My doberman is currently 6 months old and hasn’t been spayed just yet. I would prefer her to get spayed because I don’t want to take any chances. The breeder I got her from kept on stressing how I should wait until 18 months because of hormones and how it will mess with her growth development if I spay her early. The first vet I saw before I moved cities said the same thing about waiting until she’s 18 months. I just got to meet her new vet in our new city and she said I should do it now at 6 months instead of later. I guess I just want to hear from other doberman owners and hear your options on this topic.
It has come to light in the last few years that early spay and neuter in dogs is causing a lot of problems. The hormones produced to go from puppyhood to adulthood develops the body both physically and mentally. When those hormones are stopped all that development stops as well. If you are a responsible owner and your dog lives in the house with you there should be no accidental breedings. I agree with your breeder that 18 months is more ideal.
LifeofRubie
Moderator
So... vets have been conditioned to recommend "early" spay and neuter because most pet owners are not of the responsible type, which is a very broad generalization but not inaccurate, I think.
At least 18 months is ideal for females but it does come with additional responsibility (as your pup will likely have 2-3 heat cycles before then).
Really, it's not a super huge burden unless you have intact male dogs in the same household; then it becomes a bit more tricky but totally doable. Is this your situation? You say you don't want to take any chances so curious about what situation, exactly, you're concerned with?
At least 18 months is ideal for females but it does come with additional responsibility (as your pup will likely have 2-3 heat cycles before then).
Really, it's not a super huge burden unless you have intact male dogs in the same household; then it becomes a bit more tricky but totally doable. Is this your situation? You say you don't want to take any chances so curious about what situation, exactly, you're concerned with?
Your breeder and original vet are correct about waiting until at least 18 months since it can really mess up the hormones while they're growing. Our female is 6.5 months now and I won't even consider it until she's 18 - 24 months. Our breeder also has it in the contract that they can't be spayed until 2 years unless there's a special circumstance.
Rits
Hot Topics Subscriber
You'll be amazed at how much they need those hormones to mature. She will still be very much a baby in maturity, body and mind, until 2-3 years old!! I would not spay any girls younger than 2.
Just under 6 months
9 months
1 year
18 months (has had at least 2 heat cycles by here but huge difference since 12 months!)
A month under 2 years and has had 4 heat cycles
Just under 3 years old
Most recent, 3 years old.
If you watch certain aspects of my girl's body, mostly her chest and depth of body, you'll see it all mature more and more. Hopefully this helps! I always thought she looked so mature in person when she was a year old until the next time I saw a picture of her a bit older, and then again a bit older. Its amazing and you don't realize until you compare and see it from an outside perspective!!
As far as managing an intact girl it isn't much more complicated than managing one that isnt intact. When you let her outside, you don't leave her out there, its normal part of being a responsible pet parent! When she comes in heat, she will visually be puffy in the rear and be leaking. Start your count for 21 days. But if you want to be super safe you can consider a month. She can be a normal dog just don't leave her unattended anywhere. For me, that just meant when mine are going potty for 2 minutes. If you have an intact male you can send him away to a trusted friend or crate and rotate.
Just under 6 months
9 months
1 year
18 months (has had at least 2 heat cycles by here but huge difference since 12 months!)
A month under 2 years and has had 4 heat cycles
Just under 3 years old
Most recent, 3 years old.
If you watch certain aspects of my girl's body, mostly her chest and depth of body, you'll see it all mature more and more. Hopefully this helps! I always thought she looked so mature in person when she was a year old until the next time I saw a picture of her a bit older, and then again a bit older. Its amazing and you don't realize until you compare and see it from an outside perspective!!
As far as managing an intact girl it isn't much more complicated than managing one that isnt intact. When you let her outside, you don't leave her out there, its normal part of being a responsible pet parent! When she comes in heat, she will visually be puffy in the rear and be leaking. Start your count for 21 days. But if you want to be super safe you can consider a month. She can be a normal dog just don't leave her unattended anywhere. For me, that just meant when mine are going potty for 2 minutes. If you have an intact male you can send him away to a trusted friend or crate and rotate.
Olive already has a place to go (Tina's) when she comes in so that will make it much easier.
Rits
Hot Topics Subscriber
I'd normally suggest the in heat female stays with the owner so no accidents happen but I know Tina knows what she is doing.
Took my Dobermans to numerous vets in their younger years and all of them wanted to spay as early as 3-6 months. They are so conditioned to push spay and neuter that they don’t relay how important it is for the younger pups to grow and mature with male/female hormones.
It’s so asinine because it really puts the young pup in a less than favorable situation to mature naturally and fully…
No earlier than 18months.
It’s so asinine because it really puts the young pup in a less than favorable situation to mature naturally and fully…
No earlier than 18months.
Opinions, opinions, opinions every Vet and everyone else has one on this topic. My consensus led me to believe that go through at least one heat cycle. So my Vet suggested going through the first and waiting a few months and getting it done before the second cycle. My girl had her's done at 15 months. That said I definitely would not go before her first heat cycle.
Yes she does and with her intact females one could happen to be in heat so it wouldn't help her situation to send Elroy there.
kaloric
Well-Known Member
My first Dobe was spayed at just over 2 years old, right before I got her. By the time she was 8, she had noticeable spay incontinence. By the time she was 10 through when she died at almost 12, I had many army surplus blankets on the bed and her favorite chair, and was laundering them as needed, usually a few times a week, and she'd void her entire bladder in her sleep on occasion.
It's a common problem in larger breeds, almost guaranteed if you spay before 2 years old. Yes, you can reduce the severity with medications, but sex hormones are important for development and overall health.
Vets and others lie all the time, saying that spaying or neutering won't cause animals to have trouble maintaining a healthy body weight or being lazy, of course it causes them significant challenges in that department, just as when women hit menopause and men are at higher risk of low-testosterone problems in middle age and start suffering from a host of unpleasant symptoms-- it's orders of magnitude worse when deprived of those hormones at a younger age. It requires a lot of owner involvement to keep spayed & neutered pets from getting obese and staying active. The hormones help them accurately regulate food intake, even with free-choice food, and keep them self-motivated as far as exercise.
If you can manage keeping her away from intact dogs and dealing with blood spotting and odors, you could hold-off on spaying until 6+ years. Dog panties & diapers are good for all of these things, but vigilance is still required. You also need to be extra vigilant in later years in the weeks following each active heat cycle, because pyometra becomes a significant, life-threatening risk. My second Dobe girl needed an urgent spay due to pyometra when she was about 9 years of age, and I definitely think I let that go too long. It would've been horrible had I not been on the lookout for the worrisome symptoms and gotten her to the vet quickly.
The other risk is breast cancer. The only way to reduce that risk to near zero is to spay before the first heat cycle, and as previously mentioned, that has a lot of very undesirable side effects. It's just another thing that requires vigilance, feeling for lumps while giving belly rubs and dealing with ones that are too hard, irregular, or grow too fast very quickly.
If you have a vet in your area that does ovary-sparing-spay, in which they only remove the uterus, that may be a really good option. Not many like doing that for whatever reason, but an OSS at least preserves most of the sex hormones that are required for a good hormonal balance, I don't think it causes spay incontinence from what I've heard, and it obviously prevents the risks of pregnancy and pyometra.
It's a common problem in larger breeds, almost guaranteed if you spay before 2 years old. Yes, you can reduce the severity with medications, but sex hormones are important for development and overall health.
Vets and others lie all the time, saying that spaying or neutering won't cause animals to have trouble maintaining a healthy body weight or being lazy, of course it causes them significant challenges in that department, just as when women hit menopause and men are at higher risk of low-testosterone problems in middle age and start suffering from a host of unpleasant symptoms-- it's orders of magnitude worse when deprived of those hormones at a younger age. It requires a lot of owner involvement to keep spayed & neutered pets from getting obese and staying active. The hormones help them accurately regulate food intake, even with free-choice food, and keep them self-motivated as far as exercise.
If you can manage keeping her away from intact dogs and dealing with blood spotting and odors, you could hold-off on spaying until 6+ years. Dog panties & diapers are good for all of these things, but vigilance is still required. You also need to be extra vigilant in later years in the weeks following each active heat cycle, because pyometra becomes a significant, life-threatening risk. My second Dobe girl needed an urgent spay due to pyometra when she was about 9 years of age, and I definitely think I let that go too long. It would've been horrible had I not been on the lookout for the worrisome symptoms and gotten her to the vet quickly.
The other risk is breast cancer. The only way to reduce that risk to near zero is to spay before the first heat cycle, and as previously mentioned, that has a lot of very undesirable side effects. It's just another thing that requires vigilance, feeling for lumps while giving belly rubs and dealing with ones that are too hard, irregular, or grow too fast very quickly.
If you have a vet in your area that does ovary-sparing-spay, in which they only remove the uterus, that may be a really good option. Not many like doing that for whatever reason, but an OSS at least preserves most of the sex hormones that are required for a good hormonal balance, I don't think it causes spay incontinence from what I've heard, and it obviously prevents the risks of pregnancy and pyometra.
Kswoodssue
Hot Topics Subscriber
I cannot tell you what is best. We were barely at 18 months when our girl was spayed. She had only had 1 heat at 10 months. If it had been up to me I would not have spayed at all, but my husband was absolutely insistent. I can tell you the changes I see in her behavior. First, she had always been a picky eater, and still is, but she gets HUNGRY now! Also, she is a bit more guarded with some people, a bit more moody. Having been through menopause, I can certainly understand. Perhaps it is just maturing, but I don’t see any reason to not suspect that lack of hormones does effect change. Good luck with your decision.
Fightingprussian
Jr Member
What a beautiful girl! Wow
