Thank you for that wonderful post but I didnt mean to upset redyer. I am glad that you gave me the chocie. See if I was to Neuter the male chihuahua he would gain to much weight he is 2 yrs old and he weights 4 pounds. KINDA WOULD BE ROUGH ON HIM. I dont want Dixie to get fat either. I dont plan on any breeding so letts get that straight. I was just asking if the panty things would work. I still respect any info givien to me. I dont want to cause a problem. I very much agree with K9 approch to the situation. Knowledge is the first step to any process. I also understand redyer for getting the word out there. I am a good owner and take very good care of my dogs. I like to have choices. I gotta go to work girls thanks again and dont fight on my behave. Take care ~beth~
Altering animals does not cause weight gain. Too much food and not enough exercise causes weight gain.
Many people are under the mistaken impression that altered animals gain weight, and many times they do, but it has nothing to do with the altering. Spay/Neuter often coincides with the end of the rapid growth period in dogs and cats as well. If food is not reduced at around 8 months of age for most dogs, sometimes earlier for toys, then that dog will gain weight, as it does not need as much food after rapid growth is done.
As an example, during rapid growth my puppy was eating about 20% more food in a day than my adult girls, even tho her actual size and body weight was less.
Now that she is 11 months old, had I not reduced her food intake, she would become overweight.
Neutering is a SIMPLE, fairly non invasive surgery, and most dogs recover very quickly. The size of your toy dog may be of a slight concern, and of course there is always a risk when you are putting any animal under anesthesia.
As far as what to expect during her first season,
1) mess. Most bitches will not wear the pants, they will tear them off and destroy them. Particularly puppies. There is also that certain dead blood smell that goes with a bitch in season.
2) noise. From both of your dogs. Your male will likely scratch from behind any barrier separating him from the bitch, and many dogs will scream, whine, cry, mark with urine, etc. You can expect much of the same from the bitch.
3) Logistical issues with keeping them separated. The drive to reproduce is a very strong one. Dogs can and will go to unbeliveable measures to get to a bitch in season. Dogs can (and have) bred through chain link fence, etc. Expect them to try CONSTANTLY to get to each other.
4) Your chi will learn exactly what a bitch in heat smells like, and he may be more likely to try to escape the seek them out. Many dogs mark more as well when they are living with a bitch in season.
5) Suitors from around your neighborhood. Dogs can smell a bitch in heat from miles away. They will camp out on your doorstep until she is out of season. Expect them to dig inside your fence if you have one, and they will be waiting on you each time you step out your door with her.
6) Learn the signs of pyometra, the serious uterine infection that intact bitches are always subject to. It can happen on the first season, or at any one thereafter. It's not highly likely in young bitches, but I know of people firsthand that it has happened to. If it's not promptly recognized and treated, your bitch can die even after surgery to SPAY her, which is the only real treatment.
Pyo symptoms can include the following:
OPEN pyo (cervix is open....this form is easier to diagnose, and has a slightly better survival rate than a closed pyo which I will describe next)
Foul discharge
Possible off food
Higher water consumption
CLOSED PYO, where the cervix is NOT open is MUCH more dangerous. Pay close attention to your girl in the 30 days post season every time.
Any unexplained abdominal distention, excessive consumption of water, lethargy, fever, she should be examined immediately by your veterinarian.
ANY pyometra is an immediate life threatening event, and emergency surgery is usually performed.
Bitches in heat should be confined away from all other intact male dogs for 30 days. When you think her season is over (inside 30 days) is the most likely time for an accidental breeding to happen. You must keep her absolutely away from all intact males for 30 days from the beginning of each season.
Most bitches cycle about every 6 months. I have had those who come in every 5 mos, or even every 4 months. That makes it 3X per year. Happy happy joy joy. LOL
I am an experienced dog owner, I have shown dogs for quite some time both in the breed and the working rings, and I have ONLY bitches because of the extreme difficulty in keeping intact dogs and bitches separated during heat seasons.
I hope this is enough of an explanation for you, and if you have other questions, feel free to ask.
FOR THE RECORD, very few dogs should be used for breeding, breeding is always a risk of your bitch's life, and my personal opinion is that any dog of either sex not regularly used at for breeding should be neutered. This removes this frustration from their lives, they no longer have to think about reproduction, and I have found that this makes them MUCH better pets.
The ONLY animals I ever keep intact are those I am actively showing or planning to breed.
When my bitches are finished with breeding after 1 or 2 litters, they are ALWAYS spayed for their health.
One other recommendation would be to speak to your own veterinarian about the benefits of S/N for your pets, and also to visit your county shelter and find out how many dogs and cats are put to death each week in your area. I bet you would be surprised.....
