Well, times and attitudes have changed. Unwanted puppies and kittens were inundating the planet and something had to be done. The hue and cry became, "spay and neuter" your dogs and cats. But S & N alone have not been able to quell the tide of pet overpopulation. The animal shelters are overcrowded … animals were adopted and even though they were required to leave a neuter deposit … fifty to sixty percent of these animals were not spayed or neutered 
and became contributors to the overpopulation problem. 

Quietly over the past twenty-five to thirty years a few progressive animal shelters began various early sterilization programs with uniformly consistent success stories. If they are spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter … they cannot become contributors. Puppies and kittens are being neutered as young as six to eight weeks. The development of new anesthetics and surgical procedures has made these procedures as safe or safer than the commonly accepted time of six months. The younger patients recover faster and have fewer surgical and post-surgical complications than their older counterparts. 
There is very little to no body fat to contend with, the incision is smaller, surgery time is reduced and recovery time is very short. 

The research available on the physical, behavioral, short and long-term effects of prepubescent neutering in dogs and cats shows no adverse results. Based on this information, the American Humane Association supports this practice as a feasible solution to decreasing pet overpopulation and the tragedy of resulting deaths. Early sterilization practices are also endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association as well as many top rescue oraganizations.

On a personal note, I heartily endorse this program also. I have been actively participating in ESP since 1984 and have performed ESP on approximately 1000 animals. We have not noted any negative results, in fact, clients typically report these puppies and kittens are the "best we have ever had". We have not 
lost a single animal because of this procedure! Seven of sixteen Irish Wolfhound puppies from our last litter and two of nine from the litter prior to that were neutered prior to placement in their new homes at ten weeks of age. The first litter is now twenty-eight months, the last litter is now eighteen months old, 
and no negative results have been reported. 

People worry that this early procedure might stunt growth. In fact, research shows that the dogs will actually get a little larger. The reason for this is that 
the long bones tend to grow for a slightly longer period. Since this extra growth is not caused by more rapid growth, but instead by prolonged growth, the implication is that this might be a good thing in our giant breed. It is known that when growth proceeds slowly over a longer period, the bone density (strength) increases.

Conscientious breeders have, for years, sold companion quality puppies without registration papers and/or with a non-breeding or spay/neuter contract to try and prevent undesirable reproduction. In fact, these methods were not always effective. Dogs, which shouldn’t have been bred, still were. Pediatric spay/neuter is foolproof!
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Benefits of Early Spaying/Neutering
Early spaying and neutering (sterilizing pets 8 to 14 weeks of age) has been practiced in North America for 25 years. Altering pets between 5 and 7 months of age was established by tradition rather than for any specific medical reason. Years ago, when safe pediatric anesthetic techniques were not available, waiting until a patient was older increased the safety of surgery. But we no longer need to delay altering for this reason. 

Easier on Your Pet
Recent scientific research shows evidence that a younger puppy or kitten does better with the anesthesia and the surgical process. They typically have faster recoveries than pets spayed or neutered when they are older. And for female pets, spaying before she has a first litter or heat cycle is usually a simpler procedure. The only difference in sterilizing younger pets is that they may need different anesthetics and are more prone to hypothermia.

Sterilizing your pet at an early age not only ensures all the benefits spaying and neutering guarantees, but also brings with it these additional health benefits:

Female's: 

• Spaying your female before six months reduces tumors and some cancer possibilities by 200 times and will eliminate an infection of the uterus completely. In comparison, spaying a female before her second heat reduces the chances of tumors and cancer by twelve times. 

• The chances for developing breast cancer go down to almost zero and the chances for developing mammary gland cancer are drastically decreased if your pet is spayed before her first estrous cycle or heat.

• Early spays prevent unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. If your puppy becomes pregnant (puppies can become pregnant at younger than 6 months of age, 
it can be potentially damaging to her health, since she is very young. A young puppy is in no way suited for motherhood. 

• Spaying your female pet eliminates the chances of developing pyometra (a serious uterine infection), ovarian cancer and ovarian infections, uterine cancer and uterine infections, acute metritis and difficult pregnancy and delivery.

• It also greatly reduces the chances of developing breast cancer and tumors, tumors of the reproductive system, mammary cancer, mastitis, mammary tumors, false pregnancies, certain skin conditions related to hormonal imbalances and hair loss.

• No more worrying about her being impregnated or dying from the risks of pregnancy and birthing. 

• No bloody discharge that can stain your carpets and furniture. No unsightly swollen genitals and embarrassing licking of genitals.

• No more interruption of daily walks, vacations, and visits to friends because of twice-a-year heat periods. 

•Freedom from agitation, flightiness, moodiness, and loss of appetite during heat periods.

•No more distractibility and flirting whenever a male comes near her. 

•No males following you home and howling outside your door. 

•Less frequent to no mounting of other dogs and humping of pillows -- yes, females do this, too! 

 • Less expensive to license. 

Male's:

• Neutering your male before six months reduces tumors and some cancer possibilities by 200 times  In comparison, waiting until a male is over a year old reduces the chances of tumors and cancer by twelve times. 

• Neutering your male pet eliminates the chances of developing testicular tumors and cancer and greatly decreases the chances of developing prostatic disease, infections and disorders of the prostate glands, perianal tumors, serious types of hernias and infections and disorders of the prepuce.

• Less marking (spraying urine on vertical objects). 

• Less likely to pick fights with other males and less likely to be picked on by unneutered males. 

• Better attention span, focusing more on you than on other dogs. 

• Fewer embarrassing signs of arousal. Less licking of genitals and less to no humping of stuffed animals, other dogs, and people's ankles. 

 • No more worrying about him getting away and breeding someone's female. 

 • Freedom from agitation, whining, drooling, pacing, and distractibility whenever a female in heat comes within smelling distance (5 mile radius). 

• Less expensive to license. 

We offer this procedure to all our puppy purchasers for $200 and we will microchip your puppy for free.

So far, 95% of the buyers to whom we offered this procedure were thrilled to accept. It saved them money and the emotional trauma of having their pet undergo an elective procedure AFTER they had become attached to it.