I will be getting an 8-week-old GSD in a couple weeks and was hoping to get your opinion on when to spay.

Hi,

I will be getting a eight week old GSD in a couple weeks and was hoping to get your opinion on when to spay. There is no doubt that I will spay I just seem to keep getting conflicting answers on WHEN to spay. My Vet suggests 6 months (as is standard) and my breeder suggest 18 to 24 months. I know the health benefits (and risks) of spaying at six months, but didn't get a straight answer from my breeder about why I should wait. I read somewhere that spaying a GSD before two years causes them to appear masculine and wasn't sure if there was any truth to it. I was just hoping to get an opinion from you about when to spay and why I'm hearing to wait until two years from GSD breeders and such. (I do not plan to do protection work or bite sports (way too inexperienced to do it properly) but do plan on doing competition obedience if that helps). Ultimately I want to do what's best for my new companion and I know I'll get a straight (and hopefully brutally honest :D ) response from you.

Thanks for your time,
Brittney