[Purple Poodle]

The down side to waiting until the bitch "matures" is the risk of the bitch becoming pregnant.

I like to see the majority of dogs of either gender altered by 6 months of age.

You will get many reasons form many different places with many different explanations of why you should or shouldn't spay or neuter at a certain age.

 

[Purple Poodle]

This is just me, but w/ a standard I would wait longer. There have been studies (I'm sure you can find them w/ google) linking early spay/neuter w/ HD.

Hip dysplasia is HEREDITARY it is not caused by early spaying or neutering. The people who did this so called "study" used dogs who were not tested for HD and used breeds who are known for bad hips, I believe it was Airedales.

Just spay your dog before its first heat cycle and she should be just fine.

 

[Purple Poodle]

Considering everything I read so far and being a biologist, I know that I personally would wait till 8 mos to a year at least - possibly longer.

Removing ANY gland in the body has tremendous effect on the development of any animal and downplaying that fact is silly, in my humble opinion.

Just because we do not see effects with the naked eye, does not mean that they are not happening.

Anybody who went through a puberty, pregnancy or menopause should "reflect" and would get just a glimpse of how much sex-hormones effect the body AND the brain.

Yes but dogs not are not human and its unfair to compare them to one another.

As I have stated before I have any many dogs spayed or neutered at all ages and I have to say I prefer to have it done young, between 4 and 6 months. Temperament and health wise.

Yes if affects them but the pros far outweigh the cons, especially in America.

If you as a dog owner and can be absolutely SURE you can keep your dog from becoming pregnant or from impregnating another dog then by all means wait until its about a year or so but for 95% of people its not possible so I would rather risk some small complications that might never happen then adding to the pet population.