Sunrise Goldens

We are often asked why we require our golden owners to wait at least 12 months before a gonadectomy (spay/neuter) is performed.  We strongly believe that this surgery has underlying causes and effects on your dog.  One of the most common things we hear is that dog owners mainly have their dogs spayed/neutered as soon as possible so they don't have to experience the heat cycle in females and the territorial markings for males.  While it may be true that spaying/neutering your dog will stop most sexual-related behavior, what we don't realize is that the procedure stops the behavior because the source that produces the sex hormones is removed.  New current studies are now showing that the hormones that cause sexually related behavior also play a vital role in your dog's growth and development, even more in puppies.  We all want our dogs to live long and healthy lives, this starts with your breeder, but it ends with the owners.  Remember, we are our dog's advocate, it is up to us to make conscious decisions regarding the longevity of our pets and the quality of their lives.


Please click on the links below, there is a lot of information we thought would help families better understand the research that has been done on the effects of early de-sexing puppies/dogs.  This is not the harmless surgery once thought or implied to be.  To help you determine if and when you should spay or neuter your dog, here is a small collection of the long-term effects of these surgeries, which include; hemangiosarcoma, hip dysplasia, and obesity, just to name a few.