low cost neutering clinics

Question
Can you please elaborate on your previous question regarding "dogs in heat."  I would like some recommendations of some low cost neutering clinics.  We just obtained a new puppy who is now 10 weeks old.  My first dog started spraying our couches and I caught him trying to hump on the puppy.  I was very stern with him about this.  This may sound weird but he has always "humped" on our cat.  I didn't like what he tried to do to the puppy.  Please help.

Answer

Hi Regina,

Congratulations on getting a puppy!

I don't know which of my previous messages you are referring to. I have answered several thousand messages.

Your older dog is "marking", which is not the same as a house training issue. He is establishing his territory. Clean the areas where he's marked with an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution, so he'll be less likely to re-mark those areas. You should use the same cleaner on puppy house training accidents for the same reason. The humping is a way of showing dominance, it is not mating behavior with a 10 week old puppy. It's okay to exert your dominance over your dog and make him stop the unwanted behavior. Though distasteful, the humping won't hurt the puppy, dogs understand "pack status" behaviors. Many times as a female puppy matures, they actually become the more dominant dog in a house with multiple dogs, even if they are younger or smaller.

Give your older dog lots of one-on-one time for a few weeks as he adjusts the having the puppy in the house, so he'll feel more secure (an less jealous) about the puppy invading "his" home.

A female dog's first heat cycle usually happens sometime around 6 or 7 months of age, the average age to have a female puppy spayed is at 5 months. Female dogs get significant health benefits from being spayed before the onset of their first heat cycle, so you don't want to miss out on this opportunity by waiting too long to have her spayed. There isn't any danger in early spaying, so if you wanted to get it over with, you could have your puppy spayed at any time. Younger animals may need different anesthetics and are more prone to hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature) during surgery, so just inquire with the vet that's doing the surgery that he or she is experienced with early spaying procedures.

You should contact your vet's office, or your local animal shelter or Humane Association to see where there is reduced cost spaying clinic in your area, there may be a waiting list. If you'd like to get back to me with your location, I may be able to give you a list of reduced/low cost spay clinics in your area.

I hope that helps.
Best of luck, and happy New Year!

Patti