We ask that you do not spay/neuter your dog until 18 months of age. If you do so against our recommendation, our hip and elbow guarantee is void because studies prove a drastic increase of dysplasic cases in dogs altered early. Neutering stunts growth if done before full maturity which can be detrimental for large breeds, like Shepherds, that are prone to joint issues. The age varies for different dogs and breeds, but 18 months is the earliest we advise spaying/neutering. A study done by the American Veterinary Medical Association revealed that "Of males castrated early—defined in this study as before 1 year of age—10 percent had hip dysplasia, double the occurrence among sexually intact males. Cranial cruciate ligament tears were not diagnosed in any of the sexually intact males or females, but in the early age–neutered males and females, prevalences were 5 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Lymphosarcoma was diagnosed in almost 10 percent of males castrated early, three times the rate in sexually intact males.” Click Here to read the full study. "Double the occurrence" and "three times the rate" are very significant. This is why we provide incentive to leave your dog from Euro Deja intact until at least 18 months of age.

Some of the common concerns we've heard regarding leaving dogs intact are 1) dominance, 2) spraying or humping, 3) unwanted pregnancies, 4) female seasons in the home, and 5) Perianal Fistulas

1. Dominence. Any issue of dominance is no different when comparing an intact or altered dog. It comes down to the breeding and training. Our dogs have very good dispositions. Most often, they are of a therapy-type temperaments. They love to learn and please and only with terrible training will you possibly run into any issues. There have never been any issues with our intact males or females. They're extremely gentle with children and listen well.

2. Spraying or Humping. Our intact male, Finn, does not spray in the house or hump. He's never even interested in a female unless she has ovulated and the eggs are ripe--which is only for 2 days in a female's cycle. Sometimes young and inexperienced males will hump a subject, but you simply correct them, and it's quite rare. In fact, we know many more altered males in the general public that have sprayed on people and humped everything in sight than the other way around. Finn is a very polite, well mannered dog that is intact. In the end, even if there is a mild issue, it is worth dealing with for a little while in order to gain better health in the long run.

3. Unwanted Pregnancies. Starting at 6-12 months of age, females will start to have heat cycles. These can be anywhere from 4-12 months apart and can last anywhere from 3-4 weeks. The average cycle, however, is every 6 months lasting for 3 weeks. The female is only fertile for a few days during this period. Simply do not leave her unattended or available to possible males in the neighborhood or area when you notice that she is bleeding.

4. Female Seasons In The Home. Some females bleed more than others. We use reusable dog diapers (in black which is less noticeable) when our females are in season in the house. Yes, it is inconvenient, but we deal with this on a continual basis with multiple females. You will only have to use diapers for 1-2 cycles before being able to spay your girl. Again, it is more than worth it in the long run for the health of your dog.

5. Perianal Fistulas. We've never come across this problem in any of our dogs. True, it is more common in intact dogs (whether male or female), but it is more likely to be a condition that arises around 7 years of age. At that time, your dog would be altered already, should you choose to do so.

The items that we have in our guarantee are there for the benefit of you and your dog. There's no other reason for us to require a minimum age for spaying or neutering. Our decision has come with a lot of research, other breeders' experiences, orthopedic specialist consultations, studies, etc.

To start, this line item exists for the benefit of you and your dog. The incentive to feed only high-quality nutrition aids in preventing conditions from arising in the first place. Even if reading dog food labels were easy for the average layman, which ingredients and nutritional profiles are best? Many pet owners are unaware of signs that their dog is receiving insufficient nutrition and only make the discovery after significant damage is already done. For example, many of the most TOP RATED and CRITIC-REVIEWED dog foods were listed in the FDA's Investigation into a potential link between certain diets and fatal Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy in 2019. By the time the link was discovered, the damage had already been done to many dogs that were not even genetically predisposed to the condition. Meanwhile, their owners had been paying top dollar for these supposedly highly nutritious diets.

We’re taking the guesswork out for you, for your puppy’s benefit as well as yours. Our decision to do so has come with a lot of research, other breeders' experiences as well as our own, specialist consultations, studies, etc. TLC Pet Food is the among the most nutritious dog kibbles on the market for best overall health and longevity. Our pups come with multiple health guarantees, but the breeding is only a portion of a dog’s ability to thrive and live a long, happy and healthy life. We’ve done our part, and our new owners need to continue setting up their pups for success. If one of our puppies is fed a different kibble/diet without approval and against our recommendation, our health guarantees would be void since the pup runs the risk of developing nutrient-deficient conditions. Environmental health factors like nutrition are the responsibility of the new owner once a pup leaves our care. So our hope is that this incentive is strong enough to ensure that our pups’ good care will continue in their new homes.

Look into TLC Pet Food; each ingredient was tediously picked out and combined to be extremely beneficial for the entirety of your puppy’s life. You can read more about TLC and why we feed & recommend it on our FAQ.

Exceptions may be made for a different kibble or raw diet of equal nutritional quality; simply contact us with your request for review!