Today we got a Pitbull puppie named Sugar, and she hasn't been spayed. She's about 6 months old and we were wondering when is the best time to get the procedure and at what age the dog will start its heat cycles.
Also: around how much does it cost?

Thank you!

Move quickly. The first heat cycle can come anywhere from 7 months to after a year old. Once it starts, it is best to put off until after it is finished. Most vets will insist on waiting. Trust me, you really don't want to go through it. It is a big hassle. In addition to the mess of the discharge, you have behavior changes. Expect almost anything, but mostly be alert for strenuous, creative attempts to get loose. In addition to unwanted puppies, accidental breeding can lead to injuries and infections. It also includes the usual loose dog problems, traffic, getting lost, foraging indigestibles, etc. Females in heat smell bad. Bathing them can lead to infections before they are all done.

The dog guide school I raise puppies for wants the option of choosing any of the puppies they breed as breeding stock. They then spay/neuter all the rest after they start their training at a year old. This leaves the puppy raisers contending with intact dogs their first year. I have been lucky the last 4 years. Holly and Pepper were from another program that does spay/neuter its puppies. Neither Sheba and Nita came into heat before I turned them in. Usually they choose the worst possible time. If 8 month Holly wasn't spayed, she could have come in heat now with the big convention we took her to last weekend, and 4-H starting this weekend along with our daughter visiting last night with 14 month old Zephyr. They are turning him into the dog guide school today. If not now, she could have waited until the state fair dog show.

The usual age has been six months for a long time, but the trend is toward 4 months. I had Holly done in January at 5 months because we had too much going on in December she need to be at her best for including a visit from Zephyr. I would try to schedule her next week. I think Holly was $195, but you can shop around for a low cost clinic.

Thank you for asking this important question and planning to be a responsible pet owner. I see many questions here and on other sites from people blind sided by their dog coming into heat. Feel free to ask other questions and browse the sticky at the top of the forum.

Congratulations on the newest addition to your family. May you have many wonderful experiences with your puppy.

The cost of spaying does vary, as Labman stated. The Humane Society here will do it for $65.00, if you adopt a dog or cat from them. Vet clinics are charging in the range of $140.00-$165.00. Well worth the price. I would not have a dog that was not spayed or neutered, unless I was breeding them, which is not a small feat of undertaking. Even then, there are many precautions to take. My dog now was spayed when she was 6 months old, My ex bought a female pitbull 3 months ago and is getting her spayed the end of June.

Wishing you the best.

Kepi, did you adopt her? If so, I am a bit concerned that the rescue operation you adopted from didn't do it. It is something they should be doing prior to placement.

I agree with both posters above.

At 6 months old it is very safe to have her spayed. Time is of the essence actually. It is better to do this before she has her first heat cycle. I adopted mine when she was 5-6 months old and it was the first thing I did. From personal experience working with these dogs, I find that if they are spayed or neutered early, it helps in reducing the aggressive tendencies when they mature.

Speak to friends and neighbors that have dogs and find out what vets they recommend in your area. Make calls to the vets offices and get price quotes. I know you are in Calif, so it might be on the higher side. If money is an issue, call around to shelters or rescues and see if they have a low cost spay/neuter program.

Let me know how you and she are doing. You are going to have a lot of challenges ahead of you. They are high energy dogs and need very structured, hands on training and socialization. Since she is 6 months old, give her some time to get adjusted to her new surroundings and heal from the spay operation. But, as soon as she bounces back, you need to start in immediately, on training and socialization. I will help guide you as much as I can with this.

We didn't "adopt" her per se. We got her from a family that was moving back to the Philippines and didn't want to take her. She's quite a bit to handle- last night, we set a temporary bed outside and she cried until I let her sleep in my bed! =D

Okay. You adopted her in another way. Thank you for taking her into your home. At the top of the dog forum, labman has a sticky note with information. Please take a look at that. You need to buy a crate. It is better that she gets used to sleeping in a crate. You can put it right next to your bed if you like. But, it is important that you don't spoil her and show her who the boss is. With these dogs, they need a strong pack leader (you). You need to be able to get her to "stop and drop" as soon as you give the signal to do so. The reason people have so much trouble with pitbulls biting others is a direct result of improper training and leadership (along with abuse, depending on the person). You are going to have a lot of work to do but I will guarantee you that it will pay off down the road. They are very smart, affectionate, and big cuddlers.

When you take your pup to the vet for the spay, ask them if they can recommend anyone in your area that has experience training pit bulls and a good reputation. You should enroll yourself and your dog into a good training class. It is a lot of fun, a very good way to get hands on instruction on how to handle these dogs, and is a terrific bonding opportunity for the two of you.

She owners already have her trained so that when I say, for example, "Sugar, STAY!" she does, but I am going shopping for her today.

That is good that they took the time. It will be so much easier. But, just remember, a few months of training is usually not enough. As she matures, she will get stronger. They also go through the "teenage years" from 7months to a year and start pushing the boundaries and not listening. Just let me know if you have any problems or questions. The best thing to remember is to never let her off leash. Don't let her wander around outside on her own.

What is in the sticky is oriented to the new puppy although I hope the trick of laying down in front of the crate would still work at 6 months.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work.
Start just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going
in. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at
Feeding time for more than one dog.

labman, you also have some exceptional books listed in that sticky. It might be wise for Kepi to go to the library or a bookstore and take a look at what is available from your list. Kepi, you will find some very good info in them.