Accepting Intact Dogs

Pooch-Kim’s Dog Day Care and Boarding has a general policy that adult guest dogs are either spayed (ovariohysterectomy) or neutered (castration), but there are exceptions where we will accept your intact furry friend. Adolescence marks the change from being a puppy to becoming an adult. In dogs, it can start any time between six and 12 months and can end between 18 and 24 months. During this time, there are dramatic hormonal changes and a reorganisation of the brain. The best age to spay or neuter should be tailored to each individual dog, especially if the dog is a large or giant breed. If you have a purebred dog, you should also speak with your breeder, who may be able to provide valuable insight. Then, a discussion with your veterinarian based on your dog’s breed or breed type, sex, and potential future medical concerns should be had. An age of six to nine months of age may be appropriate for neutering or spaying a toy breed puppy or small breed puppy but a larger or giant breed may need to wait until they are near or over 12-18 months of age. It is also important to understand that often, the earlier these procedures are done, the easier the surgeries usually are for the veterinarian and recovery for the patient. Based on veterinary advice we recommend not knowingly spaying a female dog while they are going through their heat cycle as that may exacerbate excessive bleeding.