David Ross wrote:

Leave them alone until after they flower in the spring. Prune
then. New growth will have a chance to harden before the following
winter. If any neighbor comments, explain that they can be pruned
only in the late spring.
This is not a problem in my mild-winter climate, but I still prune
my azaleas only in the spring.

I live in zone 6 and that is not a problem here if you just cut off the
ends of branches that stick way out beyond the normal plant habit. This
happens a lot with azaleas here and I frequently prune off some of the
excessive summer top growth and it never stimulates new growth. It does
make the flower buds that are left do better.

If you are talking about using a hedge trimmer or cutting way back, then
that would stimulate tender growth.

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