Spaying bitches

[stroller 341]

I have a little bitch kelpie x grew who is turning out to be a little cracking working dog. but she is a timid snappy dog and i dont want to pass on these undesirable traits to future generations, plus we have two stud dogs which means chaos everytime she comes into season. So the sensible thing would be to have her spayed. now ive never had a spayed working bitch will it make any difference to the dog or her abilitys??

 

Answers please folks

[Water Badger 26]

I spayed my working JRT at the age of 11 and it has not affected her working ability in any way she has suffered no wait gin and still puts her heart and soul into her work. I founf infact that it gave her a new lease of life so based on my own experience I would say do it. (i see sky cat looking so be prepared for the correct advice )

[fresh earth 47]

personaly i would never spey or neuter any dog of mine. Every dog i have seen that has been speyed has been very over weight and less ballsy i used to go with a girl with a pitbull and a staffy both got speyed and within 6 months they had lost there muscular build and doubled in weight and she fed them less than i feed my whippets. I would also say the way she is acting could be based on lack of socialisation as a puo have you had her since she was young ? i always take my pups to markets and bootsales gets them used to alot of people being around good learning curve for a pup imo.

 

Answer to the question personaly i wouldnt.

[Guest deerhound hunter]

if not for medical reason then no ,i done my bitch because medical reason and i,ve semi retired her at the age of 6 ,she was my best dog ,i,m lucky i got sons of her ,she has but weight on ,not loads ,shes lost her drive she car,nt turn as good ,so i just her for digging now

[johnrthrfrd 223]

hi keith had my bedlington bitch done and never changed her till she done her back. just had the lurcher done at 6 month hasent had any weight gain niether did the beddy.have knowne people that have had bitches speyed and made no differance to there working ability also had a couple off jr terriers and they both had there bxxxs of and never changed them.

atb john

[stroller 341]

Maggies behaviour isnt down to a lack of socialisation she as with all my dogs has been at some sort of obedience/agility class from as soon as they have completed their puppy injections and we go on organised group dog walks at least twice a month with up to 20 other dogs.She gets used to situations but as soon as it is somewhere new she is a nervous wreck again for an hour or two then she is fine. So although she is very good at the agility i wont compete with her during the summer due to the stress she is under.

 

i just keep on trying with her but she snapped at a neighbour the other day for no apparent reason, we sometimes walk the fields round here with her and her 3 labs usually with no trouble. i wouldnt get rid of her my family are all adults now and very dog aware so they can deal with it. and all of my dogs spend a good proportion of the day in the house just relaxed and they are great pets. She is very collie like in her behaviour she herds when we are out constantly dropping and giving the other dogs the collie stare thing and is a very intense worker. i allways know when there are other walkers about as she can sense them from 100s of yards away she comes back to me with hackles raised grummbling. i put her on the lead at this stage or she would be all guns blazing make runs at the other dog barking and circling in a fear/aggression attack. i am very careful not to give her any positive attention during all of this as she might take it as praise and ingrain the habit further. if anyone has any further advice i would appreciate it

[Guest chook]

No it shouldnt change them - with over all fitness,

thats down to the owner.

 

But i would question her being timid and snappy,

neutering her could sort it and make her better, but you have to realise

it could also make her a lot worse, the hormones you are removing are involved in calming and serotonin uptake therefore giving confidence to dogs that are sensitive and nervous in certain situation.

 

You could try the injection that knocks them out of season, if you feel that neutering her isnt for you.

[Caravan Monster 323]

I had my bitsa spayed when she was about 6 or 7 years as a last resort to stop what became almost perpetual phantom pregnancies. Obviously the operation sorted out the hormonal problem, and I don't think it affected her drive. She was never much of a one for biting quarry, but would still catch the occasional daytime hare on large -ish fields and tried plenty hard enough for rabbits on the lamp. Her character has never really changed, a touch dominant but very sociable and sensible around people and other dogs. Physically she was always a very light build and didn't gain weight after being spayed. She's 13 now and a bit old and creeky, but in overall sound health and disposition.

 

As an aside, one of the previous owners of this bitch had bred from her at an early age. First or second season by the sounds of it. Skycat's lurcher health book mentions that hormonal problems do seem to occur in bitches bred from at an early age, as happened in this case.

[collie/grey 238]

My 9 year old bitch has been spayed since the age of 5 years old because she came into season every 6 months on the dot and had a phantom pregnancy each and everytime which was not nice for her and incredibly annoying for me otherwise speying her would have been out of the question, she hasn't really changed at all, she hasn't gained weight although will put it on quick if not monitered, she still goes out a couple a times a week on the lamp and hasn't lost an once of gameness or speed. In my experience though (which isn't much) nervous or fear aggressive dogs aren't helped by being spayed it can in effect make them worse. But i think you are right in thinking that breeding from her would be wrong as she could imprint her behaviour onto her pups easily. All the best in whatever you decide.

[fresh earth 47]

Didnt mean to offend you or suggest that you didnt socialise your dog was just stating that 9 out of 10 dogs with these type of problems have them due to this exact reason. The way you describe her will be unlikely to change due to her being speyed but its your dog your decision as above you could give her the jag which will mean she wont come on the break and if you give her it for a prolonged period theres a very good chance she wont be able to come into season in later life... if the bottom line is you cant guarantee she wont get caught and you have other dogs then maybe you should speye her but as said its not rare for it to make them even worse .

[stroller 341]

Fresh Earth mate i wasnt offended, i was just laying out my case for getting it done, its been bothering me for a while and writing about sort of lays out the facts doesnt it.

 

i think i will go ahead i will take a vets advice on what collie gray said about it sometimes making it worse but once the season is over i have made up my mind ................probably

[Hannah4181 260]

Kody my dalmation X bitch that we're talked about before, was spayed at 6 months due to a severe uterus infection that refused to go away. Spaying at the time was her only option. She's 6 nearly 7 now and by far the best dog i've ever owned. In terms of her drive and enthusiasm for work, all be it agility, dock dogs, flyball, weight pull, long jump etc etc . . she has competed to a very high standard in all these sports since 12 months of age and still takes firsts each time she's out. She consistently gives 110% in whatever she is asked to do. :notworthy:

 

I personally would go ahead and get her spayed, the dog already has a few "collie issues" and you deal with them just fine, so a small risk of them being slightly worse is a small price to pay, compared to howling, slobbering, wobbly lipped, air humping male dogs!

[stroller 341]

Actually Hannah i remember you telling me about your bitch and i had her in mind when i was talking myself into the decision, ive seen the pictures she is a beautiful animal and certainly enjoys her work. Thanks again

[riohog 5,900]

got a collie x here she was spayed at 2/3 years old she now nearly 13 made no difference , better if you work them they dont tend to put weight on

[Hannah4181 260]

Actually Hannah i remember you telling me about your bitch and i had her in mind when i was talking myself into the decision, ive seen the pictures she is a beautiful animal and certainly enjoys her work. Thanks again

 

 

Seeing the dog she's turned into its gutting that the option to breed her was out of my control, if i had a pound for every time someone has suggested putting a grey hound over her!

 

Having said that, sometimes in life i think you just find a dog that is ace, regardless of breed or breeding from them, some are just one offs.