Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

What's the ideal age to spay my Golden Doodle puppy for health?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 4 lbs

What's the right (earliest) age to carry out spaying for my new F1 golden doodle puppy? She is 9 weeks old now, and would like to get her spayed the earliest to avoid health and hygiene risks.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on June 11th, 2018

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Typically, spay surgery is recommended around 6 months of age but current research has shown it is a little better to wait until 9 months to a year of age especially for large breed dogs to avoid certain orthopedic problems.

I hope this helps!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 5th, 2020
Hello. Shelters are spaying this young, & it does seem to be safe for most dogs, but for a larger breed dog like the German Shepherd, it might be best to wait & let her mature more. Spaying age is a very controversial subject right now, so see what your veterinarian recommends. I still like to do my spays around 6 months of age. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on October 26th, 2017
No blood issues, the safe age for most dogs is between 6 months and 2 years, depending on the breed. you should be careful with food after the spay, most dogs tend to put on weight quite quickly. otherwise you might not see much difference with Sugar after the spay.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

What's the best age to neuter my large breed dog, a Labradoodle?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is much debate over the best age to spay/neuter large breed dogs. Ideally you want to allow for them to get to full size, but neuter before negative behaviours and signs present. For a Labradoodle, I would recommend between 10-14months of age. If you notice behaviour changes (humping, aggression, trying to escape the yard) then I would pursue neutering sooner than later. Any-time after 6 months of age however is perfectly fine. Best of luck with Bogey.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

What are the benefits and risks of spaying my female Golden Retriever?

How cute is Bailey!!! I recommend spaying Bailey at 6 months of age. This will allow her to be spayed before her first heat cycle. The pros about spaying her at 6 months is decrease risk of breast cancer when she is older, decrease risk of pyometra ( pus filled uterus) and patients recover faster/ faster surgery due to smaller blood vessels and less fat. Some recent studies in the U.K. Recommend spaying at 1 year of age to decrease issues with bones but as a general practice I do not see this helping in most of my patients.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

What's the best age to spay my large breed puppy for best health?

Hi there. You're right that the question of when to spay a large breed dog isn't as simple as we might like! It sounds like you've done some research on the pros and cons of spaying at different ages, which is great. In general, for my large breed patients, I recommend spaying at around 10-12 months of age (as long as the owner doesn't mind dealing with a heat cycle, since most dogs will go into heat for the first time prior to this). This still gives us an extremely low risk of mammary cancer, but also minimizes the risk of orthopedic issues since she should be finished growing by then.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

When is the best time to spay my dachshund and how to prepare?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would wait at least until 6 months. There is a new school of thought to allow dogs to reach skeletal maturity before spaying them. So for a Dachshund that could be 10 months. She may have a heat cycle if you wait until 10 months which isn't detrimental to Rosie bit owners usually don't enjoy it. If Rosie was a large breed dog at my hospital we recommend waiting until after 1 year of age. It is personal preference but my advice is to do it 6 months or later. I hope this helps and have a great day!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Can I spay my dog when she's in heat, or is it safer to wait?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Doodles. I prefer to wait 2-3 months after a heat cycle to spay a patient. The surgery is technically less difficult as the vessels are not as engorged with blood after the heat cycle. It is possible to have it done during a cycle, but I feel it is riskier. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Spaying my 6-year-old Lab: Is it safe and how long is recovery?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, it is fine to spay a 6 year old dog. It is the best way to prevent further pregnancy and to prevent an infected uterus (pyometra) which is life threatening. The only negative at this age is that the surgery will be more difficult and she is at a bit of a higher risk for bleeding. I would also be sure your Vet does a good exam and gets blood work before surgery to be sure she is healthy. It will also take her a bit longer than a young dog to recover. She will likely be acting like herself with in 3 days but will be fully recovered at 2 weeks like younger dogs. I wish you the best!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My vet says wait to spay my 4-month-old Pomeranian. What to do?

Typically, the first heat cycle will occur between 6 and 9 months of age. It really depends on the individual dog and there is no way to determine when your dog will go into heat for the first time. You can have her spayed at 4 months, but you will likely need to take her somewhere else if your veterinarian won't do it. Waiting until 6 months should not pose an issue though. It's the age a large percentage of dogs are spayed or neutered.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share