Hi all, just a quick hello and intro.

I've had Gidget here for a couple months. It's been great so far, nothing I wouldn't expect from a puppy. She is now about 10-11 months old. I didn't get much information from the lady that had her before (friend of a friend). She was bed ridden and her daughter worked too much to properly take care of the dog. She has been a great addition to the family, loves the kids (9, 7) like they are her own and is super friendly.

I was wondering if she appears to be pure bred? She has no papers and I don't know who her parents are. She doesn't appear mixed with anything else though.

Sure looks purebred me.

Cool. I saw a post about DNA testing and was considering that.

Well, if you think she doesn't appear to be mixed with anything - - isn't that all that matters??

I've thought about DNA tests for my Alaskan Husky to see what he really is made of; my other two are obviously Sibes and don't look alike at all. My littles looks a lot like yours!

Not that it matters. My wife and I were talking about getting her spayed since her previous owner never did. But she is such a beautiful dog, we thought it would be a shame. But DNA testing would tell us exactly what she is and if she carries any issues common to huskies.

Yes, she is a beautiful dog ... but, please, please get her spayed ...

You don't have papers so there's no way to get her registered. There are way too many people breeding Huskies because they're ... well, they're Huskies and everyone loves / wants one. And six months later - after the cute wears off way too many of them end up in "shelters" and are killed because no one wants an older Husky (even if older is only 2 or 3)

Please ... please ... have her spayed!

I completely get that. That leads to another question though. I called one vet and they didn't want to spay her until after she was 18 months old?! Something about large breed dogs should have it done later since it is better for the dog. Another one said bring her in ASAP (which is how I thought it was normally done). It's more of an ASAP thing right? She hasn't gone into heat yet but I figure it's coming sooner rather than later.

This has become an ongoing discussion - here and on other dog oriented sites.

Some dogs who aren't "grown up" (physically developed) and are neutered (generic use for spay/neuter) never fully develop, they're "stunted" at the stage where they were neutered. Since Huskies are "adults" at about a year - just filling out and adding bulk over the next year - neutering after that first year shouldn't have any major impact on physical development.

Beside the discussion about physical growth, there is also a discussion about hormonal growth - about which I know nothing! Others will chime in here, I hope.

I have a male Alaskan Husky who was neutered at a rescue before a year old - he's a great dog, but he's the lankiest animal I think I've ever seen. Would he have filled out if he'd been neutered later? Who knows.

*Personally* I'm an advocate of wait till they're mature but, as the expression goes, YMMV. If you haven't (and I'm betting you have) take her in to have a 'physical' at the vets (BTW, I like the first vets opinion.) If nothing stands out, then I'd wait. Oh, of course you'll probably go through the first heat which is a pain (and depending on the dog can be messy) but after that she should be "fully developed" and you should be able to spay her without problem.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably wait anyways. Still looking for a good vet in our area. The first one we went to for basic checkup and shots was incredibly rude and the staff acted like it was a huge inconvenience to see my dog. Not the kind of people I want to continually care for her. I would like her to fill out a bit as she is still kind of lanky.

What about behavioral maturity? Could neutering stunt that as well? I would like her to grow out of the puppy stage at some point haha.

<< laughing >> If you notice the tag line on my pita-pata Avalanche is (my god!) 8 years old!! and still a perpetual puppy but I think that's just more his personality than a result of having been neutered early. One of mine - Sasha - is an old curmudgeon, sedate and, probably best described as an "old maid" (neutered at about 2ish?); another - Sky - was neutered at about a year and while she's petite - the smallest of my three - she's got a bouncy personality but not puppyish. I think your interaction with her will more affect her personality than when she was spayed.

In another thread I remark that Huskies are sveldt dogs, probably more like a Greyhound than a lab. Too many people want a husky Husky and they just aren't - generally speaking. Sasha has been overweight for the 6 plus years I've had her, it's really fairly easy to keep them at a good weight and almost impossible to bring their weight down one they've packed on the pounds. (er, she gained after I had her spayed)

A good vet, btw is a prize worth keeping! I live in the middle of nowhere but have one vet 18 miles away and another 80 miles away - I drive the 80 miles because Mary is one of the best vets I've ever run into. When Sasha was not feeling good - and hadn't been right for about 2 weeks? - I called Mary on a Saturday afternoon and had no problem getting in to see her.

Good to know. I have been told that mine is a pretty calm and well behaved for her age. We are pretty strict about jumping on people and have a lot of elderly people around us. They always want to come up and say high but if she is hyper at that moment I decline. I don't want to be calling 911 cause my dog knocked someone over trying to kiss them lol. She does still have some maturing to do behaviorally though.