What to expect when my dog goes on heat?

[SunshineDaisiesButterMellow]

Our cocker spaniel is 6 months old. When will she be on heat? Will we be able to go out for walks? And will we need some sort of dog pads if she bleeds?
I'm sure there are more questions but I can't think of any at the minute. So please add anything you think I'll find useful.

from my little knowledge of dogs (although different breeds can be different) expect a season any time between now and 1 yr. we still walk our bitch when in season, but only go where we know we wont see many people and dogs won't be off the lead (but we do live very rurally so hardly anyone around). we also don't let her off as she is more likely to run off. some will bleed a little, some quite a lot, just like human periods are all different- don't let them on carpet or sofa if you're worried about stains/smells.

I put a pair of knickers on mine, with a big pad inside and cut a hole out for her tail. She loves them!

She usually makes a beeline for my male dog (no chance of pregnancy) and I mean she literally shakes her arse in his face. It's so weird to see.

There might be some behavioural changes. She gets a bit more boisterous and tries to be more dominant. Eats and drinks a lot more too

Haha! mine would never put up with wearing knickers! ours also goes the opposite, she goes very cuddly and sleepy. each to their own I suppose

Definitely keep her on a lead if you take her out! And please try not to walk in busy places or at at busy times.

Be prepared for the fact that she will be a total magnet to any entire male dogs in the park, before she is receptive this could make her quite grumpy and has the potential of squabbles kicking off. If you see other dog walkers please let them know she is in season so that they can avoid you/put their dogs on leads. Some people think you should keep in-season bitches inside so you may get some negative responses.

Once she is receptive she will be waving it in their faces, as desperate as they are! A female Staffy (out with an idiot dogwalker) once laid down so my toy breed boy could reach, fortunately he has never worked out which is the business end and was humping her head and I was easily able to remove him from the situation.

Make sure she is very secure at home as she may try much harder than usual to get out. Double check your garden is escape proof and that she isn't accidentally let out, for example when a delivery comes. Remember her hormones will have the potential to make her behave quite differently than you are used to.

Are you planning to get her neutered after her first season?

All bitches are different some behaviour with change some soppy Angels, some little demons and others don't change.

There is no need for nappies or pads unless you wish to use them.

Don't walk her offlead and don't let her around male dogs. We personally don't walk when in season as my bitches would flag to a tree.

Bitches are in season an adverage of 3 weeks every 6-8months, it will start with red blood then go clear or straw coloured this is when she is ready to accept a male, the bleeding then starts again, some bitches will bleed red though out.

Some bitches will be so clean you won't wven know their in season without you having a good look at her vulva, others are very messy and again some you will notice a few spots.

If she's to be spayed (very good idea for health and because you don't know about seasons) let you vet know and make a note of to when she has come into season as most vets want to wait until a couple of months after a season to spay.

Also even if youdog is as big as a Leon little dogs will still try and bitches have been known to lay down to allow these small dogs acess.

Make sure you don't leave her unattened in the garden as not only May she try to escape makes may well get it, 6ft fence or not, dogs have been known to destroy doors/fences/ eat though dry wall and mate though metal fences.

If she does get caught there is an injection she can have bit like a morning after pill for dogs as she is way to young for a litter.

Also she could have a phantom pregnancy after a season don't encourage this if she does, she will try to hord "puppies" so teddy etc.

If her season is off colour and smells bad straight to the vets as she could have pyro which can kill if not treated fast enough.

Thanks for all the advice, I feel a bit more prepared now.
The garden is very enclosed so I don't think she'll be able to get out, and she's never off the lead on walks as her recall is very patchy. We're still working on it.
We will be having her spayed after.

We've just survived our second season.
We avoided all other dogs for the duration as didn't fancy any difficult scenarios. She was very clingy for first couple of days - I think she had an it of pain, but after that was fine in herself.
We did use the nappy style pads but she didn't really like them so after the first few days just put old blankets down to protect the carpet.

I never used pads when DDog was in season, she always kept herself very clean. The licking would drive me potty though and sometime she made herself sore from it. She used to get really frisky and would jump in my lap for a cuddle but end up trying to mount me and she also smelled funny.

I used to stop walking her when she was in season, I don't think it's fair on the male dogs and she would get upset by the attention when she wasn't receptive. I also kept an eye on her when I let her in the garden, she couldn't get out but I have known male dogs climb 6ft fences to get to a female. Next doors husky broke though a solid fence to visit DDog when she was not even in heat.