Should I not be walking a dog in season?

[Salamamca]

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.

I and others do. You seemed to think we'd believe what you said. No vet would recommend you risk your dogs health at least twice a year every year. No one buys it. And who is talking about 'urine on the floor'?

What's the bleeding disorder OP?

Why the fuck would I lie?? What other possible reason would I have for refusing to spay my dog? No she isn’t going to be bred from so don’t try that one.

Then you need to see a vet because you are risking your dog haemhorraging every 6 months, vs one and done forever.

Ah another irresponsible dog owner getting defensive and nasty when pulled up on it. Poor dog.

*different vet

Yep. And it's ok for them to risk their dog haemhorraging every 6 months!

The thing is OP, that there will be at least some posters on your thread who have appropriate vet/ vet nurse qualifications. So your obfuscation re bleeding disorders aren't going to cut the mustard. As with humans, there is always a way around any bleeding disorders to carefully manage necessary surgical interventions.

Who is getting nasty? I won’t be accused of wanting to make money off my dog simply because she isn’t spayed. There is a reason for it. I don’t have to justify that on here, the post wasn’t even about getting her spayed!!

It's a bit of both. Many don't walk a bitch in heat because they can encounter male dogs or also slip their leads, run away to mate. But if you feel you can control all these variables then fine walk your bitch in heat.

Male large breed dog owner should also ensure they can control their dog at all times.

My mastiff walks beautifully on a lead but he still wears a halti because of the "what if". If he decided to pull with all his strength I'd have no control he'd literally take me with him, so to comply with not only the law that he is "always under control in a public place" and also for my own peace of mind that he can never pull me over/in to a road I walk him on the halti.

Why would I lie?

I don't think you want to make money off her. But your argument does not even remotely add up, and surely you must know it on some level. You are letting your dog haemorrhage every 6 months!!

You are taking a hell of a risk, @Salamamca , assuming you won't come across the dog of an irresponsible owner. Not to mention the responsible owners caught out by the strength of their dog/its determination to escape its own garden when it's driven by your bitch's pheromones.

You're a braver woman than me.

It’s not just the male dogs that are the problem. At some point in the season the female will become receptive to males and actively seek to mate.

We had a bitch when I was a child that my parents didn’t spay. During her seasons local dogs would set up camp outside our house for nights at a time.

No idea what your motivation for lying is OP, I suspect you've either got the wrong end of the stick or you need a second vet opinion.

But just to be crystal clear again, there is no existing bleeding disorder that prevents careful management of essential surgical intervention.

OP my first thought when I read your post is of course you're not unreasonable, and of course you should walk her. The owner of the massive dog that she's unable to control shouldn't be walking him!

I have a large male dog. If he pulled me across a road to a dog in season, it would be my fault at my failure to control him - not the owner of the female dog for walking her.

Keep walking your dog and ignore the accusations and bullshit you're getting on here.

An entire dog will do anything to get at a bitch in season.
When I was a child my mothers dog ripped a wooden door in half to get into a neighbour’s yard. 9 weeks later, litter of pups. Not surprised this dog tried to drag its owner to meet yours.
Walk your dog early, 5-6 am or late evening.

Even well trained dogs won’t behave if there is a bitch in season. I’d have been annoyed if I was her too.

This was the case in one of the homes I mentioned upthread. Neutered male who lived with a female who went into her first season. Both very unsettled and crying the house down when separated. When they were near each other he would tie on before anyone could intervene. In the end they spent most of the time stuck to one another because that's how they seemed happiest 🤷‍♀️

What did your vet say about your bitches condition and the risks of pyrometra which affects around 25% of bitches and requires invasive emergency surgery on a very unwell dog vs a managed spay in an otherwise well dog?

Thank you @Hakeandling @2bazookas Such a good idea!

Well if you walk her, then there is a good chance that you will have no choice but breed from her as a non neutered male will mate with her and there will be nothing you've an do about it.

Yes you can.
I had the same issue, with two off lead dogs, walking on the street who I'm guessing are usually well trained wouldn't leave my dog alone. I was out late too. Also had one man whose dog ran miles to get to mine who had a right go st me. I phoned my vet to ask if there were laws of anything against walking her in season they said no and as long as she was on a lead then it was up to the owners of the others dogs to control their dogs.

Yes you can ffs mumsnet army at it again ... your dog needs exercise too lol