Its not ideal, but its done here a good deal of the time and honestly haven't seen any ill effects. I will say that the larger breed dogs tend to be longer legged/taller than they maybe might have been, but no more of them have HD or other problems because of it.

I don't know what your overpopulation situation is like over there, but here, millions of healthy, wonderful animals are dying in shelters every year because their aren't enough homes and too many are allowed to breed indiscriminantly. In an ideal world, everyone could be trusted to be responsible and prevent unwanted pregnancy. Unfortunately, this world is far from ideal, and rescue groups are spaying/neutering before adoption to provide the only 100% full proof option of preventing more unwanted pets. The benefits outweigh any risk.

In fact, puppies recover from the surgery so much faster and more easily than adults. Not saying its ideal by any means, but I don't believe it does any harm.

Apparently neutering very early is the norm in Australia.

Is this the weim x husky litter? If so mum has been rehomed by a friend of someone on the weim forum.

I hope they find experienced and dedicated homes for those pups.

Thats the ones ..
Gonna need active homes from what i read...

hmm yes of course the knee jerk reaction says that is far too young
But if there are no problems later in life and it 100% prevents the dogs being bred from then I guess I dont have a problem with it
Totaly agree its sick that us humans are so irresponsable that it is needed

I know around here although the rescues contract say puppies have to be returned for their free spay at 6 months old people do put it off to squeeze a litter out of the puppies
Someone even tried to trick me into getting Ben to mate their bitch when he was 5 months old because they thought he was such a great dog they wanted a litter from him before I 'ruined' him (thankfully I spotted she was inheat and Ben didnt have a clue what to do)

But what is worse - a op the puppies recover from fairly quickly
or breeding from them at 5 months old to 'beat the spay'

If it helps stopping them breeding go for it. At the end of te day how many animals are pts due to lack of homes?
ATD x

because the pups weren't released to their new homes until they were 14 weeks and had lived in kennels until that time.

i realised that but.

but wondered why you thought that didnt mean socialisation?

i ask as i worked in rescue

Many small dog breeders don't allow pups to go until they are 12-14 weeks old we don't say they are unsocialised.

It's not a general comment, but one specifically aimed at a particular kennels, one which doesn't socialise it's pups. And it is not alone either. The pups were not allowed to be fostered as the kennel manager believed they would be vulnerable to infection.

Pre puberty neutering can & does have both physical & behavioural side affects.

The growth plates in the long bones(legs)require require tostesterone/estrogen to trigger timeous closure. Neutering prepubertal dogs delays the closure of the physeal plates, the area of the bone where growth occurs. This allows the continuance of bone growth, resulting in larger or taller dogs.

There is a marginally higher risk on enlarged prostate in early neutered males & a higher rate of incontinency in females if the are neutered before they have a season

There is the behavioural side affect of puppy behaviour continuing into adulthood.

Unfortnately society sees the use of an invasive procedure pre puberty as a contraception & replacement of responsible dog ownership as increasing acceptable & the "responsible"thing to do.