Behaviour change following first season

[Nugg]

Nugget is a couple of weeks off being a year old. She had her first season around 5-6 weeks ago. All finished but nipples and surround area still a bit swollen.

However she's very quiet, clingy, wanting to sit literally curled on my lap a LOT even while I'm working. She's been at my regular home boarder for a couple of days and displayed some aggressive behaviour which is unheard of in her too. Boarder can't decide if it's protecting her or food related despite her not being a food driven dog usually nor does she eat well at the boarders! Outside of those times she has been her usual friendly playful submissive self.

She isn't overly concerned but also noticed how quiet and clingy she is, literally wanting to be cuddled all the time.

No signs of a phantom pregnant ie nesting etc

Wondered if there were any words of wisdom please. It's 20 years since I had a dog in season as mine have all been spayed rescues til now!

Thanks

It can take a few weeks for them to get back to normal after a season especially their first. If you mean bleeding stopped last week I wouldn't worry. It's early days. She's letting you know she still needs a bit of reassurance. Hopefully she'll get her bounce back soon.

Mine totally lost the plot for a good 4-5weeks, she bled for 19days. She then settled down for 3-4wks before having what I presumed was a phantom, for 2 weeks she restarted some of the behaviours she had during her season plus really swollen nipples, barking at 4am and becoming attached to a particular item of my clothing.

I've just had her spayed so now I've got the task of keeping her calm for another 2 wks 😩 I'll be glad not to have the upset of another season/phantom though.

Oh poor nugg - she needs cuddles & the dog equivalent of chocolate!!

would she like a warm hot water bottle?

says she knowing Jack shit about it as mine have all been spayed.

Big love to Nugg ❤️

It can take weeks to get back to normal. One of mine went for another dog who tried to steal her toy a few weeks after her season, had never done it before and hasn't done it since. Also, the phantom pregnancy didn't show until 8-9 weeks post season (when they would be giving birth) so still time for that.

Ours was fairly normal during her first season but was awful afterwards for a good few weeks. She’s beginning to settle down again now (she’s 9 months). Very jumpy, reactive, unsettled and just odd. She’s still slightly swollen in the teat area.

I’ve never had a dog in season before and we were dreading it but we had minimal bleeding and not many behaviour changes but this awful spookiness afterwards. It could be teenage stuff or a fear period as well. So it’s a lot going on for them at the same time.

Thank you all so much that's all very reassuring. I've been saying that T her while we cuddle that she needs a bar of chocolate, hot water bottle and a trashy magazine 😆

She stopped bleeding after about 10 days and was super clean, started on 11 April so around 6.5 weeks since the start of bleeding.

Bless her. Roll on spaying - although yes, not looking forward to stopping her leaping about!!

Thanks again 😀

Our vet won’t spay until a year unless medical need (sensible) and ours will be 11 months between seasons so we’re going to have a conversation with them so may have to endure another first!

@Newpuppyterror ours said 3 months after the end of the season. I'm going for the beginning of august...not great timing but needs must, nugget is also 11 months now.