Just wondering what people's views are on this, as I was quite shocked.  There was a bitch in season (and dripping everywhere :-o) at ringcraft tonight!  Fortunately my boy is too young to have even noticed, but some people were having a really hard time. 

I know people have differing views of in season bitches at champ shows.  Not sure I would show one, but I can understand why people want/need to.  When I've had a bitch in season, I give obedience training a miss as does everyone else I know, and would have thought ringcraft would be the same... Unless they thought they were helping people to train their dogs in the presence of the ultimate distraction?

So, what does everyone think?  Is this the norm?  Am I going to have to get used to it, and struggle through once my boy becomes a man!!??

Clare

Being the owner of a bitch, I have mixed feelings about showing a bitch whilst in season, as I can see both sides of the arguement. However I can see not reason whatsoever, to take an in season bitch to ringcraft.

We dont take our bitch to any shows or even ring craft when she is in heat, I think its a bit unfair to the other dogs as some get very highly strung, we do take our male when she is in season as its a rest bite for him from her. As for normal shows I think if she is in full heat its un-sportsman like, unless its one of those really important shows like Crufts.

if she is in full heat its un-sportsman like, unless its one of those really important shows like Crufts.

Even worse then as you'd ruin it for so many more dogs...... Plus I'd challenge anyone with a bitch big enough to NOT be able to be carried or to go in a cage in a trolley to get it in and out of Crufts without being jumped on by a male dog, as it is so crowded. One of mine came into season AT Crufts one year, I had checked her before she left, she started bleeding AFTER being in the ring, and it was a nightmare to get her out of the show in the afternoon as all other dogs were so close and she acted like a magnet.

As an owner of a bitch who has recently been in season I have the following things to say. I regularly go to obedience at a local dog training club as well as showing, because of my bitch's season I have missed one championship show, one open show and 4 obedience classes and you know what? it doesn't matter one bit. The day before my bitch came into season, she went to an obedience class and she did not want to do a thing, she was so distracted, obviously not feeling herself and during her season, as she normally is was moody and unusually disobedient. I cannot understand why someone would want to take their bitch in season to a ringcraft club, to practice for a show they should not really be going to and putting their bitch through unnessary stress when surely she would want to be relaxing at home. I would have obviously loved to go to the shows and classes that I missed but I put the happiness of my dog before rosettes, if my bitch was not as badily affected as she is by her season I may not be so readily to condemn showing a bitch in such a state but of course I only have my own experiences to go on.
I must admit I did think about showing my bitch at the championship show but then I weighted up the cons.
Pros = bitch is shown/ may win CC or high placing
Cons = bitch needs to be watched constantly so not mated by present dogs/ angry dog owners who can't get their boy to show and the possible tarred reputation and bitchiness that goes with it/ can't leave your bitch on the bench (not that I do anyway)/ mardy bitch not feeling her best so may show less well than normal/ bothering of the bitch by dogs/ possible effect on dog owners days after if your bitch marks on the grass, these dog owners may be affected/ blood to clean out of the car from the journey/ judge getting blood on their hand and the embarrasment that goes with that
I bet the male dog owners were over the moon with the owner at your ringcraft. Did she get a good talking too or is she one of the well known faces that seem to get away with murder?

as a owner of both a bitch and a dog, i can see both sides of things, but because we have a big powerfull breed i would never think of taking my bitch anywhere when she was in season, no shows open or champ and no training classes at all while in season i just think its unfair to all the other dogs there. One of our ringcraft will not allow bitches in season in the club and i think all should be like this.

exatally, it wouldnt just be the dogs in the the same ring it would be all teh dogs in eth same hall!!
what is teh pros and cons in showing a bitch thats in season at a show i canonly think of cons.

i find it hard enough just walking my girl when she is in season, i have a bridal track one way or teh village the other, liling in a rural village teh farm dogs will follow her. the other way there are alot of dogs are walked there.

but also wouldnt it be stressful for a bitch to be at a show with so many studs around her.

> However I can see not reason whatsoever, to take an in season bitch to ringcraft.

quite agree.

I wouldn't take my girl to a show or ringcraft. She doesn't show very well in season and plays up (Dog version of PMT!). So why put her through the unnessesary stress of all that?

I never ever take my bitches anywhere like this or shows when they are in season. 

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this is a bit off.  They all seem to be 'well known faces' at my ringcraft (pretty sure I'm the only newbie they've had for the last 10 years :-D), so didn't think I could really say anything.  But it is reassuring to know that most people don't do this, and it's not something I'll frequently have to contend with!

Thanks everyone,

Clare

not on IMHO.... was in the bp group at Bournemouth bitch in front of me , my 11mth old male pain in the butt most unusual,bitch obviously in season juding by his behaviour ..... why?????????????????????? spoilt my day!!!

I knew my girl was close to her season but I checked her before going to a show.
At the show all dogs were pretty interested so I did think she is close and kept her from other dogs .
In the ring she did this weirdest crouching when the judge was trying to feel her bum end!
She has never done it before...and I think the judge was put off her being so "sensitive"...
Next day the season starts.

My post missed few lines which basically said, I do not think it is fair on anybody to take bitch in seson to a show.

Dogs were pretty interested in my girl and she had not yet started, can't see it being fair to bring in a bitch that is in full season.

It's not that it could only spoil the dogs chances in the ring but I believe it could also make some dogs very highly strung so there could be disagreements between the dogs around in season bitch.
Which I don't think is fair situation to put the dogs or owners in.

Personally I wouldn't take a bitch to training when she was full into her season. We did an Open show once when my girl was on her first day. We then took three weeks out. Didn't go to training or any shows. If it was an important show like Cruft's then I might do differently.