[Fluffyspoos]

I'm exactly with you on that, though I think a better question would be how long CAN you wait before she goes into her first heat?

I think a vet might be able to give you a better idea of how old she will be before her first heat?

 

[PonkiPoodles]

Most dogs come into heat for the first time between 6 to 8 months.

 

[Bella's Momma]

Has that been the case with your standards?

The breeder we got her from said her girls can be nearly 2 years but Bella isn't from their lines she does it a simliar diet.

 

[Purple Poodle]

If your girl is around an intact bitch she will come into heat sooner then if she is not. Case in point my girl Tuesday came in 2 months before schedual because we had a foster dog who was in heat.

To be on the safe side I would have it done at 6 months of age.

 

[jester's mom]

There are various views on this issue. I know some breeders/humane societies like to fix pups before they leave at 9 - 10 weeks. I do not agree or advise it myself, though. Most vets recommend not sooner than 6 months. If you want your girl to have all her hormones go into her system (which I think is better for the dog), then you may want to wait till she has finished her first heat cycle, but that means keeping a very close watch on her and making sure she does not have any access to males during the heat cycle. Otherwise I would have it done between 6 - 8 months old.

As far as age of first heat, different breeds and depending on if the dog is a small breed or larger breed, makes a difference on first heat age. On a general rule, a bitch can come into heat as early as 6 months and as late as 14 months. My standard female, Grace, just went through her first heat cycle last month so she was 10 1/2 months old. I have never had a dobie come into heat before 10 months old. I have found that the smaller breeds tend to have the earlier first heats and the larger breeds the later.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[Bella's Momma]

Thank you. I don't plan for her to be around any other dogs...unless she comes into contact at puppy class but I think most are likely fixed.

I just have never had a dog 'in heat' and frankly would rather not deal with it. I wouldn't have the foggiest idea what to do nor explain it to my young children! Too early for a sex ed lesson. LOL.

I am thinking around 9 months we will aim to do it then. I would rather later than earlier just to let her mature more, and b/c of hormones but I didn't realize that in order to get them she would have to have one heat. That should have been obvious, I realize now.

 

[highhorse]

Before we got Coco (toy poodle bitch), she had had two litters of puppies. She was three when she came to us. Just stroking her one day, I found a lump just behind her nipple. We decided to have the lump removed and at the same time have her spayed. The lump was a tumour but was not cancerous. However the vet said that she would need careful watching as this could occur again and may not be so successfully removed. Her advice was to have a bitch spayed as soon as possible as this early spaying was what protected them from future breast and obviously womb cancer. I would seek advice from your vet.

 

[kathyd]

I agree that you should ask your vet for advice. My vet wants to spay after 6 months but before the first heat. Murphy was spayed at 7 months. We opted to have a gastropexy done at the same time.

 

[stepanelle]

Hi, this is a topic close to my heart.

I would not have her spayed until around 3 months after her first season. I have 6 toy poodles and was brought up with 8 toy poodles. For them to get mammory tumours at a young age is unusual. I don't have my girls spayed until around 8 years! I have two children they have never noticed anything different about the dogs when they are in season; you probably won't hardly notice yourself! they only lose a little blood usually first time. I don't breed with mine until they have finished being shown at about 4 years, they have a couple of litters then spay, I am maybe lucky to not have one with a mammory tumour. I think this operation is belittled these days. It is a big op for a girl, especially a baby one. It has only become routine because they do it so much! and has it stopped all the bad people breeding for financial gain...no.

Phew!! sorry got carried away, don't start me on vaccinations!!:amen:

 

[Debbyd]

I am going to have Beau neutered at 4 months. THe vet said that would be ok. I don't want him to start marking his territory. My mom's poodle does it everywhere. Is this too early"?

 

[Harley_chik]

Deb, I think it depends on whether there are other dogs living at or visiting your home. If you have other dogs coming in and out, he will want to mark more. I think 4 months is too early, but that's JMO. If he's a smaller poo (he's mini right?) I think 6 months would be fine. I personally think it's the larger breeds that suffer more from early spay/neuter.

 

[Debbyd]

Yes he is a miniature, I hope. I was told he would be 6-7 pounds, but now he weighs about 5 pounds. I can't believe that he won't get bigger. The vet said that since his testicles had come down that it would be ok to do at 4 months. Do you think it would traumatize him? I sure don't want to do that. Thanks for your help Debby

 

[stepanelle]

I guess it is a bit different in the US, I am not sure many vets do that over in the UK, maybe just the bigger practices that spay/neuturing/vacc is their bread and butter.

Scent marking is a house training issue, my 2 boys never scent mark, just don't let them wander around the house without you, my dogs are normally with me which ever room I am in. But Eric and Dom won't mark even in someone elses house, it is really what you let them away with.

In my grooming salon we have some dogs that come in thinking they can piddle up what they fancy, we soon stop them and their owners often can't believe they are clean when we have them here.

Being firm and watchful is often all that is required with a young dog, they soon learn the way.

Obviously this is just my opinion but I have owned poodles for 40 years of my 43 years and been a groomer of all breeds for 22 years.

 

[Debbyd]

Thanks. I do keep a watch on him now and will especially now. Debby

 

[Harley_chik]

Yes he is a miniature, I hope. I was told he would be 6-7 pounds, but now he weighs about 5 pounds. I can't believe that he won't get bigger. The vet said that since his testicles had come down that it would be ok to do at 4 months. Do you think it would traumatize him? I sure don't want to do that. Thanks for your help Debby

Since Poodles are classified by height, I'm not sure how much a toy/miniature should way. Most toy breeds are supposed to be around 7lbs or under, so I would think a Mini would way a bit more. Maybe 10-15lbs?

 

[Purple Poodle]

Since Poodles are classified by height, I'm not sure how much a toy/miniature should way. Most toy breeds are supposed to be around 7lbs or under, so I would think a Mini would way a bit more. Maybe 10-15lbs?

My Toy weights 10 pounds and she is at normal height. Miniature Poodles are a medium sized dog and should be around 15-35 pounds when grown.

 

[Harley_chik]

My Toy weights 10 pounds and she is at normal height. Miniature Poodles are a medium sized dog and should be around 15-35 pounds when grown.

Thanks for that! I was honestly just guessing based on the weight for other toy breeds. I have a 10lb Maltese myself, but the Malt standard says under 7lbs. I have never been around a Mini ever. Just toys and a few Spoos. I find it amazing how big Spoos look, yet most are pretty light weight. SIL's spoo is taller than my Rottie, yet I can pick him up!

(I can't believe I mispelled weigh!)

 

[Mister]

Yes definately BEFORE her first heat cycle....usually around 6 months. I rescued a female Chihuahua and she wasnt spayed so i had it done but she is at leadt 10 so im hoping she wont get any kind of cancer or have it affect her in the future. Better to just get it over with asap.

 

[Bella's Momma]

Oh goodness, so many differing opinions of course. LOL.

We've asked the vet. I think she said 6 mos b/c she said she didn't think there was a lot of evidence that waiting until her first heat would make a lot of health difference and "it would only make everyone miserable." And this is a holistic vet we drive nearly 30 minutes to see. So I really don't know what to think, to be honest.

My cousin waited for his dog to have her first heat (eeks! Bella was with her yesterday, but she wasn't in heat - is this a risk that she could go into it! She's not been fixed yet). Their rescue was done early and they felt it had compromised her health as her "insides weren't matured." Neither are poodles, though.