Getting my gsd female spayed help

[Slickfilip23]

my female gsd is 6 months and im wondering when the proper time to get her spayed is? any suggestions? thanks

[MaggieRoseLee]

Many of us do it around 6 months. Specially if you have male dogs in the home, don't want the mess of a heat cycle, or are worried you may have an accidental pregnancy.

BUT..............

If you can put up with a few heat cycles, and KNOW there's no chance of an accidental pregnancy, you may want to read the following sites:

Canine Sports Productions: Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongT...uterInDogs.pdf

[Gwenhwyfair]

I cannot find a link, so if someone could cooberate this, my trainer mentioned that Cornell did a study that spaying/neutering too early increases aggression issues, especially in German Shepherds.

He advised that I let my female go through a couple of heat cycles was better for her mental and personality development. I was worried about the mammery cancer issue but it seems that waiting just a year or so is pretty safe. I'm going to let her go through one cycle and then a few months at least before I have her spayed.

[JudynRich]

There are many opinions on this. Weigh the pros and cons of waiting until a first or second heat and go with what is best for you and your dog. We spayed our girls at 9 and 12 months...it was hard to keep them inactive for two weeks afterwards...something I did not take into account!

[GSD Fan]

One of the books I read about German Shepherds said let a female go through her first heat cycle and then some time after that, then spay her. You want to make sure she grows up right.

But yeah, there are many opinions on this matter. I highly recommend you do research or talk to your vet.

[HeidiW]

My experience is no changes in personalty at all after spaying. I have had 4 females all spayed at 7 months old and none were fat or got aggressive, no change what so ever, all grew to be healthy standard 70 to 75 pound GSDs.

[Okie2]

I second HeidiW experience, as we had our young lady spayed at 6 months, and she too is very laided back, loves people and especially children. Her weight at just over 14 months, is 73#.

[PaddyD]

Experience with 3 females spayed at 5-6 months. All grew to normal size and were/are sweethearts.

[Navah]

I think this whole Neuter/Spay thing has become a debate in the same line as abortion, same sex marriage, politics, religion, etc. Everyone has their own opinion, and feel very strongly about what they think is right and will fight to the death to prove their point =).

I believe that if you go researching the topic BUT feel strongly on a certain side you are going to find more information on that side on the debate and pay less attention to the side of the debates you don’t agree with.

I think it comes down to lifestyle. If you can handle having an unfixed dog, protect them from having unplanned pregnancy and feel strongly about not getting them neutered, then go for it. I truly believe that most people just aren’t that responsible and careful. I have worked for rescues my entire life and have seen this myself. I am tired of having people argue with me the importance of not neutering only to have them ask me later on in life if I could find homes for their puppies “opppps”. This has happened quite a few times over the last two decades.

It all depends on how responsible you are. If you have ever had an accidental litter and are still strongly against neutering I think there is a problem there and you should reconsider you opinion. I personally will always neuter just because I am too active, my dogs go to daycare, and they have play groups, run off leash in parks and play. We are too playful for me to be so careful. I have always neutered my dogs and have never had any problems related to the cancers and bone issues they say your dog wont get with a spay or neuter.

I have a feeling there will be a million more of these threads. It’s such a hot topic right now. I really believe it comes down to responsibility and protection since from my prospective both sides pretty much have the same amount of pros and cons just to me, the chance of an accidental litter and so many irresponsible owners far outweighs any pro that keeping them intact has for me.

[kidkhmer]

I am trying to decide if I neuter my dog.....and myself !