I honestly wanted to wait until Belle was over 1 yr to have her spayed because I do not let her outside alone and my shih tzu is already neutered so there was no chance of any "oops" litter. She went into her first heat right at 6 months and unfortunately she had an issue that caused her to stay in heat for almost 2 months and the easiest way to treat it was to spay her since I didn't intend to ever breed her.
I had a female schipperke and she was 2 years old when I spayed her (again No puppies for her either) I wouldn't leave a female intact for any longer than 2 or 3 years because I'd be afraid of pyo (had a cat with that issue - $1000 spay surgery and I was so scared she was going to die)
I had a beautiful male shep/rottie/lab mix, adopted as a puppy when I worked at the local animal shelter. I was pro early spay/neuter then and he was exactly 5 months old when he was neutered. He ended up just as the link Gemy provided described : narrow skull, very long legs, narrow but deep ribcage, and SEVERE hip dysplasia. He did live to be 14 years old, but I wonder what his life would have been like if I'd waited until he was at least a year old to have him neutered.
Oh, wanted to add that Oliver was neutered at just under 6 months and he never lifted his leg until he was about a year old. Now he marks outside when on walks and during the 2 months that Belle was in heat he marked my dining room table legs.
__________________ Melissa and Belle  |