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Puppy Basics: Spaying and Neutering

For most pet parents, the expense, time, and expertise involved in breeding dogs responsibly is beyond their reach. Here are some advantages to having your puppy spayed or neutered:

For females, there will no longer be a mess to deal with during their 21-day heat cycles, which occur every six months. The heat cycle begins in females sometime after 6 months of age.
Spaying a female before her first heat cycle will reduce the chance of mammary tumors or uterine diseases.
Neutered males tend to be less aggressive than unneutered males.
With a neutered male, the urge to mark territory may lessen.
A neutered male is less likely to want to roam in search of potential mates.

When to Spay or Neuter

Dogs should be spayed or neutered by the time they are 6 months old to avoid many dog health issues. Both operations are performed under anesthesia and may require an overnight stay at the veterinarian's office. Recovery time is quick, with most dogs resuming normal activity in a few days. Spaying (for females) consists of an ovario-hysterectomy.

Neutering involves the removal of the testicles. When you bring your puppy to the veterinarian's office for his first thorough examination, have the doctor explain the operation in detail and set up a time to have the procedure done.

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Puppy Basics: Feeding Tips for the First 6 Months

The timeline for feeding your new puppy changes rapidly over the first six months. Learn what and how you should feed your puppy based on the key development milestones she will experience.

Why Is It Important to Know Milestones for Puppy Development?

Due to breed differences and animal individuality, it is impossible to predict exact dates for a puppy’s growth and development milestones. However, by using the following milestones as a guide for healthy growth, developmental problems can be spotted — and possibly prevented — early on. By knowing these milestones, you’ll also know when your puppy is ready to begin weaning.

Puppy Developmental Milestones

Age	Milestone
7-10 days old	Puppies double their birth weight. Puppies begin to urinate and defecate on their own.
10-18 days old	Puppies attempt to stand. Puppies’ eyes begin to open. Puppies’ ears begin to open.
18-21 days old	Puppies hear and respond to noises. Puppies begin to walk.
3 weeks old	Begin weaning process for orphaned puppies. Puppies begin responsive vocalization. Deciduous (baby) teeth will begin erupting.
4 weeks old	Begin weaning process for mother-fed puppies.
3–6 months old	Puppies’ adult teeth erupt.

How to Wean Puppies with IAMS™

When your puppy is ready to begin weaning (at around 4 weeks for mother-fed puppies and 3 weeks for orphaned puppies), use this step-by-step process:

Introduce a small amount of water in a shallow dish. Most puppies will play in the water; however, within four or five days, your puppy will begin to develop drinking skills. Some animals might require longer periods for training, so don’t be discouraged if your puppy resists bowl training.
Begin mixing an IAMS ProActive Health™ Smart Puppy Original food with water. Be sure to provide a separate dish for fresh water.
Gradually increase the amount of soft food while decreasing the amount of water in the mixture until your puppy is eating soft food only.
Repeat the process, mixing the appropriate dry IAMS puppy food with the soft food, and then increase the solid food while decreasing the soft food until the transition is complete.

The entire process should take approximately three weeks.