I have a female lab mix pup. She is doing as well as can be expected on her training. She has learned sit, come, and is starting to learn stay. She already has the bird instinct and is chasing birds. She has been retrieving a canvas dummy with feathers since I' ve owned her. She is a very active pup.

My question is will spaying have any negative affects on her performance as a bird dog? Does it mellow them out to the point they don' t want to work? While I really want to be a responsible dog owner and do the right thing, I also want to know if it will " ruin" my bird dog?

Get it done. If you' re not going to breed the dog, things will be easier for you and her. I believe it' s healthier, and she will not lose any drive or desire to hunt.

Michael

Thanks for the reply.