we adopted a golden

Question
End of November we adopted a golden pup - we were told she was approx 6 months old - left at a kennel by the owners never to return - she is awesome, smart and well behaved my questions are about being in heat - are they all messy? She seems to be displaying symptoms but has had no bloody mess and is not going "crazy" in her behaviour - although licking alot and there seems to be some swelling.  I didn't think dogs could go into heat this early in life. I thought they had to be at least a year old and that we should also wait until she was at least a year old before have her spayed? Which we definitely intend on doing.  She also seems thin but eats well, plays well and gets on quite well with our miniature daschund (3 1/2 yr old spayed female) thanks for your help.

Answer
Like many other things, when a female come in heat and how obvious and messy it is varies.  Usually it comes late in the dog's first year and is accompanied by enough discharge and changes of behavior it is quite noticeable.  The last 2 females we had either didn't come in heat before going away to dog guide school, or were so subtle we didn't notice.  

They swell as much as a week before the discharge starts.  You might check with the vet.  Most vets refuse to spay a dog once her heat cycle starts.  You are then stuck usually with flaky behavior, the mess, and the risks of unplanned breedings.  The mess can easily be coped with using a pair of ''Seasonables'' from the pet store.  Many people are caught unaware by what dogs will do to get together when the female reaches her fertile time the second and third week after the discharge starts.  Jump a 6' fence, bolt out the door, etc., who knows?  Once loose, getting bred is not the worst thing that can happen, and if bred, a litter of unneeded puppies isn't the worst thing either.  Many females don't survive their first heat.  

I am still in the spay/neuter by 6 months camp.  I have seen some arguments it improves development to wait, but want to see more information on it.  While informed, motivated people can cope with heat cycles, many others unfortunately permit accidental breedings to happen.  Along with the puppy mills and backyard breeders, we end up slaughtering millions of dogs in less than humane ways after often short, miserable lives.  

Keep her lean, it is much healthier.