My dog has come into season for the first time...

[DeliaRose]

Is there anything I should know/be aware of? Is there much mess? I've noticed a few spots but should I keep her out of the lounge (carpet)?

Do I need to keep her on the lead whilst out, even though she has good recall?

How long does it last?

TIA

[Housewifefromheaven]

Don't let her off lead! Dogs can smell her a mile off and you'll have all of the randy buggers about! :o

It depends I think on the mess, my pug left little spots around so it wasn't too bad. I had an old towel for her to sit on whilst on my lap and the kids didn't pick her up. The hardest thing was that I'd just had my lounge decorated from scratch so she was banned from there. Actually, she and I were banned, I stayed in the kitchen with her for 2 weeks!!!

I didn't plan on letting her have a season, she was 5 months old and due to be spayed the next day!

[Housewifefromheaven]

My vet said best to keep her in for the season, however at a push take her out at times less likely to encounter other dogs such as early am/late pm etc.

My pug is lazy anyway so it didn't bother her too much :o

[HarlettOScara]

Yes! Keep her on a lead for the next 4 weeks. A bitch in season is likely to forget her recall in the effort to find a mate. And you can't control the recalls of any males you might meet. I've always walked bitches in season very early in the morning and very late at night to try to avoid meeting any other dogs as much as possible.

With regards to mess, every dog is different. Some keep themsleves very clean so you'll hardly see any blood. Others bleed like a stuck pig and aren't so concerned with cleanliness. You'll probably see blood for 2-3 weeks and then the discharge becomes paler and less noticable but, as stated, keep her on lead for 28 days to be on the safe side as she may still be fertile for that period of time.

If you're planning to have her spayed, the best time to do so it at the mid-point between seasons when hormones are an normal levels. That would be in about 12 weeks time for most bitches.

[DeliaRose]

Oh ok - she hates being on the lead so this will be fun! We don't usually encounter other dogs whilst walking, but there are often dogs wandering the village! We do plan to get her spayed.... will mark my calendar for 12 weeks time

[LtEveDallas]

Sorry Delia, but its lead walking for the next few weeks, and make sure your garden is secure. One of my Mutts managed to jump a six foot fence when she was in season - randy bitch!

Oh, and you may laugh, but you could put a pair of knickers on her . No, really . Controls the mess very well.

[DeliaRose]

6 foot fence! Our fences are very low, can't do anything about it! She is only small, but she is a bit of a tart generally! Will keep a close eye!

[sanityawol]

Ours becomes a huge tart when her bleeding has finished, so don't be lulled into a false sense of security by this. 10 weeks to go and then she's off to the vets!

[LtEveDallas]

We literally let her out the back door and she took a running leap. By the time I got out the front door she was GONE.

She came back about 4 hours later, messy, tired and looking rather pleased with herself . Her 'boyfriend' even walked her home

I didn't know about the TOP Pill thing back then (15 years ago) so her antics resulted in 6 pups. Thankfully I have a very large, rather lovely family, all of whom were able to help take them on. These days it would have been a nightmare.

My bitches since have been spayed before the first season - I couldn't cope with that again!

[DeliaRose]

'Her 'boyfriend' even walked her home" Aww.... this made me smile!


But no... I can't cope with puppies....no way!!

[sanityawol]

Oh, and if there are dogs wandering the village then keep an eye on her when she is in garden - even if she won't go over fence, they may come into garden.

It's not something I've ever looked at, but has anyone ever tried anti-mating spray?

Also, whilst prevention is the best option, I'm told that there is a dog injection that is a 'morning after pill' for dogs in case of accidental mating.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

My hounds had my house looking like something from CSI. As soon as one had finished the other started. The dc were embarrassed to being their friend's around because they'd "Go home with dog period stains all over them"

[daisydotandgertie]

Blimey. I wouldn't even lead walk with an in season bitch. It will leave a trail of delicious scent to all the male dogs in the village.

It is also pretty unreasonable, IMO. A bitch in season will cause a dog to contort himself to get at her - and from about day 12ish (different from bitch to bitch), your bitch is likely to behave like a pole dancer to get at a dog to shag.

If you absolutely must walk her, put her in the car to take her somewhere so you break the scent trail. Especially as you have low fences. You're asking for trouble if you don't. Also don't leave her in the garden unsupervised. At all.

The season will last for approx 28 days and she will be appealing to dogs for all of that time. She is likely to bleed for the first 10-12 days, then the discharge will change to a straw like colour (ovulation and most dangerous time for mating) she may then bleed again for the fourth week but many don't.

She will also have some sort of phantom pregnancy afterwards; their hormones behave the same way whether they are mated or not. Phantoms vary in their impact and may or may not upset her. Keep your eyes peeled!

[HarlettOScara]

If your fences are low, defiitely don't leave her unsupervised in the garden. She will try to escape or local dogs will try to get in to get at her.

There is a large crossbreed snoring on the sofa beside me who is the product of underestimating the ability of a dog to scale a 6ft fence. Owner was confident that the medium sized bitch couldn't escape the garden but hadn't counted on large breeds being able to jump the fence and get in.

[midori1999]

What Daisy has said, it's not the best idea to walk an in season bitch for all the reasons given.

Plus, despite 'acting like tarts' many bitches wouldn't be prepared to stand for a dog and dogs can be very insistent, which can lead to quite severe emotional trauma or physical damage to your bitch.

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

Our spaniel is coming to the end of her first season-and I can't wait!! She is being neutered ASAP.

The mess varies. Even after the blood she can still excrete discharge so just be aware you can't always see it. I can't be doing with it and have cleaned like never before! (But I have a young boy, a 15 month old into everything and due my baby so nesting a bit )

Expect a change of behaviour. Our crazy spaniel has become more docile, a little lazy in fact, and started to chew her blankets with a passion-she has never chewed before. She seems a bit more needy too...more affection required

Don't let her off a lead, as even on a lead, if a male comes close, she may get scared and the male may get aggressive if she's not letting him mate etc-so on a short lead and be aware of other dogs.

She will probably clean herself like crazy.

I think she smells different too so she's getting bathed more.

And she's at her most fertile after she has finished bleeding.

[DeliaRose]

Thanks everyone. So general consensus is not to walk her. Will she be ok stuck in for 4 weeks? Have visions of her scaling the walls!

[LtEveDallas]

There is no way I could have not walked any of my dogs for 4 weeks. Right now I have a Springer/Collie Mutt who would be climbing the walls after 4 days let alone 4 weeks!

Yes to taking her in the car to another place for walks. Maybe try walking at more 'unusual' times as well (working hours etc rather than first thing in the morning or at tea time)

And again - knickers!

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

Have a big enough garden for her to have a run in? Play fetch etc?

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

I wouldn't not walk her at all for 4 weeks.

Just shorter walks on a short lead.

But it does depend on the temperament of your dog I think. Beau would go nuts if she wasn't walked at all.

[midori1999]

Unless you have no garden, there are plenty of ways to tire a dog out/exercise them without walking. Endless ball throwing, learn some agility, teach tricks, extra training, play hide and seek with treats around the house, lots of kongs, bones etc. No need at all for them to go stir crazy.

[LtEveDallas]

I suppose it depends on the dog Midori - Mutt gets 3 walks a day, 2 x 40 mins 1 x 1hr through woods etc and is constantly sniffing/searching/chasing stuff.

In between these walks she is chasing squirrels, fetching balls, playing with other dogs etc.

I wouldn't be able to give her that level of play stuck in the house and garden.

Hopefully OPs dog isn't as needy as mine!!

[SweetieDoesIt]

Just reading out of interest as own a 4 month old American cocker spaniel bitch and not sure when to arrange for her to be spayed. The vet said from 6 months, but not sure after reading this if it should be sooner.

DeliaRose how old is your dog?

I am not sure I want to go through all the things mentioned on this thread. Am a bit scared now.

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

sweetie ours is a cocker and she started at around 8 months. But it varies with each dog. Think 8 months is quite late tbh.

We took her in to have her pre op check the day before neutering and the vet said he was coming into season so had to wait.

Think 6 months is about right though.

[DeliaRose]

She's 7 months. I think generally it's advised to let them have a season before spaying- that's what we've done.

She's not missed her walk today at all, in fact she's been reluctant to eveb go out into the garden. Think she's feeling a bit sorry for herself

[saffronwblue]

Our vet nurse had a bitch in season behind a six foot fence. A passing kelpie leapt the fence and knocked her up.