using first heat to guess age

[mandysfamily]

Please positive comments only, I do not need to be told to get my dog spayed.

I have a dog that came to us as a stray, she was dehydrated and malnourished, very skinny, wormy, rashes, loose skin, etc... vet said that the malnutrition had essentially covered any evidence of how old she was. She seems like a puppy, although she does not look as if she will grow much more, she now looks "grown in" by proportion. Today we notice signs of heat. She is about 35 pounds, a terrier/spaniel mix maybe?

My question is - you dog people out there, this breed mix this size what age would you guess her to be? we had guessed her to be about 9-10months old at this time. In April we thought 6 months since she had permanent teeth already, though very white and clean (although how dirty could they get obviously no one was feeding her).

Thanks for your positive comments.

[mandysfamily]

Thank you! I have read the standard text answers, I really want opinions. I know its silly but this dog sort of dropped out of thin air and it would just be fun to know more about her past. We ask her all the time, she just smiles. She really is the greatest dog, and if the kids were not at my elbow and I could type faster I would tell the eerie set of circumstances that brought her into our family. I don't know how to post a pic but I have LOTS!

Is there a typical age for heat in say a larger terrier or a springer spaniel breed?

[mandysfamily]

Thanks for your reply, I figured out how to post the picture! Yeah, some days I look at her teeth and I am amazed at how clean they are but not others!!! Of course, I spend 5 days a week looking at human teeth and lots of those are a lot dirtier!!!

[imported_Kat]

so why isn't she spayed?

[mandysfamily]

Thanks Stargaze, we also think she is a doll. I will post larger ones as soon as I read how, I am interested to hear what breeds people think she is. Again, we have no knowledge of where she came from, she just showed up on the drive lane of our rural acreage. We are assuming she was "dropped off". Kat, I know you really want a good answer, I have read your posts. Its sort of a long story do I put it here or somewhere else? Sort story is she will be spayed, we do live in a very rural area and someone would need to "drop off" an intact male to get to her, but that is possible, though unlikely. Now I understand we should wait until this heat is over?? Although I guess I have not seen any signs that she is in heat, G'ma and the kids have seen her licking herself a lot.

[imported_Kat]

Thats ok, as long as she is spayed asap, but please don't put it of because accidents will always happen. I just read on another forum that Im on about a young Border collie bitch who gave birth to 5 puppies and lost her own life last night. She was a rescued bitch and taken from horrid conditions already pregnant, but her death was certainly preventable.

[CincoandDahlilasgirl]

Wow she's a doll! I have a Springer Spaniel/beagle mix!

[mandysfamily]

OK, I posted some pics in the photos section, I screwed up a little, but I get it now :oops:

[leahluvsherpups]

[quote name='Kat']Thats ok, as long as she is spayed asap, but please don't put it of because accidents will always happen. I just read on another forum that Im on about a young Border collie bitch who gave birth to 5 puppies and lost her own life last night. She was a rescued bitch and taken from horrid conditions already pregnant, but her death was certainly preventable.[/quote]

I have also been following that thread. What a terrible thing to have happen. I can't stress
enough how important it is to speuter your pets.

Your dog is very pretty.