Why do you want to breed her? Are you showing her and setting up a reputable breeding program with the goal of bettering the GSD? Or ore you just looking at breeding for fun?

If you are considering breeding for a reputable program, you should be prepared to have a lot of money to invest. There are a host of tests that should be performed on a GSD before she is bred, not the least of is having her hips and elbows x-rayed and certified. If you breed before age 2, you'll need to do this twice (once before 2 and once after). This could cost upwards of $500 - $1000 dollars.

I also believe that a GSD should not be bred unless she is show either in the breed ring or in a performance event. Otherwise, you have no way of knowing if you dog has characteristics that should be passed on to better the GSD gene pool. If she is not what you would call a "working dog" then she should not be bred unless she has some success in the show ring. This is how one evaluates the physical structure of a dog to see if it is well suited for breeding. You also should research the dogs pedigree and learn about illnesss and genetic problems in the lines as weill as in the lines of the possible stud.

You would also have to consider the right stud. Stud fees can reach $1000 for a high quality male dog and you often have to travel to find a good male.

Most reputable breeders lose money on a litter, so it is an expensive hobby.

I'm not suggesting that your dog should not be bred at all, but these are some of the circumstances under which I believe it is acceptable for a GSD to be bred. I do allow my male to be bred, but only with all of this in mind. And frankly, I stud him out to breeders that I know are reputable because I don't feel ready to handle all the things that go into it. I do my own research on the pedigees and illnesses, so I am educated, but not quite ready for the entire responsibility.

I also work in GSD rescue and I can tell you there are so many GSDs are put to sleep every day that it makes your heart break. A reputable breeder should guarantee that she will take back a dog for the entire life of the dog if the owners can't keep it. If you can't do that, don't breed because you will add to the population of unwanted dogs.

Unless you can do the things I am describing, you should spay your dog. Spaying before the first heat is best because she is at a lower risk for health problems later on if she is spayed before her first heat. It also reduces the possibility for an "oops".