Spaying/Neutering
Here at Sprague’s we do not recommend that our pups be spayed/neutered until they are at least 1 year old and preferably closer to 2. Why? They need those hormones to grow properly! Simple as that. Over the years I have seen first hand how altering a dog before they are fully grown can affect them physically and mentally. I can often look at my puppies when they’re grown and be able to tell if they were fixed at a early age or not. Sadly most vets still push people into getting their dogs fixed at 6 months. Many mean well but keep in mind these vets do not know your dog or their lines the way we do so please do not let them talk you into doing it at a young age. We take this very seriously and if any dog from our breeding program is spayed or neutered before the age of 1 year, the health guarantee for that dog is voided. So please give this serious consideration before getting a puppy and know that you will have to be responsible in making sure your dog does not breed until you have it fixed when it’s an adult (which is actually quite simple). We have no issues with spaying/neutering, just issues when it’s done at the wrong age. I have listed several web sites below that give much more info on the subject.
NEW!! Study Finds Early Neutering Poses Health Risks for German Shepherd Dogs
Puppy Culture Spay/Neuter Booklet - A must read!!!
Spaying/Neutering Being Promoted As a Replacement for Training & Responsibility
Lots of links at the bottom of this article
Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete: One Veterinarian's Opinion
Spay, Neuter & Joint Disease
Revisiting the Idea for Early-Age Neutering
Dog Listener on Spaying & Neutering
Vaccinosis
Over vaccinating dogs can cause a multitude of health issues, please see the links below for more information. Instead of opting for yearly vaccinations have your vet run an antibody titer test to see if it's actually needed.
Vaccinosis: Health Hazard of Routine Vaccination
Vaccinosis: Do Your Research Before You Vaccinate
Shock to the System: The Facts about Animal Vaccination, Pet Food & How to Keep Your Pets Healthy
Food
See the sites below for help in selecting a quality food for your puppy.
PennHip
A newer method of evaluating hips that we have started to incorporate into our breeding program.