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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Quincythequince · 27/08/2022 09:28

Goodness me. No, you don’t walk a dog in season.

I can’t believe you have to ask this.

Yerroblemom1923 · 27/08/2022 09:29

Get your dog neutered.

mountainsunsets · 27/08/2022 09:31

Why isn’t there also an onus on the owner of an uncastrated male dog who is productive 365 days a year to have it under control?

It's not only uncastrated males that can sniff out a bitch in season, though. Even neutered males can smell them and will give chase if possible.

It's also not the owners of the male who will have to deal with pregnancy, birth and a litter of puppies for 8-10 weeks before homes can be found for them.

If you choose to leave your bitch unspayed you have a responsibility to keep her safe from unwanted male attention and pregnancy. If you don't want that responsibility, spay her or don't have a female dog.

Thatswhyimacat · 27/08/2022 09:31

I would:

  • Talk to your vet about options for spaying
  • In meantime, only walk her very early and late in quiet places

By walking her, you are accepting a risk that something will happen to her. Whose fault it would be is irrelevant in the end.

Quincythequince · 27/08/2022 09:33

Trulyweird1 · 27/08/2022 07:52

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.

Show quote history

This. People saying the woman can’t control her dog.

A large intact male within sniffing distance of a bitch in heat! Good luck using dog training too overpower that instinct.

It’s not fair on her.

You can’t take her out at normal times. If you must, 5am walks and then later at 9:30

Or use a play field for her to get her daily exercise.

It takes seconds for an intact male to mate her, you are irresponsible to have done this.

Badgerstmary · 27/08/2022 09:35

Hi op, I agree that you are being given a very hard time here. Of course you are able to walk your dog on season & I say this having owned both male and female dogs. It sounds like you are making sensible precautions.
I also believe that every dog owner needs to be responsible for their dog & the other woman was totally in the wrong for having such a huge dog she was unable to control.

sweetkitty · 27/08/2022 09:36

I voted YANBU as I have been there too, my bitch was having her only and only season before she was spayed, I was walking her on lead at 6am on what I thought was a deserted path just giving her a wee 20 mins out the house as she was so miserable. The next thing his huge bouncy labradoodle comes up obviously sniffs her wants to do the obvious no owner in sight I’m inbetween the two of them, my botch is terrified, (she’s a ridgeback do not like I can pick her up and run away) I have her back end between me and the dog so he can’t get to her, she’s freaking, I’ve got a horny doodle. Owner eventually appears a very posh gentleman “oh I thought Cosmo had found a girlfriend he usually only wanders off when he finds a girlfriend, come Cosmo, well of course Cosmo is going nowhere I can’t move. Gentleman has walked off shouting a very polite Cosmo leave your girlfriend, she’s not appreciative of your advances! After about half an hour of me trying to shuffle in opposite direction he eventually comes back and puts horny Cosmo on a lead!

Never again! That was my poor bitch’s one and only season (that and the blood, the hormones and the false pregnancy)

MyDogTails · 27/08/2022 09:37

As the vast majority of dog owners where I live spay their male dogs, this would be fine where I live. They’d show interest perhaps but that’s it.
However in some areas near me where I drive to walk the dog, there are many non-neutured dogs and I wouldn’t risk it even off lead. I know this because my neutered male dog acts differently with them. Their owners seem to be the fitness obsessed men with big muscles - some have told me they think it’s emasculating.

MelonMojito · 27/08/2022 09:38

Yes you can walk a bitch in season. Like others have said it’s best to avoid busy areas and busy times. We used to get something called ‘Bitch Spray’ from pets at home and sprayed ours with that before walking. It’s supposed to help mask their smell. We never had a problem and walked ours for 4 years when in season before spaying.

BungleandGeorge · 27/08/2022 09:40

She shouldn’t take her dog out if she can’t control it. I’m not sure about the comments about ‘unwanted male attention’ they’re dogs, it’s nature?! If it was my birch I’d be very concerned about pregnancy and get her neutered as soon as possible and at 2 years old I don’t think there are any problems getting it done. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t unless you want to breed from her (but presumably you’d be keeping her away from unintended matings then)

Firty · 27/08/2022 09:42

Sounds tricky OP! I think you were unlucky meeting such a big dog.

Obviously you can’t not walk your dog for 3 weeks unless you have a huge huge garden. If I was you I’d either walk very remotely (tricky with so many digs around!) start a conversation witha local who owns a secure field and ask if you can pay a few quid to use it for a walk. Round here that would mean me hiring the scout hut which has a field. Farmers won’t be keen because dog poo is dangerous for their cattle but the scouts might help.

MyDogTails · 27/08/2022 09:42

To all those saying spay her, it’s a big op for a female dog, the OP has said her dog is a haemorrhage risk and the risks of surgery are higher for some breeds. It’s not quite as simple as some are making out for female dogs.
@sweetkitty Cosmo’s owner sounds a right prat..

Firty · 27/08/2022 09:43

BungleandGeorge · 27/08/2022 09:40

She shouldn’t take her dog out if she can’t control it. I’m not sure about the comments about ‘unwanted male attention’ they’re dogs, it’s nature?! If it was my birch I’d be very concerned about pregnancy and get her neutered as soon as possible and at 2 years old I don’t think there are any problems getting it done. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t unless you want to breed from her (but presumably you’d be keeping her away from unintended matings then)

@BungleandGeorge if you read the thread, or click ‘see all’ next to the OP, you will learn that this dog can’t be spayed for medical reasons (haemorrhages).

girlmom21 · 27/08/2022 09:44

Why isn’t there also an onus on the owner of an uncastrated male dog who is productive 365 days a year to have it under control?

If this was a thread of a dog owner saying "my dog mounted an in season bitch, AIBU to say the owner should've kept her home" we'd all be saying YABU you should keep your dog under control. But that's not what this thread is about. There's an onus on all dog owners.

MelonMojito · 27/08/2022 09:44

If people don’t want to RTFT they should at least read OPs updates before accusing them of wanting to breed their dog for profit
or just being irresponsible for not spaying their dog🙄they’ve said their dog has a blood disorder so is at risk of haemorrhaging if they have that operation.

KimberleyClark · 27/08/2022 09:44

MyDogTails · 27/08/2022 09:42

To all those saying spay her, it’s a big op for a female dog, the OP has said her dog is a haemorrhage risk and the risks of surgery are higher for some breeds. It’s not quite as simple as some are making out for female dogs.
@sweetkitty Cosmo’s owner sounds a right prat..

There are less invasive methods available as I pointed out upthread.

TooBored1 · 27/08/2022 09:45

Of course your dog needs walking. It sounds as if you have taken reasonable precautions by changing your normal route.

Owners of male dogs should have them neutered and not own a dog they physically can't control.

Imagine if that dog had taken after a child? Or attacked another dog? She was clearly at fault for walking a dog she couldn't control.

LizzieMacQueen · 27/08/2022 09:48

@Hakeandling has it right.

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.

We came across a man walking his bitch in heat, off lead, middle of the morning, in our local woods. Luckily my dog is neutered but still. I was annoyed as my dog was clearly interested.

caringcarer · 27/08/2022 09:52

I did not walk my 2 bitches in season. Well I walked them up and down the garden for 20 mins. Also threw ball for them to chase after.

Trainfromredhill · 27/08/2022 09:52

Trainfromredhill · Today 07:33
On MN the answer is ‘no’

told you 😂

Bobbins36 · 27/08/2022 09:52

It’s inviting trouble for you and your dog so no, pain as it is keep them away from unwanted attention for the duration!

Shortjanet · 27/08/2022 09:54

To those saying it's the responsibility of the male dog's owner to have them neutered, what if there is a medical reason for them not to be? It's antisocial and irresponsible to have an in season bitch around other dogs. In the case of one with issues which prevent surgery presumably pregnancy would be very risky, in addition to the likelihood of any pups carrying a genetic problem.

Bobbins36 · 27/08/2022 09:56

Ridiculous to expect ALL other pet owners who may be in the vicinity should have a medical procedure carried out on their animal so that yours doesn’t have to have one. Bitches can be spayed too and it’s part of your responsibility as a dog owner not to allow unwanted litters if you don’t want your bitch to have them. Even a neutered dog can show unusual interest in a bitch in season.

I speak as an owner of 3 neutered boy dogs!

WaltzingWaters · 27/08/2022 09:56

We always walked our dog in season. We got her spayed at 2. We do live rurally and always kept her on the lead when on heat.

yes, the other dog would be hard to control when instinct kicks in, but it sounds as if the other lady had a dog far too big for her.

BabyDreamers · 27/08/2022 09:58

I've always thought you were not meant to walk a dog in season because of issues like this

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