We have a new puppy who i am very torn over if to spay or not. I have a unneutered female border collie who only comes in season once a year so its no bother. I wondered if its likely a lab will follow suit? My reasons for wanting to - avoiding mess But if it is only once a year im not going to care so much...
There are other benefits of having a bitch spayed, mammory tumours can be avoided and they won't have pyometra which is pus in the uterus which can kill,
If you want to give her the best chance at a good long life and you are not going to breed her, spay her IMO.
There are actually increasing studies showing that early neutering of dogs predisposes them to many cancers, joint disease, auto-immune disorders and far more. The endocrine system is incredibly important for the immune system and dogs need their hormones for optimal development. For more information and to read all the studies, you could check out this list on Avidog as a start: https://www.avidog.com/research-on-the-effects-of-spaying-and-neutering/