Entire dog/bitch etiquette

[PartridgeInASpicyPearTree]

I was going to post yesterday after a lady in the park told me her bitch is in heat and I was a bit shocked as she was walking her on a flexi in a park that sees a lot of off lead dog traffic. Then there were some other threads that touch on the issue so I held off but they don't quite cover it. Can someone explain to me what the general etiquette is re. managing entire bitches and dogs?

My bitch is a spayed rescue so I've never really had to think about it. My male puppy will definitely be castrated as I'm passionate about neutering to prevent the thousands of dogs being PTS each year.The rescue centre and vet say six months. I do have some concerns about lifelong immature behaviour if done quite so early, but would be devastated if I were to wait and he managed to impregnate a bitch. But how can I ever let him off until he is done if people are walking their entire bitches? Would I be able to separate them in time?

Sorry, that was meant to say "entire bitches in heat". I have no problem with people walking unspayed females not in heat

I sometimes get entire bitches who are waiting for their first season before their spay, from the foster place.

I'm always told to walk them in quiet areas, on a tight lead and pref. only early morning/late night to avoid as many dogs as possible.

I am walking HullyGully along a roads on a tight lead so little chance of of lead males. Mainly at quiet times, although this will be harder in the school holidays as people are out a different times in the morning.

The rain helps too

I did well at someone approaching us very early yesterday morning that she was on heat and he recalled his dog immediately

I am still somewhat irrationally fucked off at her for going into season though.

Short leash and preferably walked around general dog walking times (if you get my drift). However realising that walking at different times may not always be possible a happy warning shout to other dog owners. But then saying that if i see a dog on a lead i put mine on their leads, its just good pet ownership in my opinion.

I do recall and lead him if I see an on lead dog. I didn't immediately yesterday though as I know her and she likes to play but is always kept on a flexi following a few forays into multi-carriageway roads. I guess having no experience with entire males I wasn't sure if, when he matures, he would be too attracted by a bitch in heat to recall.

I totally get that HoneyDragon - you would really rather not have to worry about it! Growing up I didn't have a female dog so when I went babysitting for my neighbour at about age 14 and her goldie was in heat, I was absolutely shocked, horrified and disgusted at her walking around the house dripping all over the cream carpets. In hindsight, I don't know why I was so surprised that dogs bleed too

Tbh, she is proving to be very clean. She was due to be spayed now. But decided to be a pita.

She is driving me nuts though

We keep ours on leads unless they are in remote areas/fenced off areas/areas with few dog walkers/on our own property

We have two entire dogs, one entire bitch, one spayed bitch and eight puppies

We walked foolish dog (who like honey dog also went into season straight after we got her from the rescue)On a short lead, on streets not parks and popular dog places. Unfortunately I have to go in the daytime due to being single parent.

And I am now terrified that 8 weeks after her last season her teats look swollen and she's acting tired...arrrrgh don't think I can do 4 weeks of hours of street pounding again.

PS even with that some little boys who were off lead on their walkies would run out of the park if they got a whiff...so I really try to walk near the busier roads.