WildFlower Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hi everyone, Devon, my new pup, is about 5 months old and not fixed yet. (I am waiting as long as I can to do that with him.) My mom has an unfixed female pup, Holly. She is almost 9 months old. My mom will have her fixed as soon as she is done with her first heat. I DO NOT want any accidents to take place with these two. I have read on here that it only takes a matter of seconds for two dogs to couple. Is Devon "sexually" mature already? At what age does that happen generally? Any advice aside from keeping them separated? THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Don't take any chances. I know a 5 month old dog that sired a litter. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 The youngest dog I have heard of to sire a litter was 3.5 months old. Keep those pups away from each other if you don't want any accidents. There isn't any other way to do it without taking a risk of puppies. Panties on the female will not stop accidents. Dogs will even breed through fences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 if you want less worry you can have your vet do a vasectomy on your boy. That way he can be left ot mature with full hormones, but without worries on your part about missing the signs on heat on his playmate. The cost for a vasectomy on a dog here is about the same as a neuter. a fyi, you really shouldn't have a female spayed immediately after her heat. It's best to wait about 3 months until she is completely anestrus and her hormones are at their lowest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks everyone. Confirmed what I thought.... I am checking into the vasectomy option but so far no one around here does it - still waiting to hear back from two places, including my actual vet. But have gotten lots of lectures on how it doesn't matter if you spay/neuter at six months.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Vicki, Is there a particular reason that your mother wants her pup to go through a heat? I've always erred on the side of fixing females before their first heat based on the increased risk of mammary cancer. Just wondering. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Vicki,Is there a particular reason that your mother wants her pup to go through a heat? I've always erred on the side of fixing females before their first heat based on the increased risk of mammary cancer. Just wondering. Lisa I have been told while, at a vet tech convention by oncology people, that spaying before the first does not lower the incidence of mammary cancer. From what they have seen as long as you spay them before 18 months of age they have the same incidence of mammary cancer. Once they are over 18 months of age then their chances of cancer increases. So just be sure to spay before 18 months of age to lower their chances of cancer. Not that I would advocate that most people wait that long as it also increases the chances of an accidental breeding too if you're not prepared to take the necessary precautions. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Vicki,Is there a particular reason that your mother wants her pup to go through a heat? I've always erred on the side of fixing females before their first heat based on the increased risk of mammary cancer. Just wondering. Lisa I am not exactly sure but I think it was something that the farmer that we got our first bc told her (back in 1990). That if you spay before their first heat they aren't "mature". She would be spayed shortly after her first heat - definitely not over 18 months of age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I am guessing the local vets don't want to do it in case there is a failure, which is rare but it happens (tissue repairs itself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I am not exactly sure but I think it was something that the farmer that we got our first bc told her (back in 1990). That if you spay before their first heat they aren't "mature". Not in my experience. I think individual personality plays a much bigger role. Some dogs, even when left intact, never seem to grow up. I can think of quite a few humans that applies to as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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