Molly (my working cocker spaniel)  is currently an unspayed bitch.   We got some great advice on here a couple of years ago regarding spaying as we were given so much conflicting advice by our vet etc.

We were advised either at least 2 - 3 seasons with many people saying not at all if there were no issues regarding contact with entire dogs. We decided to go with not spaying her after lots of research.  We haven't and never will breed from her.

My dilemma now is that we are looking to get a new pup to join the family.  I would like a male dog (not adverse to getting another bitch though) but what is the best thing to do? :(
Do we spay Molly (I am potentially looking to show the new pup so is it best to leave him entire?) I would feel bad spaying her just because of selfish reasons that I would like a male dog.
Do we neuter the new pup? and would this affect showing?
Do we just get a bitch?

I have never had 2 dogs so how would 2 unspayed bitches cope?

I would really appreciate any advice

Thank you
Ali
:)

This can depend from breed to breed but personally I wouldnt recommend mixing the sexes. It isnt easy, (on humans or dogs) even for the well experienced, to have dogs & bitches together. For this reason, I always recommend keeping to single sex households.
I havent gone into too much depth on reasons..to keep my reply short.

I've mixed sexes and have found that so long as the boys know where she is and can see her they are fine. I use crates and mine are all used to sleeping in crates. When she's in season I operate a strict one dog out at a time policy. Alot depends on your dogs temp and breed tbh. This works for me

I had two bitch retrievers together as family dogs, I'm not a breeder. There was about 13 months between them and I was very aware of problems due to having two females dogs in the same household if they decided they didn't like each other. However they got along fine. I think it depends on the personality of your dog. My older dog was very easy going and also on the shy side and benefited from a dog companion to help her shyness. They only spat they had was when the puppy stuck her head in the older dogs food bowl and was told off good and proper. Never anything after that, best of friends.

I wouldn't leave a bitch unspayed for life what with the risk of pyometra, hence any I am not going to breed from (be it ever or again) is spayed.

If you want to show a male, he needs to keep his 'bits'.

I have both entire dogs and un-spayed bitches. One of my dogs copes really well, and he will relax if he is in a different room and can not see her (unlike above poster). My other entire dog refused to eat for 10 days and lost a lot of weight when his mother came in to season last time, so I will have to make alternative arrangements for when she is in season again.

It's not easy and everyone in the household has to follow the routine. My bitch reverses to the baby gate and flicks her tail for the boys from day 3 of her season. I'd avoided having a mix of sexes for over 20 years, but then decided I wanted to breed my own litter, that's when life became more complicated!

Balibee spay the bitch, I would never not spay a bitch not being used for showing or potential breeding purposes, cuts down the risk of mammary cancer and pyo, the biggest killers of bitches. Coats can be compromised and weight if not watched, but with a Working Cocker they are pretty active dogs anyway and depending on lines, (as you can get different coat textures) the coat usually does not get affected at all.

If you are to show your future male pup, (obviously not a Working Cocker :-D ) he will need to be intact.  It will cause him too much stress living with an entire female and chances are he or she will become a houdini and they will get to each other anyway. You can take the chance by separating them.... or send him away when she comes in, but it is risky......but some people do it with no problems.

Personally, I would rather get a male to go with a young bitch as sometimes bitches do not hit it off and it cuts down that risk, but if a breeder can help you to match personalities that can be avoided if you go to a knowledgeable breeder, it is all swings and roundabouts, but if it were me, I would spay your bitch and get your male pup and start to enjoy the world of showing. :-)

If you have no plans for a litter from her then I'd get her done, do not get him done if you wish to show!!
I have one of each, neither done and all was fine(obviously keeping them apart at the right times) until the last season when my boy couldn't cope and turned his attentions on me, serious humping and it wasn't funny either, he killed my Hoover by taking hold of that too... Not had any eating walls or doors but I've heard that to happen.
He's back on Suprelorin now and hoping her next season means him being calmer...

It can be managed if you have the family on board and the ability to separate them when the time arises :-)

I have a mixed household of both sexes.  Entire bitches, spayed bitches, entire males, one castrated male.

I don't castrate a male by choice, only if medically required.  I don't spay my bitches too young - my vet bites his tongue.  But all bitches are spayed eventually. 

I would get your bitch done about 3 months after a season.  And keep the male entire.

You do need to have an excellent routine if keeping both sexes entire.

Thank you all for your input.  I have been chatting with hubby and we are going to have Molly spayed after listening to your stories and look for a male Gordon pup with the intention of keeping him entire and learning all about ring craft and the showing world.

Even though I am still involved with horses I have had to give up riding due to having Ankylosing Spondylitis  so this will really give me something to get my teeth into and the chance to learn something new.

I have so many questions about showing but I will post them in the relevant sections :)

Once again, thank you for your replies.  Although I have always had a dog,  it makes you realise how little you actually know about them and how invaluable experienced advice is :)

I would get Molly spayed once she is fully mature. 

Male dogs are allowed to be shown, but will rarely do well (other than in veteran classes if done later in life for health reasons). 

Not only have they an obvious fault according to the standard, they will not have the full male characteristics, muscle, shape etc of their entire competitors, unless neutered later in life.

Hi Barbara

Thank you for your reply. My question is what is fully mature? Molly is 2 years 8 months and has has 3 seasons only.  Would she be considered mature?

:) 

Yes as I would expect a cocker size dog to be fully mature by then both physically and importantly mentally.

With my own slow maturing somewhat larger breed I consider them truly fully mature at 3 - 4, but if I was to be spaying a non breeding bitch 2 - 3 would be old enough.

Oh Ali
I've just looked at your photos of Molly.  What a little sweetheart.  :-)

Thank you JeanSW :)  They are so old, she was so tiny! I haven't used photobucket for so long.  I have uploaded a few recent ones. She is an absolute poppet :)