When is my female Brittany fully mature?

[royta]

To maintain harmony in the home, I need to spay my female Brittany. However, I'm waiting until she reaches full maturity. At what age is this on a Brittany? I've heard talk of 18 to 24 months with various breeds of dogs, but that age includes large labs and GSP's. What about a standard sized Brittany?

I've read this thread, viewtopic.php?t=45065, but never did it address maturity of a Brittany.

[ezzy333]

Somewhere around 2 years but she will look mature before that.

[Neil]

Ezzy is right, but it does depend some on how you measure maturity. She will be sexually mature around 9 months, physically at 18 months, some don't gain mental/emotional until nearly 3. But there is so much variances in lines and breeds I don't worry about it,

Neil

[royta]

She's 20 months old now and I want to make sure her growth plates are done doing their thing.

I'm on the mend from a bad injury last January and I'm not yet able to help like I used to. My Brittany was last in season in March (first season in Nov 2013 & second in Mar 2014...strange) and my wife DOES NOT want to deal with this a third time.

[cjhills]

She's 20 months old now and I want to make sure her growth plates are done doing their thing.

I'm on the mend from a bad injury last January and I'm not yet able to help like I used to. My Brittany was last in season in March (first season in Nov 2013 & second in Mar 2014...strange) and my wife DOES NOT want to deal with this a third time.

Do it now, the chance of mammary cancer increases with the number of heat periods. No need to wait especially. with inconsistent periods....Cj

[cjhills]

She's 20 months old now and I want to make sure her growth plates are done doing their thing.

I'm on the mend from a bad injury last January and I'm not yet able to help like I used to. My Brittany was last in season in March (first season in Nov 2013 & second in Mar 2014...strange) and my wife DOES NOT want to deal with this a third time.

Do it now, the chance of mammary cancer increases with the number of heat periods. No need to wait especially. with inconsistent periods....Cj

[RayGubernat]

She's 20 months old now and I want to make sure her growth plates are done doing their thing.

I'm on the mend from a bad injury last January and I'm not yet able to help like I used to. My Brittany was last in season in March (first season in Nov 2013 & second in Mar 2014...strange) and my wife DOES NOT want to deal with this a third time.

You are probably fine with a spay at this point, but just remember, there will be a 2 wk. recovery period from the spay procedure, give or take. I f the dog pulls out staples or stitches, there may be a couple extra trips to the vet.

I love Elizabethan collars on dogs... they are such fun to deal with.

RayG

[mnaj_springer]

I did a lot of research on this recently and found no drawbacks to spaying a female after 6 months and before the first heat cycle. In fact, it reduces the chance of breast cancer to less then 1%.

[10Sam29]

At the time of her spay, request the Vet to "invert" the stitches. It might make things a bit easier.

CB

[dog dr]

if shes already been in heat twice, then those growth plates are closed. shes "mature", physiologically anyway.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

It doesn't matter how many times they come in season. Wait until she has fully developed which is usually after 2 yrs and possibly closer to 3.

[mnaj_springer]

It doesn't matter how many times they come in season. Wait until she has fully developed which is usually after 2 yrs and possibly closer to 3.

What's the advantage to waiting? It seems like all the research points the other direction.

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

You need to do some more research manaj

[mnaj_springer]

Vonzeppelin, I have done the research. If you have a source that I could read, I would gladly do it. But your comment was otherwise pointless.

Brazosvalley I sincerely want to hear your answer

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

Oh I forgot you yrs of experience & endless knowledge!!

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

They need their hormones to be considered "mature". That doesn't happen until atleast 2yrs old.

[ezzy333]

Listen to the Dog Doctor. Two heat sessions and she is basically mature physically though she still may have some mental growing yet. And her body is producing all the hormones by that time. I just think it is easier to just say 2 years old and let it go.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

Listen to the Dog Doctor. Two heat sessions and she is basically mature physically though she still may have some mental growing yet. And her body is producing all the hormones by that time. I just think it is easier to just say 2 years old and let it go.

With all due respect, I have females that didn't go into heat until after 18 months of age. We don't consider hips mature until 2.

Its not just mental, they haven't matured before at least 2.

[mnaj_springer]

They need their hormones to be considered "mature". That doesn't happen until atleast 2yrs old.

Ok. Now I wonder what you mean by mature since it was in quotations haha. Physically? Mentally?

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

BOTH!!

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

BOTH!!

Yep, both.

[mnaj_springer]

Thanks Brazo

[ezzy333]

Listen to the Dog Doctor. Two heat sessions and she is basically mature physically though she still may have some mental growing yet. And her body is producing all the hormones by that time. I just think it is easier to just say 2 years old and let it go.

With all due respect, I have females that didn't go into heat until after 18 months of age. We don't consider hips mature until 2.

Its not just mental, they haven't matured before at least 2.

I agree with the 2 year age. They used it for the hips because it can be verified while heat periods can not. And your statement shows exactly what we are saying. A dog that doesn't have a heat period till 18 months is usually a slow mature. However, there are other reasons that effect that timing also.

Ezzy

[dog dr]

They need their hormones to be considered "mature". That doesn't happen until atleast 2yrs old.

If the dog has had 2 heat cycles, trust me, the hormones are present in full force. Hormones are what causes a heat cycle. Chronological age has no bearing on physiologic maturity; its all based on hormone production and how those hormones affect the body. Yes, some start later than others, some start earlier, but you would be hard pressed to find any difference between a dog that has been in heat twice and one that has been in heat 10 times, beyond the normal degrading changes due to aging.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

They need their hormones to be considered "mature". That doesn't happen until atleast 2yrs old.

If the dog has had 2 heat cycles, trust me, the hormones are present in full force. Hormones are what causes a heat cycle. Chronological age has no bearing on physiologic maturity; its all based on hormone production and how those hormones affect the body. Yes, some start later than others, some start earlier, but you would be hard pressed to find any difference between a dog that has been in heat twice and one that has been in heat 10 times, beyond the normal degrading changes due to aging.

Thanks Bro. When do Males mature since they don't have "heat" cycles.

[dog dr]

They need their hormones to be considered "mature". That doesn't happen until atleast 2yrs old.

If the dog has had 2 heat cycles, trust me, the hormones are present in full force. Hormones are what causes a heat cycle. Chronological age has no bearing on physiologic maturity; its all based on hormone production and how those hormones affect the body. Yes, some start later than others, some start earlier, but you would be hard pressed to find any difference between a dog that has been in heat twice and one that has been in heat 10 times, beyond the normal degrading changes due to aging.

Thanks Bro. When do Males mature since they don't have "heat" cycles.

good question. I cant give you a definitive answer. like i said, they are all different as far as when they reach puberty, (for lack of a better word) just like humans. and your right, males dont exhibit many obvious external signs of sexual and physiologic maturity the way females do with their heats. All im saying in regards to the OP's original question is that a bitch that has had 2 heat cycles is physiologically mature. I guess if he really wanted to be sure he could have her x-rayed and see if the growth plates have closed yet. I would bet they have, because the sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) are what trigger that process.