Help, need advice

I may have made a BIG mistake. It has been so long since I have had a puppy that I wasn't thinking. I enrolled Dixie in a beginner agility class that begins when she will be about 22 weeks old. She has not been spayed, so now I am thinking , Will she be going into her first heat right in the middle of the session????? It lasts 8 weeks. Her breeder recommends that she not be spayed until she is 1 year old, so I am going to wait until she turns a year which will be in March 2008. Should I take her out of the class? When do cavaliers usually go into their first heat???? I really wanted her to go to this class, but ??????

She very well could be in heat. I'd also reccommend getting her spayed before her first heat. Dealing with a cycling female in heat is not fun. My girl has just come into her first season at 8 months and it really hasn't been that easy at all. I've only ever owned male dogs before. Shes aloof, probably not feeling the best, and depressed that her routine has changed so much immediately. She doesn't understand why we can't go to the doggy park, go for walkies, or to Petsmart. She hasn't been fixed yet because we are showing her.

My main concern is though putting a 5 and a half month old puppy in beginners agility. Most places here the dog has to be a year old to start. I think i'd be concerned about having a puppy going over obstacles when shes not full grown or has fully developed joints.

Hope this helps some..

She very well could go into season in the middle of your agility classes. Every dog is different, but she could go in as early as 5 months or even as late as 10 months. For example, we have a girl that we kept out of our last breeding that just went into season last week at about 8 months old.

As far as when to spay, there are lots of opinions on both sides. I happen to be on your breeders side , especially if you intend to do agility. Waiting til she is a year or maybe even a little more will give her growth plates time to fully develop. I would think that would be very important in agility. Elude is right, it isn't always easy to take a girl through a her season, but obviously it can be done; just requires a little patience and a lot of careful watching and planning ahead. A lot has been written about it on this board, so just do some searching or ask more questions.

I don't know much about agility, but I also was under the impression that agility should not be started until a year old. Maybe someone who knows more about agility will comment.

Sorry, can't offer any advice on spaying/heat.

As for agility, at such a young age the dogs bones are not fully developed and I would be little concerned at the class allowing you to join at such a young age.

Thank you for your input. The class really isn't agility yet. It is just the obedience part offering the clicker training which I was interested in. It is called pre-agility, but I will check all that out to be absolutely sure. I would NEVER want to do anything that would be harmful to her.

My Ellie came into her first season at 5 and a half months, and she had to miss 3 weeks of her puppy classes . I still went along to watch and tought her at home. She is 8 months old now and has learned lots of tricks

We took Geordie and India to a 'puppy pre-agility' class when they were very young. In a puppy pre-agility class, there won't be any jumping, just stepping over the bar, which is laid on the ground. Also, your puppy should not be going on the a-frame, dog walk (unless it's laying on the ground or just a few inches up), or the see-saw. Puppies can go through the tunnel and learn to walk around posts. There is a wobble board for them to stand on and get used to movement. They can also learn to walk through a ladder laying on the floor. Mainly the pre-agility class is for encouraging operant behavior and for beginning to learn how to work with you and focus on you. They also practice obedience skills that are needed for agility.

I certainly wouldn't cancel her classes at this stage as she may not come into season during the classes and you'd kick yourself then. You sound like you are looking forward to it, and your girl will love it, so why not proceed as normal and hope she will get to attend all classes.

I couldn't take Beau to obedience today because it is raining, and I am disappointed because we both have a blast when we are there. :rah:

Thank you all for the advice. I contacted her breeder and she told me that her girls usually go into their first heat around 8 mo. So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that will be the case for Dixie. And, yes, I have decided to take her to the classes. They start Tue. evening. I bought all the supplies yesterday. I am looking forward to it. I am curious as to how Dix will like it....Judy