancer”, it is just the opposite!! Some Vets have been giving the HSUS and PETA ‘spay/neuter early’ line for years, only caring about ‘unwanted puppies and kittens” with no consideration for the long-term health of your canine family member.

If your vet wants to neuter/spay early, you may want to search out a different vet, or one familiar with the latest research. We know you all want your dogs to live long, pain free lives, and to look like the beautiful labs you know us for!*** And remember…altering hormones causes shedding (ask any woman that has had a hysterectomy…hair loss is a side effect).


Myths


•Will spaying or neutering my Lab alter their personality? 

No, any slight changes in their personality will be positive. There are many myths about canine reproductive needs. At the top of these myths is the suspicion that neutering turns a male into a sissy and spaying causes a female to lament her lost capacity. 

The truth is that male dogs are usually better pets if they are neutered. They have less desire to roam, to mark their territory, or to exert dominance over family members. An intact male does not retrieve, hunt, or perform better in any way, except to reproduce. Neutering will reduce the desire to breed, and that can have a calming effect. As far as we know, dogs do not lament their lost capability to reproduce. Regardless of the age when your Lab is spayed or neutered, they will remain a caring, loving, and equally protective companion.  


•I have heard that dogs become fat and lazy after they are spayed or neutered. Is this true? 

Spaying and neutering does change the metabolism of your Lab, so in most cases, they will not need as much food to maintain their weight as unspayed or unneutered dogs. As owners, we tend to over-feed our dogs by not allowing for this change, and as a result our neutered and spayed dogs are more apt to put on a little unnecessary weight. The problem is not with our Lab but with us. Your Lab will not gain weight if you provide them with adequate exercise and watch their food intake. Neutering is good for your Lab, since sterilized pets sometimes tend to live an average of two to three years longer than unsterilized pets. 

As for laziness, again the amount of activity and exercise that our Lab gets is often dependent upon us. There are plenty of spayed/neutered dogs that compete on a regular basis in agility or in the field or as service dogs or are trained in search and rescue. These dogs are a far cry from being lazy.

•I might want to breed them some day. Don’t you think that children should witness the miracle of birth? 

Please don’t let your Lab breed simply to teach your children the miracle of birth. There are countless books and videos available to teach your children about birth in a responsible way. Letting your Lab produce offspring you have no intention of keeping is teaching your children to be irresponsible. Making sure you have good homes for all the puppies (which could be a dozen) is only one step of the process. You also need to be sure the breeding will produce quality puppies. Have the male and female dogs had a medical exam to be sure they are healthy? Are they free of venereal diseases? Are they free from hereditary problems such as hip dysplasia, PRA or epilepsy? Are their vaccinations up to date, and have they been wormed? Are you prepared to pay the extra veterinary costs if there are problems with the pregnancy or delivery? 

Do you have a minimum of 5 thousand dollars set a side for a possible emergency c-section?

Are you prepared to bottle feed up to 12 puppies around the clock if mom passes away? Are you prepared that you may loose pups? Are you prepared to clean up & feed puppies after mom is done nursing (clean up alone is crazy, up to a hundred poops a day in a average litter).

If you answer is no to any of these questions, please do not breed!

The fact of the matter is the vast majority of dogs regardless of use and perceived quality should not be bred. They are simply average dogs that you especially enjoy. Breeding quality dogs is not a one-time thing. Chances are that some percentage of any litter will experience either birth defects, whelping injuries, or death. Many dams experience complications in whelping, requiring a C-section, which can pose an additional threat to the unborn puppies and mother. Eclampsia (milk fever), acute septic mastitis (breast infection or abscess) and acute metritis (infected uterus) are additional complications the dam can incur and if not properly treated can be fatal to the mother. Is this what you had planned for your children to witness? As you see, a lot goes into responsible breeding. Anyone who has seen an animal euthanized in a shelter for lack of a home knows the truth behind the dangerous myth of sharing the miracle of birth. 

•Isn’t it better for my female to have at least one litter before she is spayed? 

Some people believe that it helps their female dog in some way to develop more completely or become a better pet. However, neither is true. Becoming pregnant and having a litter of puppies can be very stressful on some female dogs both physically and mentally. In addition, not all pregnancies go smoothly. Difficult labor, puppy mortality, and potential health problems in the mother such as uterine and mammary gland infections can take a toll on the mother and you. So spay your female between 18-24 months, the better her health will be in the future. 

•Should I be concerned about my Lab undergoing anesthesia? 

Placing a pet under anesthesia is a very common concern many Lab owners have. Although there is always a slight risk involved, the anesthetics used by veterinarians today are very safe. Many veterinarians also use equipment that monitors the heart and respiratory rates during surgery to ensure that their patients are doing well under anesthesia. The medical benefits today of having your Lab spayed or neutered far outweigh the slight risk involved with undergoing anesthesia. Consult with your veterinarian about blood testing your Lab before he/she is put under anesthesia 

  Amy Avery ~ Owner, Breeder & TrainerNewport, North Carolina  Started Dogs, Finished Dogs, Duck Hunting Dogs, Water Dogs, Hunting Retrievers, Working Retrievers, Master Hunters, Field Champion, Sporting Dogs, Upland Dogs, Hunt Test Dogs, Field Trial Dogs, Duck Dogs, Gun Dogs, Waterfowl Retrievers, Bird Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Competition Dogs, American Labs, Field Dogs, Hunting Labrador Retrievers, Junior Hunters, Senior Hunters, Master Hunters,  specialize in Labrador retrievers in North carolina, Field Trial Lab puppies, Hunt Test Lab pups, Gundog pups, Hunting Retriever puppies, Labrador dog training pups, Labrador puppy training, Obedience Training, Hunting Dog Retriever Trainer, Retriever Trainers in North Carolina, NC. We specialize in breeding Labrador puppies which also are referred to as Lab Puppies, Labrador Puppies, Lab puppy, Labrador retriever puppies for sale, Hunting Dogs for sale, Labrador breeders in NC, Labrador puppies for sale, Labrador puppy, Black lab puppies, yellow lab puppies, chocolate lab puppies and fox red lab puppies. Lab puppies for sale in NC, NC Labrador breeder, North Carolina Black, Chocolate, Yellow pups, Labrador Retriever pups for sale, NC breeder of Labrador Retrievers, Hunting Retriever in NC, Hunting Lab Puppies.