[Blue_Nose_Bella]

This is my first female dog I have owned. I have had several males over the years that were neutered at some point in there life some at 6 months and some at 3 or older. I have read many articles on the positive and negative sides of spaying and neutering before maturity. One of the articles I have read was www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter and the other was naiaonline.org
I am considering letting my dog have one heat before spaying her. I am very responsible with my animals and would never let the oops litter happen. Anyways, I am on the fence about this so any opinions would be great!

 

[k8nkane]

Why wait for one heat before spaying? Just curious to know the reasoning.

If you think you can contain her, then it's a matter of opinion. Your opinion.

 

[Wingman]

Spaying before her first heat can drastically cut down her risk over contracting certain forms of cancer. My opinion, is to spay ASAP.

 

[American_Pit13]

Spay

 

[Coiler]

All of my dogs are left intact until they mature, personally in my opinion the benefits of waiting out weigh the negatives. As long as you can properly contain the female in heat i'd say wait.

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

Coiler...what age do you spay/neuter then. Most say to wait until 14 months if possible. I may let her have one heat and then spay her. She also has papers which gives me the option to show her. I may consider it which is another reason I would have to wait. I have seen huge differences in dogs who were fixed at 6 months and dogs who were allowed to mature properly before spay/neuter.

 

[apbtmom76]

If you are planning on doing any kind of confirmation with her, you must keep her intact, if not and you have no plans on that then I would get her spayed, my white boy and my Penny (RIP) were speutered before they were 5 months old and I wouldn't change it for the world and wouldn't have waited. Good Luck

 

[Sampsons Dad]

The chances of mamary cancer increase exponentially after every estrus....spay.
Males are different and I would say wait if it were a male.

 

[performanceknls]

WAIT TO SPAY!! The reason is you want them to fully mature before you Spay them and if you are a responsible owner and will not let your dog get bred then you should wait. Many Doctors will tell you to spay early and it lowers cancer risks but now new research shows that is not always the case. I use to be behind s/n at an early age but after doing research on it, it is best to wait. I don't S/N any of my animals anymore unless there is a medical reason or behavior reason. But you can wait till they are mature like 18-24 months before you do it. God gave us hormones for a reason, to help us grow and mature and when you take that away before the process is done it can have negative effects on the body. Do your research like you have and decide what is best for you and your dog.

 

[Sampsons Dad]

WAIT TO SPAY!! The reason is you want them to fully mature before you Spay them and if you are a responsible owner and will not let your dog get bred then you should wait. Many Doctors will tell you to spay early and it lowers cancer risks but now new research shows that is not always the case. I use to be behind s/n at an early age but after doing research on it, it is best to wait. I don't S/N any of my animals anymore unless there is a medical reason or behavior reason. But you can wait till they are mature like 18-24 months before you do it. God gave us hormones for a reason, to help us grow and mature and when you take that away before the process is done it can have negative effects on the body. Do your research like you have and decide what is best for you and your dog.

Females always have the hormones they require because they don't only make hormones with the ovaries. A male needs the testosterone for muscles and head type, but a female doesn't need it to develop.
If you can provide some research to support your position I would like to read it.

 

[Aireal]

i say spay before the first heat, if it where a male i would say wait untill 3 years of age but with a female SPAY SPAY SPAY!!!

 

[Sampsons Dad]

..... sorry double post

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

Why though?? Just because they go into heat? Seems a bit sexist to me. Leave a male intact until it's full grown but spay the bitch and be done with it. I am taking everything into consideration but really.....has anyone read the articles on early S/N before just saying spay the females. Just as the males fill out nice being left intact the females must fill out better as well. Bella is the first female dog I have owned yes, but I have owned many male dogs over the years and have seen the difference in the males growth when neutered at 6 months and full grown. I may decide to show her so as of right now she will stay intact. However, she will be spayed at some point down the road weather it be sooner or later. I still have time to seriously think about what I want to do before her first heat. Thanks all

 

[Firehazard]

If you have your pet spayed/neutered before or @6mos. most of the time they have not came into season yet or in males case haven't dropped. If you take care of it then, your dog will live longer and will be more pup like longer as the hormones don't set in as they normally would. By the time the sterilized dog is 5 or 6 is usually when it becomes A DOG so to speak and you will really notice dominance issues with other dogs that don't live there, even mounting in dominance the other house dogs, just part of it.

IMO if you are going to sterilize then do it as young as possible, its been my experience that spayed/neutered animals under that time frame usually maintain an athletic look longer without being worked, than those dogs spayed/neutered after they come into season or have dropped.

 

[Sampsons Dad]

It has nothing to do with sexism....do the research on mammary tumors and pyometra.

 

[Firehazard]

The only reasons to sterilize are to control temperment and population, so everything that is sterilized has hormone confusion and for most people they think spay/neuter will calm their dog down, LOL it will when done at the proper time. I have had several dogs sterilized at 2 yrs or later and still are work horses or are retired and fat on someones porch.. LOL The dogs I've contracted to be spayed/neutered are doing outstanding and as healthy and athletic as ever.. That just been my experience and to tell you the truth I do not promote spay and neuter as much as accountability... So because I don't see many accountable people is for the main reason I do promote sterilization. I dont expect to get much more than 10-12 yrs out of my dogs because they're all workers; working dogs generally live 8-10 and 10-12 in good environment and 12-15 if spayed/neutered at a young age. My dogs are workers, and IMO all dogs should be, No Oxygen theives allowed!!. LOL

 

[Sampsons Dad]

Spaying a female will prevent mammary tumors and eliminate any chance of pyometra.

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

I know about pyometra and mammary cancers. I have owned males dogs but still know about females and dogs in general. I was a vet tech and a professional groomer for years. I have seen what the mammary cancers and tumors look and feel like first hand. I have also seen a female with pyometra. But, I also know the fear vets put into the dog owners who bring there pups into be examined and get the whole speech on spaying and neutering at 6 months. Not to sound like a snob but I am an experienced dog owner. Since I started my career back in the days there has since been updated information on the negative side affects of pre-mature S/N so this is why I am asking opinions of others who maybe informed of the info. I have always been an advocate for S/N especially with men who seem to have the hardest time taking there dogs "man-hood" away. Like I said Bella maybe shown in UKC so she will need to stay intact for that. I have ALOT to think about

 

[performanceknls]

Spaying a female will prevent mammary tumors and eliminate any chance of pyometra.

Not allowing a female to come into season is the whole reason not to spay early they need those hormones and development to mature properly. Spaying prevents that from ever happen. There is a ton of great info in the articles in the OP please read up on them. Yes I have seen mammary cancer but it is not as common as the vets would like you to think. I know thousands of intact bitches in the show world that NEVER develop cancer that is AKC, UKC, and ADBA. Again the risks are minimal! I was a vet tech for many years and the first thing they vets would say is they want to s/n the pets and get all the shots done before the client never comes back. Its about keeping business not about what it the best for a dog. You ever hear a vet say no lets wait on that, HECK no they want your money. There are good vets but not as many as there should be. Now Pyo is a big risk with intact females and yes spaying will bring that risk to zero. In healthy dogs I would not worry about it but know the signs to look for. It is always in the back of my mind and I know other breeders who have had it and the dogs lived because they knew what it was right away. I also know some bitches who had a closed Pyo and did not make it.

There is also a risk of loss of bladder control with spays especially at an early age. There are risks on both sides you as an owner have to decide what is best for you.

 

[Blue_Nose_Bella]

Thanks Performance kennels I'm glad you understand where I am coming from