There’s a bitch in season over the road

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Well I think that’s what’s happening. My lab, 3yo and entire, has taken to sitting in the garden just staring at the fence. I think he’s staring in the general direction of the elderly yellow lab that lives round the corner. I met them out on a walk once and he had a good sniff although didn’t show much more interest. The owner said she was in season. So obviously she’s not spayed. I’m a bit worried about taking him out if he’s going to start taking an interest in her. From the look of her she’s far too old to be having puppies. I thought you didn’t walk bitches if they’re in season?

Seasons can last 3-4 weeks and it would be cruel not to walk a dog for that long if she's otherwise fit and healthy.

All dogs should be under control around others. If they are then there is no problem. Leads if recall is dodgy. Realistically, that means your dog on his lead if you are worried. If the bitch is also on a lead then there will be no unwanted puppies.

Could be a medical reason why she isn't spayed.

Walk in a different direction to them and both keep the dogs on a lead.
Your dog is also entire so the onus is on both of you equally to not let them meet.

Eric and I know when every bitch is on season in the local area tbh. It's easy to tell because his enthusiasm for certain routes alters depending on whose turn it is He's never got near any of the bitches, their owners generally warn me and I put him on a lead and Eric contents himself with just following the paths they have taken. He occasionally cries about one particular bitch but that's because when she is not in season they play together and so he feels hard done by that he and she are both on their leads as much as anything.
When the woman next door had a bitch Eric wasn't all that interested in her but they didn't get on anyway as she wasn't well socialised. The neighbour did have a dog climb her fence to get to the bitch who they had shut in the garden so was always more cautious when I let him out at those times.

My previous dog was spayed in Greece and the vet couldn't get all the ovarian tissue out so she still came into season. Of course you do walk them when they are in season - they'd go pretty stir crazy otherwise. Also, the bitch will be desperate to go out and look for dogs all the time and be whining at the door. Eventually, as she got older and slower, it was the only time my dog wanted to do really long walks and had a bit of energy - we'd have to walk miles and, if she saw a hapless male dog about half a mile down the road, she'd start whimpering and dragging me along the pavement as fast as she could. When she was living in Greece, we used to have up to 7 stray village dogs sitting outside the door, awaiting an audience with her - even during a blizzard (we were up a mountain), most of them stayed outside the house and one tiny one was howling his love outside the bathroom window. I bought some "bitch spray" to tone her lovely scent down a bit but it doesn't work on Greek male dogs - their ardour is undimmed. When she came to UK, where most of the male populace has been neutered and ignored her, she couldn't get over her lack of allure.

You can solve the problem by getting your dog neutered

I wouldn’t have an entire male dog, not sure why the bitch should be confined to the house on the off chance that owners with entire males can’t control them..

I can control my dog perfectly well, thanks. It was just an observation based on previous reading. I won’t be getting him neutered just yet, I’m not that frantic that I’m going to put him through an unnecessary and possibly medically dangerous procedure. He’s never done this before, might be a bit of an overreaction.

People advise walking un spayed bitches early or late in the day to avoid off lead intact males but it's entirely up to the owner.

I won’t be getting him neutered just yet, I’m not that frantic that I’m going to put him through an unnecessary and possibly medically dangerous procedure.

Nooo.... Don’t put your dog through pain and suffering! Just demand that the bitch undergoes painful surgery and lengthy recovery so you can take your dog for a walk 🙄

In the meantime work on your dogs recall or keep him on a leash around bitches who are in season. It works both ways...

Nooo.... Don’t put your dog through pain and suffering! Just demand that the bitch undergoes painful surgery and lengthy recovery so you can take your dog for a walk

That would be a shit thing to do.

Good job OP didn't do that.

That would be a shit thing to do.

Yes wouldn't it! Responsible dog owners get their dogs neutered so they have no interest in a bitch in season. I have never heard of anyone moaning about a bitch in season and suggesting they should be spayed or not exercised - whilst preferring not to put their own dog through the neutering process. If a dog has shit recall and can't be trusted around other dogs put it on a leash!

In future if you have to quote me at least quote all the post!

I’ve walked all of mine when they’ve had their seasons but have been very careful.

Firstly, I always walk away from home, i.e put them in the car, so dogs can’t find their scent and sit and whinge outside my house.

Secondly, I stay well away from other dogs and my bitch will always stay on the lead when in season. Regardless.

Thirdly, if I ever were to go somewhere where there are dogs I would use the citrus gel/spray to deter the scent.

I’ve seen entire male dogs go absolutely nutty after a scent; previously very well trained and obident dogs but the females can be too tempting. I was saddened when somebody took their in season bitch to a dog park, plenty less dog-populated places around, and then when one of the entire males showed interest put the bitch in the car and drove off, he could have easily followed the car and got hurt. Yes that’s down to male dogs owner but I do think it was unfair and unnecessary to bring bitch in season to a dog park.

I think we all just need to be courteous of each other and our dogs. Ideally everybody would neuter but that’s not possible or realistic.

I have a giant breed. She can't be spayed until at least 2 years old.
The first and last weeks I walked as usual.
The middle week I did on lead walks only. And only in olaces where there wouldn't be off lead dogs.
There are only about 3 days where the bitch is receptive and could get pregnant.

But the OP didn't suggest the bitch should be spayed.

I think we agree there was a tone of disapproval that has likely got people's back's up but there is no need to add to that by adding things that were not there.

There is plenty of research on neutering males to suggest increased health and behavioural issues. There is some evidence the other way also, but it's certainly not clear enough to say that all responsible owners should neuter their males. It is (as most things in life are) much more nuanced than that.

Of course, good owners take responsibility for their dog's behaviour and keep them under control - whether male or female. On that we agree.

It's a minefield. When I was a child everyone neutered girls (unless they were breeders) to avoid pyometra and not have to deal with seasons.
Nobody neutered boys unless they were a sex pest or had form for absconding.
Nowadays there are lots of different opinions about what is best.

I remember the walk home from primary school trying to dodge the local sex pest dog. Never make eye contact and don't run.

i can control my dog perfectly well thanks well then what are you worried about?! Your post makes no sense if you’re not worried about your male getting the bitch pregnant..

Do you seriously think the poor thing should stay inside the entire season? That can be weeks!

“Responsible dog owners get their dogs neutered so they have no interest in a bitch in season.”

Somebody should tell neutered dogs that then, because neutering doesn’t always remove interest, or in fact the urge and ability to mate a bitch in season... it definitely always removes the ability to impregnate them, but not always the rest.

Somebody should tell neutered dogs that then, because neutering doesn’t always remove interest, or in fact the urge and ability to mate a bitch in season... it definitely always removes the ability to impregnate them, but not always the rest.

Neutering a dog will, in most cases, take away the dogs interest in a bitch in season. If you have to be pedantic go ahead.

I find it mind blowing that people think a bitch has to be cooped up at home for three weeks because their own unneutured dog will run after her. People don't get their bitches spayed for all sorts of reasons. I have always spayed my bitches and neutered my dogs but I can see that it's not for everyone. What I have no patience with is dog owners who complain about unspayed females when they have no intention of neutering their own dog.

I'm sure most owners of bitches do their best to walk their in season bitches during hours of darkness and away from home., if they have transport. Nobody wants a pack of persistent, randy dogs queuing up outside their house!

Bitch owners are responsible for their bitches and dog owners should take responsibility for their dogs.

“Neutering a dog will, in most cases, take away the dogs interest in a bitch in season. If you have to be pedantic go ahead.“

IME it doesn’t remove the interest for a surprisingly high number of dogs, so as a behavioural fix to stop a dog going after a bitch, nowhere near as useful as training recall and making sure your dog isn’t just wandering round able to get to anything it takes it’s fancy to.

So not so much being pedantic as pointing out that it might not change a dog’s behaviour...

So there are lots of reasons why someone might not spay a bitch but responsible owners always castrate a male?!? What utter rubbish.

Reality is there are reasons for and against neutering males and females. A responsible owner will weigh up pros and cons for their individual dog and not just neuter (or keep entire) regardless.

My eldest dog is unneutered. He recalls brilliantly. I don't think neutering would be beneficial to him (he's a bit of a wimp and I think he needs his testosterone - current behavioural research suggests the same). The only problem I am having is when a bitch is in season in a garden nearby he will try to escape if left out in the garden without me standing there. I can manage that behaviour to ensure bitch and dog are kept apart. Just as I would expect bitches owner to manage any attempts for her to escape. Obviously myself and bitches owner could just decide to neuter regardless of the negatives to the dogs in question but as responsible owners we choose to do what is best for our dogs whilst having the extra effort involved in that being safe.

My younger dog will likely be neutered (he's not fully matured yet), as he is far more confident and I think benefits will out weigh negatives for him, but will assess properly once he has fully matured.

Yes... As I previously stated... If an owner can’t verbally control their unneutured dogs who are interested in a bitch - keep them on a lead! Done!!

Actually what I took exception to was you saying "Responsible dog owners get their dogs neutered so they have no interest in a bitch in season" in one post then, "People don't get their bitches spayed for all sorts of reasons" in another. That's just utter bullshit. If you can see that there are reasons not to spay a female, then how can you think that you can only be a responsible dog owner if you get your male castrated? A responsible owner looks after their dog (male or female), takes positives and negatives of neutering into consideration for their particular dog and does their best to ensure no unplanned pregnancy occurs (whether that is by neutering or behaviour management of their dog regardless of male or female).

Thank you swimming ! The only problem I have encountered with my entire male is when an in season bitch who was being walked off lead on the Downs approached my dog who was minding his own business and would not leave him alone. Her behaviour immediately made me realise she might be in season. So I grabbed my dog put him on a lead and tried to get away. She would not leave my dog alone and followed us shoving her arse in my dog's face the whole time while her hapless owner who had been too busy on his phone to realise initially then couldn't recall her.

Would someone like to tell me who was in control of their dog in that situation ?????