Puppy is in season and going stir crazy - any tips?

[musicposy]

That's it, really. Our 8 month old Jack Russell cross puppy came into season about 10 days ago. The bleeding is finally subsiding, so I'm through the "following after her with a damp cloth" stage (for the floor, not the dog!), but now we seem to have hit the "desperate to get out and find a male dog" stage.

She's a lively and feisty dog - I've had dogs since I was three, and she's undoubtedly been the hardest to train, but we're definitely getting there - or we were. She's a dog who really needs walks to let out some of that energy and she's not getting them now. Occasionally DH takes her out at about 10.30 at night, keeping her on the lead, but I don't think we can risk anything else (and I'm even a bit wary of doing that right now).

I'm trying to play with her lots, tug and fetch, recall games etc and giving her as much to do as I can think of, but she's clearly bored and is taking it out on barking, chewing everything in sight, thieving anything she can get her paws on (which is most things as she can jump and climb remarkably well). Our garden, a small square of mud (which is usually not an issue as we live by fields), is currently a quagmire and I'm reluctant for her to go out there much, certainly not unattended, as there are male dogs live over the fence.

To make matters harder, our elder (neutered male) dog is showing a huge interest. If she isn't destroying the house she's play fighting with him which invariably leads to him getting the idea that he could play in other ways! So I'm trying to keep them separate into the bargain. Normally she will calm down with some crate time, but at the moment she starts her ear piercing terrier yap the minute she goes in there (she has two distinct barks, doberman woof and terrier yap )

So, I'm stuck, really, as to how to keep my sanity for the next week! Any suggestions?

Oh, and we will be getting her neutered in the spring, so this is definitely the one and only time I have to deal with this

Have you tried giving her a raw marrow bone of stuffed kong to keep her occupied? Also, hiding her meals for her to find and playing games with her like hide and seek and things where she really has to think about them.

Also, lots of training and try teaching her some tricks. She'll only be like this for a few days or so. I have to say though, not one of my bitches has ever really behaved any differently when in season.

I can't get her too interested in the kong (for some reason she won't chew rubber toys), even though my older dog loves it! She licks the food a bit from the middle and quickly gives up, leaving my elder dog to grab it! But I think she would love a marrowbone and will see what I can get her tomorrow.

We have quite a repertoire of tricks - sit, stay, down, roll over, high five, paw, leave it, touch and bang! (play dead, she's so cute, makes us laugh) and I'm at a loss as to what else to teach her - any ideas?

I think the different behaviour is just caused by not getting the walks, so having less to think about. Also, we usually take her around with us a lot but I'm nervous of having her out of the car, so whereas normally if one of us goes out and one stays at home she might come with the one who goes out, she's mostly staying at home.

Still, it's only a week, and DH has this minute arrived back from a walk with her (at nearly midnight!) and she looks very much calmer and quite pleased with herself.

Hide eyes/be shy - dog lies down and covers muzzle/eyes with one or both paws. Impressive but one of the quickest tricks my dog picked up.

Say prayers - dog sits, with paws up on bed/sofa/chair and head down between paws in quiet contemplation.

Spin/twist.

Pick up dropped clothes and put in wash basket.

Walk backwards - a good trick to teach when you're sitting on the sofa; very little effort involved.

Go through legs.

The sky's the limit really, with tricks. Especially if you use a clicker. I plan to teach my dog to limp on cue next

PS - I did the same with my dog; let her have one season then spayed. I was dreading keeping her in (the proliferation of entire male dogs around here meant that I didn't risk taking her out, even at night) but upping the clicker training knackered her out nicely and TBH she didn't seem as bothered by the lack of walks as I thought she would be.

Thanks for this - am doing some of these!

We took her out in the car for a while yesterday which always interests her - she likes looking at people on the street. I popped into the supermarket and bribed DD2 with a pokemon magazine to stay with her! I bought her some various chewy things as well. She was much more tired and easy to handle last night. I think I just need to do more inside. I know that puppy class used to really knacker her out so I guess it's not all about walks.

Main problem now seems to be keeping the two dogs apart as our sheltie keeps trying to mount her and she is very keen for him to! He is neutered but doesn't seem to realise the fact...