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Original poster

Should I not be walking a dog in season?

348 replies

Salamamca · 27/08/2022 07:29

My 3 year old dog is in season. I have been walking her on road walks where we’re less likely to encounter off-lead dogs.

Yesterday there was a woman walking this GIANT dog on the other side of the road, it looked like a Newfoundland/St Bernard but with German shepherd colouring - I swear it was the biggest dog I’ve ever seen. Anyway I carried on walking and then this huge dog suddenly dragged its owner across the road to come to us (luckily, no cars on what is normally a pretty busy road), she couldn’t hold it back at all, he dragged her with ease. They get to us and it tried to sniff my dog and my dog snapped at it but we couldn’t get away, when we tried to carry on walking it just dragged it’s owner along with us. She said she couldn’t understand what was wrong with him as he’s never done this before so I told her mine was in season. She said “well why on earth are you out with her then?. In the end a bloke from across the road came and helped her hold her dog whilst we got away. (And even he was struggling!)

Its really shook me up. She will be in season for weeks, surely we’re not expected to not walk her for 3 weeks or more?? I’ve always walked her in the past with no issues.

OP posts:
1Wanda1 · 27/08/2022 07:30

No, you don't take a dog in season out. It's not fair on either your dog or others.

Hakeandling · 27/08/2022 07:32

can you walk her earlier or later so less likely to encounter people?
or hire one of those enclosed fields a couple of times a week.
ls there a reason you haven’t had her spayed?

Trainfromredhill · 27/08/2022 07:33

On MN the answer is ‘no’. We’ve always walked our dog in season and never had a problem.(we live in the countryside).
the lady on the other side of the road sounds like she can’t control her dog.

Soubriquet · 27/08/2022 07:35

We’ve always walked our dogs in season too.

If you’re concerned, go really early, or late to avoid other dogs.

The real problem here, is that she can’t control her dog. She’s proven that.

KaroH · 27/08/2022 07:36

We didn't walk our dog in season. Lots of play in the garden and brain games instead. We then got her spayed at 2 year old.

We were in no position to have a house of puppies nevermind down the line if any couldn't settle in homes and had to be returned. I also knew there was nothing I could do out on a walk if a dog tried to mate her so we chose not to take that risk.

Gaveitall · 27/08/2022 07:39

Have you not had dogs or bitches before?
Are you a new dog owner albeit your bitch is 3?

It is anti social to take a bitch in season out for walks where inevitably it will encounter dogs. It is unfair on your bitch & other dog owners too.
If you are not intending to breed from her, get her spayed.
There can be health consequences for bitches who are not spayed so this might be something to ask your vet about.

Eeksilon · 27/08/2022 07:40

Yep I agree you can't just not walk a dog for 3+ weeks just so somebody else doesn't have to control theirs.. Ridiculous!

We've taken our girl out everyday and had no issues beyond the odd male sniffing around as we passed with the owners happy to pop them on the lead for a bit as they passed us.

She should get a dog she can control.

Luckingfovely · 27/08/2022 07:41

You were in the wrong. It's totally unfair to other dogs and other dog owners to walk a bitch in heat in a populated area. Find another solution.

Pinklady245612 · 27/08/2022 07:41

Possibly a Leonberger breed? They are huge and I wouldn't want to be trying to control one.

Your dog needs exercise, but you do need to do all you can to stay away from other dogs. Walk at 6am and 10pm. Play in the garden. Have you got a field you can hire near you? I wouldn't take her out during the day, even lead walking on the street

Eeksilon · 27/08/2022 07:42

To add, we are getting ours spayed but it's considered good practice these days to wait a couple seasons first.

pumpkinpie01 · 27/08/2022 07:45

That woman should not have a dog she can't control what if it dragged her in front of a car ! We walk ours in season ( getting done soon ) never had any problems , definitely shouldn't have problems with another dog that's on lead

GhostFromTheOtherSide · 27/08/2022 07:46

it’s all very well saying that other people should control their dogs but the fact is that if a dog is off lead it only takes a minute, and it is then the owner of the bitch who has to deal with the resultant puppies.

Mating is a natural instinct to an in tact male dog so it’s completely unreasonable to suggest that a male dog who catches the scent of an in-heat female should be expected not to react.

if you need to walk a dog then it needs to be first thing in the morning or last thing at night, or out in the country where you’re unlikely to come across other dogs.

But if you’re going to walk a dog in season then male attention has to be expected.

Hakeandling · 27/08/2022 07:46

To be fair to the other owner it really is very hard to control a dog around a bitch on heat. The instinct to get to them will override all their training and usual behaviour.

GiantCheeseMonster · 27/08/2022 07:47

You can walk a dog in season but only late at night or early in the morning and only in remote areas. Apart from anything else, if a determined dog gets to her they can mate very quickly and she’ll end up pregnant. At 3 with a few seasons under her belt why don’t you just spay her? It eliminates the risk of uterine cancer and pyometra apart from anything else.

Trulyweird1 · 27/08/2022 07:52

Hakeandling · 27/08/2022 07:46

To be fair to the other owner it really is very hard to control a dog around a bitch on heat. The instinct to get to them will override all their training and usual behaviour.

Absolutely this. The sex drive is very strong in dogs, males and females, and their lack of control over it is why we neuter them.
Keep your bitch safe by keeping her away from all dogs.

SupposeItDoesnt · 27/08/2022 07:54

You need to spay her… and not walk her when she’s in season.

gogohmm · 27/08/2022 07:56

You need to walk when it quiet but also it's time for a trip to the vet. Never go to a park or fields where there's likely to be off lead dogs.

We had our male dog neutered (as is the responsible thing to do for all dog owners not planning on breeding) but still he's rather too interesting if he encounters a female dog in season. He's very obedient (walks to heel, comes immediately, knows both voice commands and hand commands) but he will disobey when biological urge kicks in! He's thankfully not that strong but wouldn't be above nipping me to get to a female dog, they can't help themselves. The only time I thought I had lost him was following a dog in the park, him and a good dozen or so others! thankfully he did return to me after a few minutes but another owner was still looking an hour later for hers

Palmtree9 · 27/08/2022 07:57

The other owner should have better control, or harness/halti the dog, but, even the best well trained dogs will try anything to get to a girl in heat. It sounds like you've been lucky if this is the first time a dog has tried to get to your girl in heat
Early morning walks or late evening, and preferably somewhere you won't encounter anyone else, not along pavements where you are likely to come across other dogs.

picklemewalnuts · 27/08/2022 07:57

Totally unreasonable. As I understand it, you won't be able to intervene if that dog gets to her. If two intact male dogs are about they could end up scrapping over her and get seriously injured. As could you if you try to intervene.

A woman was in the park with her in season bitch, off lead. My castrated male forgot himself and went over for a try. It's pretty risky.

Kindofcrunchy · 27/08/2022 08:00

Get your dog fixed.

Willyoujustbequiet · 27/08/2022 08:01

No it's the other owners fault if she can't control her dog.

Ponoka7 · 27/08/2022 08:01

As said, you can't control male dogs around a dog in season. That could have turned nasty with your dog getting raped, or badly bitten. I've known normally placid dogs to eat the fence to get to a bitch gardens away. It's like the prey drive, we can't train our dogs out of it. Let's hope she walks a different way or the dog might pick up the sent and you find it on your doorstep.

hellcatspangle · 27/08/2022 08:01

I've always walked mine in season (they've always been spayed so only had one season) I've just been very careful about when and where I walked them and only on lead where I could see well in advance if there were any dogs approaching. We do have a couple of secure exercise fields for personal hire near here and I've also used those for free running.

Whinge · 27/08/2022 08:06

Willyoujustbequiet · 27/08/2022 08:01

No it's the other owners fault if she can't control her dog.

I'm not sure there are many owners who would be able to control their dog around an unspayed bitch.

OP, as others have said you can walk her, but might need to change when and where.

girlmom21 · 27/08/2022 08:10

No you shouldn't be walking your in season bitch anywhere where you might come across other dogs. You don't want dogs picking up the scent to your house either.