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?

@Eckhart my local council's bylaws state that dogs on heat aren't allowed in any public place - including the park. I'm not in the UK. But it does happen!

it's apparently fine to let their male dog be completely out of control to go and have sex with some bitch who is totally under control!

Literally no one has said that. Not a single poster.

[quote Gobbeldegook]@compulsiveliar2019 I do reassure her. Doesn't stop her being afraid. She's 4. She's not afraid until they're running loose and bounding up to her slobbering everywhere! They shouldn't be loose!

What are you afraid of? I wonder if you could be taught to not be afraid of your fears?

Dare bet if a massive spider dropped on your face you'd scream.

Doubt I'll get an honest answer given your username[/quote]
My username is an in joke between myself and some friends of mine. Not that it's relevant.

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.

No I'm not afraid of spiders and have numerous residing in my house. My parents encouraged me to face fears and didn't make a fuss of us if we were nervous.

@imamearcat

Totally agree with OP here I've had a few male dogs and none of them had been these out of control rapists you speak of!

I can't believe on Mumsnet where dogs aren't even allowed to be off the lead in most conversations but it's apparently fine to let their male dog be completely out of control to go and have sex with some bitch who is totally under control! Crazy!

But dogs are dogs and even if an entire male dog is on a lead once it smells a bitch in heat it can become a completely different dog. It can pull the owner over/become controllable and find anyway of getting to that bitch. It's like waving a red rag to a bull. Hence why it's best to just avoid taking your bitch out when it in season.

[quote itwillbehormones]@swinglowsweetchariot12 I've tried telling OP this as well, her poor girl will get stressed.

It's all over the place in my place.. My female mounts my neutered male, while my intact male cracks on with my other neutered male. When she's in season is like a full on orgy! [/quote]
I have three entire bitches, when they are in seasons it's a full on lesbian humping fest between them all lol

They don't go out for a walk when they are in season as we know it's the responsible thing to do.

that made me laugh... was she just eyeing him up!! Or all dizzy with excitement

A bit of both. She was looking at him like she had found her first boyfriend.
This dog seemed to have had the urge to break out of his garden and come from over a field away and break into our back garden and then didn’t seem to know why he was there.

JackieWeaverIsTheAuthority I was very responsible I didn’t take her on a walk until very late at night and she was let out in the back garden during the day

Why is your dog not spayed? Is she a pedigreed dog, used for breeding? That's the only excuse I can think of to leave a bitch unspayed.

I think it's one of those things where morally yes you should be able to walk your dog without it being harassed. In a perfect world where everyone had their dogs under control at all times even on a beach and even when their instincts were taking over.

But practically... you can't do it, they can't do it and you shouldn't as the risk is too much.

Bit like a relative of mine who got into a car accident by going into the path of an oncoming vehicle because it was her right of way.

Male dogs it’s usually advised to wait till they fully grown before being neutered - so your saying all younger male dogs due to your dog being in heat should be on a lead regardless?

I wanted to wait till after my female dog first heat before she was spayed. We just stayed at home and short evening walks on a lead at the later stages. That was my responsibility and I understood that even the most well trained dog can’t fight it’s natural instinct?!?

Like others said your dog scent will be attracting dogs - our neighbours 4 doors down asked me was my dog in heat as her young dog was going crazy!

So from this chat all I'm hearing really is that a bitch not spayed isn't allowed to pee or shit unless pre 7am or after hours? Seriously?

If a male isn't dressed then their ownder should expect wandering. I did when I had a male undressed. I now have a female not neutered who is 4 so yes, plan on breeding but christ she needs to go when she needs to go!

Usually an offleash dog but in heat she remains on leash to prevent accidents happening.

I'm afraid you do have to expect unwanted attention and do all you can, for eg. I take mine to places not known for dog walking but still, expect the unexpected.

You're being a bit PA over it all OP. What 'mentality' do you mean other than that of those that simply disagree with you. You're a dog owner as well and it sounds like there are several you've encountered not best pleased with your choices as one. That's up to them.

There doesn't always have to be a right and wrong to things or blame apportioned. Male dogs will, even when done, as has been pointed out, go much further than a few 'football pitches' of open beach to reach a female in heat so if you go out to such places, I would expect them to, so should you. Their owners don't have to be pleased about that or not find it inconvenient or worrying.

I would be looking for a very isolated place to temporarily walk her for her own safety and everyone elses. Properly isolated and at early or late times, not a popular dog walking spot that always has several dogs on it within eyesight like the beach.

I don't think this is some sort of dog feminist issue so much as one of common sense and a classic case of there not always being an answer to please everyone.

Well he’ll slap it into you when big Fido humps your Fife rotten and your sobbing at the fact she’s up the duff with some crazy named crossbreeds!
If big Fido wants his hole he’ll get it, not giving a toss if you are screeching at him or not. You could get some other dog into deep trouble.
You are the owner own your dog it’s not up to other owners they can’t sniff out your bitches fanny from a 10 mile radius and clip their free running dogs back on the leash because your feeling hard done by and strutting wee Fife around like a free ride.
Use your back garden or go at the crack of dawn if you really must.

Unless you want to unintentionally find yourself with a litter of puppies on your hands, either jeep her in while in heat or have her spayed.

Your OP comes across as a feminist argument, which is completely irrelevant in these circumstances.

This isn't about treating male and female dogs equally. Or about male-dog-owner entitlement. It's about you being responsible for your pet.

*Fifi

Yanbu. I think dogs should be on leads in the situations you described full stop, nevermind your dog being in heat.

I was very responsible I didn’t take her on a walk until very late at night and she was let out in the back garden during the day

Ok so I’m not sure what point you were making when you responded to my post?

I go to a local dog park, it's a park for dogs, called the dog park, dogs are off leash and it's great for socialising new dogs etc. The dogs all get on 99.9% of the time.
Recently a lady has been walking her bitch on heat through the park, on a lead.
Omg the carnage!! My dog, who has great recall, actually got out of his harness at the scent of this dog.
When I took him home, he was pacing the floor and whining for over an hour.
Another dog escaped out of the gate after the bitch.
Yet still the lady trots through the busy park as she thinks its cruel to deny her dog.
🤬

@Mamanyt

Why is your dog not spayed? Is she a pedigreed dog, used for breeding? That's the only excuse I can think of to leave a bitch unspayed.

@Mamanyt read the thread! It's the bitches first season. Any reputable vet will recommend waiting till after the first season to spay as it's detrimental to them to spay before!

For many years we have known that spaying a female dog or cat before the first heat cycle almost eliminates their life long risk of mammary tumors (breast cancer). In dogs 50% of tumors are malignant. In cats 90% are malignant. But by spaying dogs before the first heat cycle the risk drops to less than ½ of 1/10 of 1% (0.05%).
So, all the vets in the US are wrong, or dogs in the UK do not develop mammary tumors? There are five vets within a 10 mile radius of my home and every one of them recommends spaying before the first heat. That can be six months for small dogs, 8-9 months for larger breeds.

We've an 18 month old boy who we would love to have neutered right now but our vets aren't doing it during lockdown.

We live very rurally, half a mile from the nearest house and tend to know most dog owners we meet up and down the lane. A few months ago, our dog started behaving frantically, wanting to get outside constantly and talking to other owners with boys, they were apparently all love struck - obviously a lady on heat was somewhere in the area! It was a long week.

I can't believe the pile on onto the OP.

Why is she selfish and irresponsible for walking her own dog on a lead in a quiet place?

And why are people demanding she get her dog neutered?

Ffs, the owners of male dogs who allow them off lead and who don't have recall are breaking the law by not having their dog under control in a public place. No magistrate is going to let them off because a nearby bitch was in heat. I hope you people have public liability insurance.

It's like blaming the woman for wearing a short skirt and going out at night, which made her get raped. No, it's the selfish irresponsible bastards who can't keep their dicks dogs under control who are to blame.

Well... you can choose to walk her but had you planned how are you going to split two interested dogs quickly getting into it? The situation can evolve very quickly, faster than the other person can run to get their dog.

I can assure you both dogs will ignore your commands and if she is a small dog, she can get hurt.

@GeorgiaGirl52

For many years we have known that spaying a female dog or cat before the first heat cycle almost eliminates their life long risk of mammary tumors (breast cancer). In dogs 50% of tumors are malignant. In cats 90% are malignant. But by spaying dogs before the first heat cycle the risk drops to less than ½ of 1/10 of 1% (0.05%). So, all the vets in the US are wrong, or dogs in the UK do not develop mammary tumors? There are five vets within a 10 mile radius of my home and every one of them recommends spaying before the first heat. That can be six months for small dogs, 8-9 months for larger breeds.

You just saved me a long post. Thanks. It also 100% eliminates the risk of pyometra, an often-fatal uterine infection. I do remember vets saying to allow an animal to have one heat before spaying, but that, for God's sake, was in the 50s and 60s. We've learned a good bit since then, or I hope we have!

@BendyLikeBeckham

I can't believe the pile on onto the OP.

Why is she selfish and irresponsible for walking her own dog on a lead in a quiet place?

And why are people demanding she get her dog neutered?

Ffs, the owners of male dogs who allow them off lead and who don't have recall are breaking the law by not having their dog under control in a public place. No magistrate is going to let them off because a nearby bitch was in heat. I hope you people have public liability insurance.

It's like blaming the woman for wearing a short skirt and going out at night, which made her get raped. No, it's the selfish irresponsible bastards who can't keep their dicks dogs under control who are to blame.

Huh. I must have not read as many responses as I thought I had. I did not see one single response demanding that she spay her dog. I did question why the dog was not spayed, but that's a long way from demanding that she do it...or do you just generally take a piece of an answer and make of it what you will?

And the two cases you mention (animals in heat/women who dress in shorts skirts) are absolutely nothing alike. I am not fond of false equivalencies. I have enough of that nonsense in American politics, thank you very much.

@berryfull

There is no advice from any vet or animal welfare organisation that states to not walk your dog in heat. Keep her on the lead yes. Which I do!

But this makes no difference at all! I walk the most placid, mild mannered wheaten terrier. He is an absolute joy and no bother at all. Once as we were leaving the park and I'd put him on lead, he had clearly picked up the scent of a bitch in heat, and he went absolutely mental. There was NOTHING I could do to stop him, despite the fact he was on the lead. The owner of the female dog seemed annoyed with me (not sure why) and became quite anxious trying to shield her dog. I managed to finally pull him off, but as I say, in the 3 years I've walked him, I've never seen him behave in that way. It was uncharacteristic, but perhaps not, as I'd clearly never come into contact with a bitch in heat whilst walking him before, presumably because dog owners avoid the parks if their dog is in heat.

I don't think you can be annoyed at dogs for picking up a scent which immediately tells them they can have a fair crack at getting some. They're animals after all.