AIBu to take my dog for a walk when she’s in heat?

[berryfull]

Obviously on the lead, we’ll controlled. Obviously trying to avoid busy dog places where possible. But a walk a couple of times a day.

I’ve had several owners of entire make dogs give me a mouthful this week, when they’ve had to come and forceably remove their intact off lead dog from following me. Even went so far tonight that the dog that was following us had no owner anywhere visible, so I had to phone them from the number on the collar. When they arrived to get the dog (having delayed me 20 mins or so) they decided to tell me off !!

Flabbergasted! Surely if you have an entire make dog, then you should be keeping it in the lead or under supervision. Why should my dog get no excersize ? I’m keeping my dog under control. Why should I have to lock her away while male dogs roam free?

Dog patriarchy anyone?

@compulsiveliar2019
What really winds me up as a dog owner is the number of parents who pander to their offspring. Who literally scream and pick their children when they see dogs on or off lead. I see far more parents feeding their children's fears than actually being proactive about helping them.

I totally agree with you. I have a relative who at the age of 40 still carries on like this near dogs, and now her kids do it too-learned behaviour through no fault of their own.
She doesn’t engage with me because I hosted a family event and wouldn’t have my dog away from my house because every one of the other 8 kids adores him and had been asking before the event if he’d been there (small breed, and as hard as a cotton wool ball)
Her loss.

When our girl went into her first season(she is spayed now) we only took her for late night on lead walks when we knew there wouldn't be anyone else around. Even though our male is neutered it still sent him dolally while she was in heat so it isn't just unneutered dogs that go nuts.

What does "entire make" mean?

@Sheleg

What does "entire make" mean?

I'm guessing it is a typo for entire male.

@Sheleg

What does "entire make" mean?

It's a misspelling

Entire male - a dog with all its bits intact! Not neutered

@Sheleg

Entire or intact male dogs haven't been neutered so they still have their balls.

[quote Sparechange]I haven't read every post, so apologies in advance if this has already been mentioned, but...
The only responsible way to walk an in-season dog is very early or late, and having used Bitch Spray all over her vulva to mask her smell

www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/bitch-spray-150ml[/quote]
Aaahh, bought this for my females, just made them more irresistible to the local lads in our area, after paying out for a couple of cans in the past, can confirm it does not work, wherever you spray the bloody stuff, and my girls hated the noise from the spray anyway.

YANBU. Even dogs have fucking male entitlement 😆

Probably some men have dog entitlement.

I just think that you're wrong because a council would be unlikely to impose such a ridiculous rule

Don't go to Dunedin in NZ then - apparently bitches in heat aren't allowed out in public at all, even on a leash!
www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/dogs/dog-exercise-areas

[quote RustyBear]I just think that you're wrong because a council would be unlikely to impose such a ridiculous rule

Don't go to Dunedin in NZ then - apparently bitches in heat aren't allowed out in public at all, even on a leash!
www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/dogs/dog-exercise-areas[/quote]
Yes, I was basing it on UK councils. I don't live in NZ.

My neutered dog displays plenty of interest when he comes across a bitch in heat. You know the response your dog gets from other dogs when she's in heat, stop complaining about it. Training gets overridden by instinct. Be sensible and responsible and accept that her being in season is going to result in unwanted attention from other dogs, no matter how well trained they may be. Take her wherever you want, but now you know what the likely outcome is, it's on you. Dogs will be dogs. It's not about the patriarchy...it's NATURE.

It's not about the patriarchy...it's NATURE.

Is it about...the Pawtriarchy?

(I'll let myself out )

@SirSniffsAlot

I also have a spayed bitch who lifts her leg to pee - and properly lifts it, high, not just a little "don't want to widdle on my paw" lift. She overmarks where our male dog lifts his leg

Useless fact: this is more likely in females that were positioned between two male puppies, in the womb. They are exposed to more testosterone through proximity and so tend to display more male type behaviours as adults

My girl does it and there was only 1 dog in the litter of 5. That said, he was about the size of all the girls put together, and probably had enough testosterone for most of the dogs in the neighbourhood

My girl is definitely a tomboy. I wonder if she was next to him before they were born. So cute :)

Another useless fact and not even about dogs. Apparently, twins are more likely to be left handed because it's a testosterone based trait and they are exposed to each others in the womb.

@Nanny0gg I have German Shepherds and it's standard with them to wait until they are 2 before having them done, they need the hormones for growth etc. I had 2 females, wants a nightmare at all

ust made them more irresistible to the local lads in our area, after paying out for a couple of cans in the past, can confirm it does not work, wherever you spray the bloody stuff, Teally? Then we are all doomed, doomed I tells ya!

Pawtriarchy indeed !!

@BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs

It's not about the patriarchy...it's NATURE.

Is it about...the Pawtriarchy?

(I'll let myself out )

My girl does it and there was only 1 dog in the litter of 5. That said, he was about the size of all the girls put together, and probably had enough testosterone for most of the dogs in the neighbourhood grin

My girl is definitely a tomboy. I wonder if she was next to him before they were born. So cute

A bitch's uterus is "Y" shaped, and the puppy foetuses implant along the horns of the "Y". Maybe she was the first to implant, right t the top of one horn, then her great bruiser of a brother got himself settled next to her, so she was splashed liberally with sloppily applied testosterone.

(Just going off my own son when he was a teenager, and the amount of Lynx Africa he seemed to manage to throw all over himself, his clothes, his bed, his walls . . . )

Another useless fact and not even about dogs. Apparently, twins are more likely to be left handed because it's a testosterone based trait and they are exposed to each others in the womb.(

Is this just identical male twins, sharing an amniotic sac? Or does it effect fraternal male and fraternal mixed-sex twins, too?

This is the sort of stuff that wins pub quizzes. One day, we might be able to open pubs again, and have a quiz . . .

AND I MIGHT WIN IT WITH ALL THE STUFF I'M LEARNING HERE!

MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! [GRIN]

@WhoWants2Know

You really should not be taking a bitch out during her season, apart from to toilet in a secure garden. If you don't have access to a secure garden, then a short toilet visit outside is enough-- ideally using bitch spray to disguise the smell.

It's your responsibility to keep her in because your bitch can cause neutered males to scale 8 foot fences and run amok. It's also very common for females to slip their leads and run or escape their gardens when in season.

Generally a female in season is not safe to be outdoors, and it's distressing for them to pick up male scents from dogs they can't reach.

You are being cruel to your dog and other dogs by taking her out. These are things that you should have known before getting a dog.

This

You need to walk in areas where there aren't off lead dogs eg pavements. It's not fair to walk an in season bitch in the park for instance, even at quiet times - my male dog has been neutered but still has the instinct to follow a bitch in heat (he comes when called, but that doesn't stop him trying)

Taking a bitch in heat to the beach is a stupid idea, even when quiet. The chances are there's going to be an off lead dog within smelling distance.

You keep going on about other dog owners taking responsibility, but what about you taking some responsibility? You know full well that there's plenty of well behaved dogs that won't be able to resist the smell of a bitch in heat. So knowing that, why can't you stick to pavement walks where there is very unlikely to be off lead dogs? Its not for long, it won't hurt you or your dog, so why have such a sense of entitlement to go to the bloody beach? Or is everyone supposed to keep their dog on the lead at all times just in case someone takes their bitch in heat to the beach?

Most people are unable to desensitise a dog to the smell of a bitch in heat. So its not exactly easy to train impulse control with this.

Just remembered years ago I used to dog sit for a lovely big male lab, very well trained and had been neutered. Took him to the local pub after a long walk one day and he went mental trying to get at this other dog; her owner laughed and said "ah sorry, she's in heat". We had to leave, it was chaos, about 3 other dogs trying to drag themselves across the floor to get at her. Didn't say anything to the owners, but maybe I should have judging from this thread!

Our bitch is 7months old and we are expecting her first season soon. If we feel she wants to go out (have read they can be sleepy) we will walk her on pavements only, DH usually walks her 5.30 - 6am anyway when it’s normally very quiet.

We’ll arrange for her to be spayed after first season, as recommended.

OP you should probably not be walking at peak times in busy parks.

Right or wrong, you know now for a fact that male dogs are going to approach you when you are out. Some will be off the lead, its going to happen. So instead of walking whilst fuming that everyone else is wrong, reduce your stress by just not doing it. Maybe they are wrong, maybe you are, probably a bit of both. But why put yourself and your bitch through it. Just stick to lead walks on the pavement late or early for a while and then you won't have to fume about this.

My mum didn't and still ended up with stray dogs in her back garden. It be risky to take your dog in season a walk unless you put a dog nappy on her