First season

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

How long will it last?
Should I give her a bath?

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I think whether you take them out depends on where you live. I live fairly rurally, and I have always exercised in-season bitches (mine would drive me nuts if I didn't).

Whether you let them off or not depends also on where you live (how busy it is - I go to the quieter places/ use the quieter times) but also on how experienced you are with bitches. I keep a really close eye on them, and once the bitch would stand (rather than decking any dog who tried) I use a longline. I also take it as a time to rehearse recall, endlessly.

If it's busy near you, take her out early or late to avoid the dog-walking rush.

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

Do you need to keep them inside? There seems to be mixed opinions....

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

Do you need to keep them inside?

[Pipandmum]

I can only speak about my one female dog - I assume there's a range. She has a season once a year. Her bleeding is light - I never needed to put anything on her. She spots a bit on my sheets (she sleeps on my bed) so I just put a towel there for her. I only see one or two drops elsewhere. She spots for a week or ten days, wees a lot when we go out. After that she does show some interest in other dogs for about a week but is very picky and I've never had an issue when out. She's 8 now and this last time she was very 'hot to trot' with my neutered male dog - usually she gives him short shrift. She gets a bit restless too. Then after a couple weeks back to normal!

[GerardWay123]

We only put the nappy on ours at bedtime. As soon as she needs to go outside we take it off.

[Theoscargoesto]

@grumpyoldwoman I live a quiet life

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Baboon arse is the perfect expression!!
Happy to have brightened your day

[Theoscargoesto]

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman. First time owner here. Before first season I was really worried about how to tell she was coming into/in season........
and then the baboon arse took me completely by surprise. For a couple of minutes I was honestly considering calling the vet about the sudden and untoward swelling! Baboon arse is the perfect expression!!

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

What happens with the nappies when they poo? Doesn't it go all over them?

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

Seasons usually last 18-21 days. The bitch isn't fertile for all of it, but I work on the possibility that she might be at any stage and keep her right under my eye: she is only off-lead when I can see no dogs in any direction and even then she's often on a longline and I'm constantly checking her recall.

I keep my bitch on a hard floor; she keeps herself quite clean and doesn't need a bath. Some days are bloodier than others: slow start, then blood, then the discharge goes pale, then it's a bit yucky again and then gradually stops and the baboon-arse deflates.

After her season, keep an eye out for a while for any signs that she is unwell as pyometra can be quickly fatal.

Some bitches can be clingy or distracted when in season, others are fine.

[fessmess]

All in, including a light settling back down at the end, my dog's was a month. She had about 5-7 days of bleeding before a bloody crazy 24 hours when her hormones spiked. In that time she pissed everywhere literally like a sprinkler and vomited. She looked possessed. Then the symptoms gradually trailed off. She is highly strung anyway and I found her to be more so when in season. A lot more barking for example. We put those special pants and pads on her and took her out on-lead very early and late at night. We had her spayed three months after, which was planned, but I was glad that would be the only time. Good luck.