A friend of mine is considering spaying her dog BEFORE her first Season.  I feel that a dog should complete it's physical cycle in growing up, and then 3 months afterwards be spayed.

Please could I have your views on spaying BEFORE this completion process has finished?

Grateful thanks.

Completely agree.  For me it is like ging a 9 year old an ovariohysterectomy and expecting it to have no effect.  It does effect the growth pattern of the long bones, musculature, and in many people's opinions influences mental/emotional development (the Peter Pan effect) though this is anectdotal evidencxe, no studies having been performed on dogs mental maturity. 

With purebred bitches it is easier to compare metal traits and IMO bitches spayed young retain an (to me) irritaitng infantile mannet.

A puppy bred by a friend of mine, but sold to a home close to me was speyed on the vets advice under 5 months of age.  She is now 18 months old (ish) and is physically and mentally immature.  She has little 'body',  never grew tummy coat and is clingy and whiney (sound awful, she is a sweety too,just very "I want")  Another member of their family has one of my pups almost the same age, and when they get together this little girls is so subservient (not a  usual trait of the breed).  She comes to me for grooming and has very little self confidence.  Of course, she could have developed this way unspeyed, but it is not typical of the breed or the family lines.  I do feel that the pup needs some maturity.  Also not in favour of GA being administered to a puppy if it can be avoided.
bye
Gwen

I probably wouldn't have a bitch spayed at 5 months but my last 3 girls were all done at approx 10 months and hadn't had a season.  My Afghan is nine now and has a MUCH nicer coat than her sister who was spayed later.  Not woolly at all.  One collie has only just been done but the older one also has a lovely silky shiny coat.  As for infantile behaviour, I think it is very difficult to say if they would have been different dogs if they hadn't been spayed before a first season.  I certainly have no regrets about having them done.

Sally

I wouldn't consider it. Only bitch in my breed I know who was done that early never seemed mature physically or mentally - another very "whiny" bitch.

I dont know different forums different info, only yesterday I was on a boxer forum where I was told I was acting irresponsibly for not having my 6 month old white boxer speyed now rather than after her first season.  I said I had been informed by the vet that some dogs dont mature if done before the first season acting on this I arranged that as soon as she had her first season I would arrange a speying.

I do try to do whats right for my dogs but its so difficult with conflicting views.

I wouldn't hesitate, seen loads done young, no problems, its the "norm" in the States to castrate and spey before 6mths.
Dawn.

I have had two Boxer bitches spayed prior to their first seasons. They both matured, physically and mentally, perfectly normally. It made no difference at all to their behaviour, temperament, or appearance.

There are so many conflicting views on spaying.If your friend believes she is unable to to keep her dog safe during seasons and teach her family to close doors and not leave the dog unsupervised when outside for 3 weeks, then for the dogs sake get her spayed.She will be irresponsible allowing a pup to become pregnant.Personally i will not be spaying my dog untill she is two which is the minimum recommended breeding age for my dog.Thought process being if she old enough physically and mentally for pups shes old enough for such an op.Through the maze of information out there im comftable with my decission and guest the difference in pysical growth and maturaty between my dogs first and second season has been enourmous few dog will have fully grown 3 months after there first season.

Well after careful consideration and much expert opinion I have booked Saffy in to be spayed next tuesday. 

I don't believe in spaying before at least one season and my vet shares the same view.

This has been illustrated with my new pup.  Grace has had a few occasions where she has had "leaks" which range from spotting to not being able to hold herself at all.

My vet is convinced this will settle when she has had her first season.  He explained to me that the urinary tract is immature before maturity develops and can be prone to infection.  When Grace picks up a slight infection, this then inflames the bladder and sends a signal to the brain to empty it then she gets in a position where she cannot hold herself.  Until maturity settles this, she will sadly be prone to these infections.

I was also speaking to a friend of mine who has serious incontinence problems with a bitch of hers, she was spayed at 5 months old. 

Ah but Boxers never mature anyway :D :D :D

deffinatley a NO No from my last litter one bitch was spayed by her owner she was one of the larger bitches as a pup and ended up small and still looked puppy like at one year when the others lookeed fully mature ,she was spayed at 6 months way before her first season as they are usually between 10-12 months in my breed:)

I agree.  I would not recommend spaying before the first season.  It is not only external growth that hasnt been reached it is also internal.  I have seen so many bitches and dogs that have been spayed or castrated far too young.  They never had the chance to grow or mature.  I know some vets say it is for the best but there are many more that will tell you to "wait" until at least the bitch has had her first season.

As I can look after my bitches, prevent them getting out or pregnant, I would never consider neutering one at such a young age.  Unless for medical reasons I would want to wait until a bitch was at least two years old when she is mature enough to have pups.

The rumour is (having never found the actual reports) that if you neuter a bitch before her first seasons he won't get mammary cancer.  This is just one cancer out of 100's (1,000's?)  that dogs can get so it would not be a deciding factor for me.