Hello.

I have in the past had two bitches spayed.
One had had two litters but lived with an entire dog she was 5 when she was done had had 2 litters and put on weight.... but was never unhealthy.

The second was a never mated never had pups and got Pyometra at 6 1/2 and this was closed pyometra and beinga Staff too she just looked off colour for a day we took her to the vets and he said if we'd left it even a night later we would of lost her

Years ago as a family we had a cross OES who was really really full on with other dogs "Ben", after tryng the tablets to see if it would help which they did, we had him castrated. It worked he lived another 9 years until 13

Now I have Sal a Stafford bitch almost 19months old in season at the moment and it's her 3rd season. I considered breeding a litter but will NOT so I will have her spayed. I won't go through pyometrya again EVER.

Karen

I have to admit i had Mia done when she was 7 months old, before her first season, looking back i think if we get another bitch i will leave her until after her first season, not because it was the wrong thing to do but because i would like to see if having a dog spayed after or before a season makes any difference to the dog in itself.

My vet won't touch a bitch until she's had at least one season, and I do agree with him.
Storm had her first season in March. I'm toying with the idea of letting her have a second, then having her spayed. The only thing that puts me off is that Luca parades around like a Stud dog (she's a bitch too) jumping on Storm at every given opportunity ops: Shaan on the other hand is really good, he knows something is going on, but hasn't quite worked out what

Shaan was nuetered at 2. I wouldn't of had him done any earlier than that, unless there was any medical reasons to warrant it.

Luca was spayed three months after her first season.

All 5 of our males are intact, and so are our 3 females. Not a single one of them ever come into contact with each other, so I don't find it to be an issue.

We have 3 that I will have fixed.. well 2, the other is nearly 7 and I don't see a point in putting him thru surgery at this age.

I have a pet Malinois female, who is a really horrible example of the breed, she will be fixed, just because heats are a pain in the arse. Plus my dysplastic male AB will be fixed later this year.

4 of my others will be bred (hips and elbows allowing) the other one... I think she is going to a new home.. and will do so intact!

Hi Sammy

Hey you

The "castrate everything" brigade amuse me. The very people they target - the owners of dogs that breed indiscriminately - are the ones most likely not to neuter their pets regardless of whatever encouragement given.

The "castrate everything" brigade encourage people by saying its the "responsible thing to do"...and yet those folk who actively spay, paying full price at the vets, even when they only own one dog are the ones least likely to let their dog get out and mate with another dog anyway!!

Willis was not born with testicles as a cosmetic addition - nor as something to produce "unwanted behaviour" on purpose. He was born with them for a reason! A hormonal reason. If he didn't need them, he wouldnt have them. There is also far too much emphasis and expectation placed on the benefits of castration - and most owners are disappointed the effects are not the magical cure they were perhaps led to believe.

Most "male behaviours" can be trained out of the dog anyway - Willis doesn't mount, doesn't pee up things, isn't agressive, nor "dominant (another "buzz word" pet hate), but he could have been - had I tolerated unwanted puppy behaviours instead of discouraging them. I also wouldn't allow my dog out the back door to roam and mate with everything else in sight - so tell me, why should I have my dog castrated - when frankly, he doesn't deserve to go through it?

And as for vets - don't go there

Well I had Saffy spayed at 6 months and I dont regret it. I did it because a) She lives with an intact male and b) I had no intentions of breeding or showing her. My vet was happy to do it at 6 months but it was my decision and like I say I do not regret it.

I have had four bitches spayed in the past two had had litters one was done to try and improve her temperament and one due to pyometra. Clyde was done because one of his knobs had gone up and never came down but i left him until he was 18 months old. Treacle is due to be done next month as I don't intend to breed from her and she lives with Oliver who I want to keep intact as he will be shown and Tula I wnat done as I don't intend breeding from her and she is an old grot bag when she is in season. I always wait until either they have had 2 seasons or they are over 2 years old.

A Question to everybody that has both entire dogs and bitches????

How do you keep your dogs quiet when one or more of your girls are in season??