Season

[frankie123]

Hi,
Ive read a few threads regarding the above but im wondering if anyone can offer abit more info

1) When should i expect the first season, bar blood is there any other warning signs?
2) i have read this lasts about 3 weeks, how do you know when its finished completey?
3) how much bleeding is expected?
4) I was talking to the doggy trainer about it and she said to keep her in throughout the time, walk her in the garden alone, what are everones thoughts on this, Im 50/50 whilst i think this is very unfair, i would dread the situation to arise where a dog got his grubby paws into her lol
5) what is a phantom pregnacy? (sorry if this is a dumb question i get the meaning i just still dont get it)
6) When would you recommend spaying (please dont shout at me) im not planning this straight away i just want a clearer answer to this

Frankie has started loosing her teeth, me little baby is growing up so i guess the above is the next step, it all goes too quickly

[sami]

First season can be anytime from 6 months onwards, most usually before 12 months but not always.

All dogs are different but usually not a massive amount of blood, usually just drops, some dogs have hardly any blood.

Should last for 21 days but again can vary.

Can be difficult to tell when they have started a season if they dont lose much blood. The tell tale sign is the vulva swelling which you cannot miss.

When they are finished I have always judged that when the vulva returns to normal they should be finished.

Its personal preference whether you take them for walks but NEVER have her off lead or able to escape the garden, she will try to mate its just nature. If you do walk her be prepared for potential confrontations with randy males.

Spaying views vary, some say allow one season up to others who say wait until they are fully mature. It does have to be between seasons though.

Good luck

[sams mum]

hi there
ive always had male dogs. olive is my first female from a puppy. she had her first season in jan and is coming into her next anytime now.
i was lucky, she hardly bled at all, only lightly for a few days so didnt have much mess. she kept herself clean.
my main problem was joe.i felt so sorry for him, inbetween him getting on my nreves. he was on her the whole 3 weeks even before and wouldnt sit down or rest and even lost a bit of weight ( which he cant afford) due the stress of a sexy bitch!! he wasnt very good at his efforts though, miles off but i still wouldnt take a chance.
he is not done so i kept a hawk eye on them and let them up into the garden separately..
if joe was done i would have let them up together.
i did take them out still but only to the cove i normally go where there are rarely any people let alone dogs..

a phantom pregnancy is where the bitch thinks she is pregnant and gets all hormonal. when the time comes that the pups would have been due, a bitch having a phantom will often attach themselves to something, a toy or object that they adopt as there 'baby'
olive didnt have a phantom but my mothers danes all had them . one of her dogs fell in love with a hot water bottle cover and carried it aroung everywhere and put in a particlar corner and layed with it..

when i couldnt watch closely i had her wearing a 3/6 month baby vest. not a good thing for long periods of time as when she couldnt clean herself she smelled very quickly..

[zetstaff]

Agree with all of the above. I didn't take Tilly out whilst in season, you get a lot of dogs off leads even on the roads here

When my sister's bitch Hera came into season, we didn't know, her girlie bits didn't swell at all + that would have been a dead giveaway !!!

Tilly had one season before she was spayed, we had her booked in before her first season but she came into season so we had to wait. She had a split season, sort of stopping + starting a bit, then a phantom pregnancy so I'm glad we had her spayed.

It's all personal preference, everyone has a different view

Hope you get on ok + everyone is here to help if they can xxx

[frankie123]

Thanks for the replies,

21 days seems so long, i think ill keep my eye out over the next few weeks of quiet places/times to walk theres loads of doggies round here, so would have to be very carefull

Is phantom pregnancy common then? god i hope that doesnt happen it sounds quite heartbreaking