Re: [PyrNet-L] size and Tornado

[clhenke@juno.com]

Jan, thank for your reply.  Esp, about the age of average heat.  It would
seem that they do not ( on average mature too early ).  There has been 
some experimentation on neutering and spaying as early as six weeks here,
and this has come about as a way of controlling pet populations.  They
are finding that the animals do very well, surgery is very minor at that
tender age, and it does not adversely their growth.  I don't know if the
average person would jump on it that early, but it helps the S.PC.A,  and
humane societies etc.  I personally think four mo. is a good age, and
would have preferred to catch mine that early.  But at least at 7 mo.
they should still have fallen way on the safe side of sexual maturity. 
We do have some Vets. here that opt. for the first heat idea, and one old
guy I encountered even hit me with the idea that they should all have a
litter first
( yeah,  right!? ), I let him know I was not going to be doing that! 
Most will do it at 6 mo.  I'm like you, food and exercise makes up
weight, not sterilization!  I tend to feel that dogs that mature too fast
( like people ) end up not being as large in the end ( a lot of the time
), but I haven't quite made the connection of that being bone mass vrs.
bone length.  I think long bones have a better chance of filling out some
with slow maturity, I don't know if shorter massive bones elongate as
easily?  I would think not, although there will always be some to prove
me wrong.  I am having fun following this through, but at what point does
one assume final maturity in this breed?  I have heard ranges of between
two to all the way up to four.  Our old breed, Mastiffs, certainly will
mature up to four years.  I enjoyed  the discussion about size as I have
to admit that I always think of Pyrs. as  a giant breed, and yet I find
so many of them small, especially at the shows.  Not what I remember them
to be  even 10 to 14 years ago when we were actively showing the Masties.
 Thanks for writing and giving me some feedback!   Cindy.

Cindy Henke
clhenke@juno.com
Ennis, Texas

"All knowledge, the totality of all questions and answers, is contained
in the dog."  ~ Franz Kafka

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