Policy 11.15 — Eddie's Doggy Daycare, Paddock Farm, Harlow, Essex CM17 9HP

Neutering & Spaying Policy

Neutering & Spaying Policy

1. Policy Statement

Eddie's Doggy Daycare supports neutering as a responsible choice for dogs that socialise regularly in group environments. However, we do not impose a blanket requirement for dogs to be neutered by a set age. We recognise that the optimal timing for neutering depends on the individual dog — their breed, size, health, and behavioural development.

2. Neutering Guidance

General guidance:

• Unless you have a large or giant breed dog, pups can typically be neutered from 6–7 months of age
• We do not recommend neutering any younger than 6 months
• For large and giant breeds (e.g., Labrador, German Shepherd, Great Dane), veterinary advice is to wait until the dog has reached skeletal maturity — typically 12–18 months depending on the breed
• We always recommend discussing the timing with your own vet, who knows your dog's individual health profile

3. Behavioural Changes in Entire Males

As testosterone levels rise in adolescent and young adult male dogs, we generally observe behavioural changes that affect the daycare environment:

• Humping: Mounting other dogs, including during inappropriate contexts (play, rest)
• Resource guarding: Increased possessiveness over toys, beds, attention, or space
• Fixation: Becoming fixated on specific dogs — following, staring, pestering
• Stress & vocalisation: Becoming stressed, whiny, or vocal in the presence of female dogs
• Reactivity: Becoming 'spikey', short-tempered, or aggressive towards other males

These behavioural changes almost always manifest within the daycare environment first — often before the owner notices changes at home — because the group setting amplifies hormonal responses.

4. Eddie's Requirements for Entire Dogs

We welcome unneutered dogs at daycare, provided they meet the following conditions:

• Not excessively humping other dogs or people
• Not displaying dominant or bullying behaviour
• Not provoking dominant or stressed behaviours from other dogs in the group
• Not creating an unsafe play environment through unpredictable behaviour
• Their presence is not reducing the overall peacefulness and enjoyment of the group

These criteria are assessed continuously by staff and reviewed by management.

5. Traffic Light System

Eddie's uses a clear three-stage system to communicate with owners about hormonal behavioural changes:

6. Chemical Neutering — An Alternative Option

If you have reservations about surgical neutering, chemical neutering is a viable alternative. This is an implant that lasts either 6 months or 1 year, providing the same hormonal effect as surgical neutering but allowing the option to let it expire if it doesn't have the desired effect on behaviour within the daycare and social environments.

If you choose the chemical option:

• You must keep up with the implant each time it expires, or have them fully surgically neutered in place of the implant, for your dog to continue attending Eddie's
• Please let us know the dates of neutering so we can update our records accordingly

7. Speaking to Your Vet

When speaking to your vet about neutering, it is really important to explain that your dog attends a social daycare and that they are displaying these behaviours — and that the advice to neuter is based on this context rather than a blanket policy or one based on age. A good vet should take this into consideration when advising on timing and should not recommend delaying to a certain arbitrary age if these problems have developed.

If your vet doesn't fully understand the implications of not neutering on social behaviour, you should feel able to speak to other vets at other practices too. We are always happy to speak to your vet directly if that would help.

If you have reservations about neutering your dog, please speak to us about them — we can offer advice and our opinion based on the care we have provided to social dogs over a 7-year period.

8. Spaying Policy

We recommend that female dogs are spayed from 6 months of age, subject to veterinary advice for the individual dog. Un-spayed female dogs are very welcome at daycare.

Seasons (Heat):

• Female dogs in season must not attend daycare. Owners must notify us as soon as a season begins.
• The dog may return to daycare 4 weeks after the season has ended, provided there are no signs of phantom pregnancy or complications.
• If a female dog arrives at daycare and is found to be in season, the owner will be contacted for immediate collection.
• If you choose not to spay your female dog, this is absolutely fine — you'll just need to factor in that they won't be able to attend daycare during each season. A season will usually last 2–3 weeks from start to finish.

9. Post-Neutering/Spaying Return

After neutering or spaying, dogs may return to daycare when:

• The surgical wound has fully healed (typically 10–14 days post-surgery)
• The vet has confirmed the dog is fit to return to normal activity
• The dog is no longer wearing a cone/body suit that could interfere with play
• For males: allow at least 6 weeks post-neutering for hormone levels to reduce before expecting significant behavioural improvement

10. Communication

All communication regarding neutering under this policy will be conducted by management — not frontline staff. Conversations will be honest, supportive, and focused on the dog's welfare and the group environment. We understand that neutering is a personal decision for owners and we approach the topic with sensitivity.