Does your 'fixed' male or female dog get fat and lazy?

[BLACKJACK]

Contemplating getting my female lab fixed but don't want her getting fat and lazy. I'm used to just keeping her dog food bowl full and don't want to have to go the 'starvation route', 1 or 2 cups of dogfood a day to keep her thin. Whats been you guys experience?

[Mr. B]

My female lab is just as energetic after being fixed as she was before. Somedays I wish she was alittle more subdued. Oh well is keeps me from getting fat and lazy.

[BDR]

I have noticed no difference in my GSP's.

[Swamp Scooter]

I agree with early spay and neuter. The first thing you need to do is not give them free choice food all the time and make sure they get exercise in the off seasons. My chessie only gets about 3.5 cups of food once per day and she hold on 85#. During season I give her a little more. My vizsla gets the same amount of food and only weighs #50. Each dog is an individual in their requirements. There was a couple of great articles in a recent Gun Dog mag that also talks about carb replentishment. 1.5grams of Maltodextrin(type of sugar) per kilo of body weight--given 30-45 minutes after hunting and they recover much quicker. This is in addition to their daily food.

[mpete54]

I have an 8 month old female yellow lab and we had her spayed about 3 months ago. My vet said the same thing that Ken said about the chances of breast cancer being even less if they are spayed before first heat. Anyway, as far as becoming lazy: I can't get my lab to take a rest. She is in constant motion! I also agree with the not letting them free feed. My dog gets about 3-4 cups of food a day and it is plenty for her. She has way more than enough energy!

Matt

[Guest]

This is indeed a myth, the only thing that will make a dog fat is too much food and to little exercise. It is no different than thinking getting an aggressive dog fixed will mellow them out, Won’t happen.

As far as free feeding the dog, I have done this with many, many dogs and I recommend doing it to all my clients and to all whom I sell pups. The reasons are

1. It makes a dog less protective of its food, i.e. you kids can play in the dog food with out being growled at.

2. If food is there all the time from the start, a dog will eat when he/she is hungry, not until the 25 pound feeder is empty. There are rare occasions when a dog will eat him/herself sick but after a time or two this will end.

3. Free feeding will stop the dogs feeling of need to gobble the food down right now because “this is it” period.

This isn’t to say that this works on every single dog, I once owned a Chessie that would eat 50 Lbs a day because it was there, but 99 times out of 100 I have had no problems with overweight or obesity.

[gspman]

No, it's a myth. Although I wish it would have taken a little bit of wind out of my dog's sails. She's been an extremely energetic dog all her life. She's 10 1/2 and still acts like a puppy once in a while.

[LABS4ME]

This is an old wives tale...with just moderate amounts of exercise, your dog will stay in shape. Most peoples dogs lay around the house and eat table scrapw and get fat and sassy and they blame it on the spaying or nuetering. Good Luck with you decision, I know it's hard to lose one to cancer (i read your other post). It has been explained to me that it will help lessen the chance of breast cancer anytime you spay a female, but, the chances are reduced by something like 300% if done before their first heat cycle.

Good Luck Black Jack!

Ken

[Lowe]

A male dog that isn't neutered will have about a 20% higher metabolism than a neutered one. Info comes directly from my vet a few weeks ago. Of course it is still a good idea to spay/neuter but there actually is a little basis to the idea a neutered dog might get a little heavier once he is cut.

You only have to look at the difference between a steer and a bull to understand there is going to be a difference in body structure when the testosterone is removed from the system. Among other things, the male hormone helps to build muscle, which increases metabolism.