Neutered

You mean your vet won't neuter a dog over a year old? I know they prefer to do it early and that most recommend 6 months (although there is a trend now to neuter even earlier to prevent marking and other male behavior). I've never heard of a vet flat out refusing to neuter past one year, though.

That would be tough. A lot of people mistakenly think they'd like to breed their male dog, then realize some of the behavior associated with an intact male dog, especially one who has been bred, is not worth it and decide to neuter them when they are 18 months or older.

I don'thave health insurance for Lady since no one would ever insure her with all her pre-existing conditions, but I know several people who have purchased it for their puppies.

The big downside I have heard is that if any health issues do come up later on, for example diabetes like my Lady, they don't renew your policy. So I was told to weigh the cost per year with what it would cost without insurance for "well dog" care to see if it's worth it.