Rachel is now Dixie. She is very smart. Came with her siblings and mother from Alabama where they were scheduled for execution. She is very sensitive to my disorientation at times when we go walking or camping or to the store. I had a brain injury in 1999 and she has naturally picked up on my needs and helping me. She loves to go camping with our family and adores children. She has developed some occasional hip pain at a very young age exacerbated by a lot of outdorr play so I am careful to limit her activities. Upon reasearching the risks associated with spaying prior to one year of age, I was disgusted. You rather than educate and provide incentives for spaying after one year as recommended did it while she was a puppy and thus predisposed her to osteosarcoma and thyroid problems. I regret this. I hope you will consider education and incentives in the future. At the time, I questioned this as an RN and also from being told in years past that the dog should be at least a year old or have had one cycle. I was informed by your staff that there was no problem with spaying puppies. WRONG! Dishonesty will never pay off in the end.