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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

445 replies

berryfull · 09/02/2021 23:12

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?

OP posts:
Whammyyammy · 11/02/2021 00:04

If people take responsibility and control of their own dogs, no issue.
If uncontrolled dogs come up to you, thats not your fault. I'd walk where I want, when I want, uncontrolled dogs are no fault of you.

Wear a body cam, any incidents that occur with off lead dogs are not your problem.

TastyTicklemore · 11/02/2021 06:39

@Whammyyammy

If people take responsibility and control of their own dogs, no issue. If uncontrolled dogs come up to you, thats not your fault. I'd walk where I want, when I want, uncontrolled dogs are no fault of you.

Wear a body cam, any incidents that occur with off lead dogs are not your problem.

Whew a body cam in case your dog gets jumped. Briilliant GrinGrin
SchadenfreudePersonified · 11/02/2021 08:35

Big market for doggy porn, Tasty

That stuff is YouTube gold.

Whammyyammy
If people take responsibility and control of their own dogs, no issue

Yes - people do have to take responsibility for their own dogs - and that includes OP taking responsibility for her in-season bitch.

Shambolical1 · 11/02/2021 08:51

Uncontrolled dogs are no fault of you

In this case, they absolutely are.

I'd walk where I want, when I want

Here we go again. Human entitlement over animal welfare and common sense.

TastyTicklemore · 11/02/2021 08:59

Big market for doggy porn, Tasty

I'll remember that (but not Google it!). Anyway, just off out for a walk...

AIBu to take my dog for a walk when she’s in heat?
Aneley · 11/02/2021 09:02

We were also advised to wait until after the first season for both our dogs and we did. They went on walks wearing protective 'underwear' (put on right after they'd finish doing what they needed to do) and on a leash. During those days we avoided popular dog areas. It wasn't the most comfortable solution, but it did spare our dogs and us as well as other dogs in the area some stress. Your dog needs to be walked and it is not your fault that other owners let their dogs off leash but if you can do more to minimize the risk of your dog being mounted or attracting too much attention, you should do that.

picklemewalnuts · 11/02/2021 13:11

@CaraDuneRedux

All of my dogs have lifted their legs, too, although I was told that a neutered dog will squat like a bitch to pee. It hasn't been my experience.

I was told this depends on the age at which they're castrated. Post puberty, once they've started to cock a leg, they continue to do so.

My dog was castrated very young (rescue). He squatted as a pup, but graduated to leg lifting later.
tabulahrasa · 11/02/2021 13:58

Leg lifting is linked to testosterone, but not necessarily puberty... as even castrated dogs have some testosterone.

I’ve had rescues that were neutered early - if they’re near 6 months they just do it before they rehome them rather than leaving it for you to do in something rescues, they all lifted their legs eventually, just sometimes a lot older than normal.

I’ve had a puppy that started at 4 months, wee git was only just housetrained, definitely nowhere near puberty, lol

MyGazeboisLeaking · 12/02/2021 20:07

Gosh, this thread has been an eye opener.

As a relative dog novice & owner of a male dog I wasn't aware, but some
this thread I'm noticing it more.

I was out today walking in wide open fields near where we live, very secure and almost always recognise the dogs & owners.

My dog is on a lead as two dogs come bounding over to us, with owner watching and happy to let them,

They seem fine and my dog wants to play so i let him off.... only to find out, when they run off and my dog won't come back ...'oh, she's in coming into heat'.

FFS,. What does 'coming into heat mean' and If he knew, why the hell did he let her loose near my on-lead dog?

MyGazeboisLeaking · 12/02/2021 20:20

And I then have to 'water-ski ' home across frozen fields as my dog is nose down, pulling for all his might to pick up the scent again and is still pacing & unsettled for hours later 😡

Darbs76 · 12/02/2021 20:22

You definitely need to avoid places where dogs will be off lead. Walk very early or very late, pavements only where dogs can’t follow as it’s easy for accidents to happen

CaraDuneRedux · 12/02/2021 20:30

^FFS,. What does 'coming into heat mean' and If he knew, why the hell did he let her loose near my on-lead dog?*

My interpretation of this is "At best, rubbish owner who doesn't give a shit, and at worst, mercenary bastard hoping to get his bitch up the duff so he can cash in on lock-down puppies."

Yes, totally irresponsible and unreasonable behaviour from him.

MyGazeboisLeaking · 12/02/2021 20:47

@CaraDuneRedux

^FFS,. What does 'coming into heat mean' and If he knew, why the hell did he let her loose near my on-lead dog?*

My interpretation of this is "At best, rubbish owner who doesn't give a shit, and at worst, mercenary bastard hoping to get his bitch up the duff so he can cash in on lock-down puppies."

Yes, totally irresponsible and unreasonable behaviour from him.

My thoughts entirely, @CaraDuneRedux - along the 'know I should care but don't care' lines.

Otherwise why half apologetically tell me as an explanation? 😡

MarchSurprise · 12/02/2021 21:24

I think everybody is being a bit harsh - it's OPs first time dealing with a season and she's misunderstood what "quiet places" means. I don't relish the idea of trying to find a quiet place at the moment in this 'lockdown', streets are busier than ever and woodlands/parks/beaches are full.

The advice to pavement walk is best OP, for your bitch's sake too. We had a dog near us walked in woodland on lead bolt from her owner to get to male dogs - she was missing over 24 hours. If your bitch isn't stressed yet, she will become so being in a place with other dogs especially if they're approaching her - as much as you want to think of her as your baby, every cell in her body will be telling her to reproduce in her fertile stage.

WhatNowFrantic · 12/02/2021 22:06

This is in the labrador 'bible'.......
Female dogs can be messy when they are ‘on heat, andmanaging a bitch during her seasonis not as easy as managing her when she is not.

She can’t be exercised in public for example, entered in show or competitions, or worked as a hunting companion if there are likely to be male dogs around.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 13/02/2021 11:18

FFS,. What does 'coming into heat mean' and If he knew, why the hell did he let her loose near my on-lead dog?

Because he want's a lockdown litter he can sell for a ridiculous price. he'll not be bothered what breed yous is - he'll give the pups a silly name - long-hared staffordshire fox poodles, or whatever - and charge £4,000 a pop for them.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 13/02/2021 11:26

@berryfull

So many people here seem to know better than my vets and many major animal organisations, websites and literature! I can assure you all that I’ve researched seasons prior to my dog having her first, and all that is advised is to keep her on a lead and avoid busy places . Which I am.

But thank you for enlightening me to the reasoning behind the mentalities of the owners I’m encountering.

Take no notice, OP. MN is very out of date about neutering.
SwannieDownThe · 13/02/2021 11:30

I have a spayed bitch and an unspayed. In one area i had multiple male dogs following us and clinging onto the SPAYED one. Yet i have walked my unspayed one (firmly on lead) during season and experienced not a single incident with another dog. Dont know what to tell you!!

drinkingwineoutofamug · 13/02/2021 11:36

@Schoolofsock

I'm reading this thread with horror. We have a bitch who is due her first season soon, we're getting her spayed after that as advised by vet. Where we live there are always loads of dogs including late night and early morning as we are right next to an area of public open space - they literally go past our house - so that is going to be fun in a few weeks! Unless we take her out in the middle of the night it will be impossible to avoid other dogs. She is a breed that needs to run so will go nuts if we keep her indoors for days on end, not to mention we have a very small garden and she doesn't do toileting there. Even if we do keep her just in the garden there are male dogs in several adjacent gardens! Our garden is very secure but will they all be barking? Do bitches need less exercise when in heat (maybe like some women who want to stay home eating biscuits with a hot water bottle Grin)
Had the same problem. Don't know how many season in total dog had before we had her spayed. She's a high energy dog. When in season I still took her out for her daily walks. She stayed on lead. Just lots of brain training and stimulation at home. Last March was meant to be spayed but got cancelled due to covid. She had another season, and was spayed in September. She didn't have regular seasons so hard to tell when to get it done. My vet recommended 2 seasons and to wait till aged 2. So I took my vets advice. She made it to 3 without getting pregnant. She hates male dogs anyway. Think I've got the only lesbian dog in the village.
TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 13/02/2021 14:06

@Schoolofsock

I’m worried too by the emphasis put on bitch owners keeping their girls safe rather than people stopping their dogs getting to them.
I live fairly rurally with a 4 foot fence around my garden than neither of my dogs go over. We live next to a public footpath.
Are people basically saying I won’t even be able to let my in heat bitch into my garden because I can’t stop someone else’s offlead dog getting in?

tabulahrasa · 13/02/2021 14:15

“Are people basically saying I won’t even be able to let my in heat bitch into my garden because I can’t stop someone else’s offlead dog getting in?”

Well I wouldn’t leave her out there by herself... and unless she’s tiny, she might well go over the fence herself.

Wolfiefan · 13/02/2021 16:19

@TheWomanTheyCallJayne the issue is you know your own bitch is in season. The owner of an entire male doesn’t know there’s a bitch in season about. And even if you send out an alert? Grin We aren’t talking about horny teenagers. A bitch in season may do anything she can to get to a male. And the best behaved entire male in the world can go completely deaf and stupid when they smell a bitch in season.
4ft fence? I wouldn’t be letting her in the garden off lead TBH.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 13/02/2021 16:31

I live fairly rurally with a 4 foot fence around my garden than neither of my dogs go over. We live next to a public footpath.

4ft is NOTHING to a dog who is after a bitch in heat. It's also nothing to a bitch in heat who is totally ruled by her hormones. If she gets out or another dog gets in, how do you plan on separating them?

Are people basically saying I won’t even be able to let my in heat bitch into my garden because I can’t stop someone else’s offlead dog getting in?

I wouldn't leave an off-lead bitch alone in a garden, no, especially not a garden with such low fences. And especially not when she's in heat. It's a recipe for disaster.

If you choose to get a bitch, you need to be responsible for her welfare. A bitch in heat could easily scale a 4ft fence - a determined male dog could just as easily leap a 4ft fence to get to her.

TheWomanTheyCallJayne · 13/02/2021 17:21

I understand my dog is my responsibility.
I am not willing to take the blame for other people’s dogs coming into my garden though. Everyone’s telling the op a dog can’t necessarily be stopped even if she’s on a lead. What if I have her on a lead‽ What if that dog decided to come across my neighbours to get to mine and my neighbours small children were in the way! Or the field with sheep in on the other side‽ (they could get shot)
What if took my bitch out there, brought her in and then let my dog out‽ Or the chickens or rabbits are out‽

The mind boggles that people think it’s ok to let their dogs onto other people’s property just because they’re hormonal.
My dogs are my responsibility but by the same token other people’s are theirs.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 13/02/2021 17:37

My dogs are my responsibility but by the same token other people’s are theirs.

I absolutely agree with you.

But at the end of the day, if your bitch gets pregnant, you're the one who has to deal with that - the pill to prevent pregnancy if you catch it in time, the costs of pregnancy and birth (not covered by insurance), the risks to your bitches health, raising the pups etc.

It's a big part of why we went for a male dog - the risks of seasons and dealing with unwanted male dogs, phantom pregnancies and potential actual pregnancies was too much for us.

Of course other people's dogs should be under control, but it's your bitch whose health is put at risk if she gets pregnant.