Can someone please help put a friend of mine's mind at rest and let me know if there is any chance of a b***h getting pregnant 28 days after first showing blood at her season and 7 days after the bleeding stops.  This was the dogs first day back at training and one male was showing a lot of interest in her.  She wasn't receptive and snapped at him.  My boy was also trying to lick her lady bits but he does this to her anyway.

I'm convinced that there is no risk of her getting caught by a male at this point and that the only reason the dogs were interested would be due to any lingering smell.  If anyone can point me in the direction of any research/medical evidence to back up their views that would be even better as I don't think she will believe me without it.  I'm willing to eat lots of humble pie if I am wrong!

For a mating to take place the bitch would need to be receptive ;)  The dog will get short shrift otherwise :)

Some dogs are interested in anything female doesn't have to be in season, especially inexperienced or adolescent dogs  ;)

I had a bitch mated on day 28.  She was very receptive!  My vet said that she couldn't possibly be pregnant.

9 weeks later we had 6 puppies. 

JeanSW, had she been a week clear of bleeding or had she still been bleeding up to that point?

Do you think there may be some post season infection going on. The smell certainly confuses dogs.

It was the most peculiar season I have ever seen.  She bled for two weeks, and seemed to stop.  Seven days later the bleeding started again, very heavy, and she was very swollen.  The bleeding was very heavy for a week, and after 7 days (on day 28) I took her to my vet.  I was, by then, thinking pyo.

He looked inside her, and said all appeared to be a perfectly normal season.  No bleeding from the cervix, and no infection.  As I was so concerned, he gave me antibiotics, although he saw no reason for them.

On returning home, I let all the gang up the garden, and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on.  Only to find her tied to one of my boys.  She looked delighted!   Bled for another week.  And had a problem free pregnancy.

I was slated quite heavily on here at the time for not getting the injection.  I didn't bother posting again, but I had actually spoken to my vet.  He said that there was no point as she couldn't have taken.

very interesting - defying medical science! 

The dog in question is not bleeding and hasn't been for the last 7 days - is it possible she is still fertile?

> is it possible she is still fertile?

I have to say that I wouldn't discount the possibility, given my unusual experience!

same here ive just had a girl here that chatched on day 28 she stopped bleeding a week before she mated and she had 8 pups

same here ive just had a girl here that chatched on day 28 she stopped bleeding a week before she mated and she had 8 pups

Oh dear, I may have to eat humble pie.  Why would vets etc tell owners to keep their bitches away from dogs for 3 weeks if there are multiple experiences of bitches catching on day 28?

i know!

> Why would vets etc tell owners to keep their bitches away from dogs for 3 weeks if there are multiple experiences of bitches catching on day 28?

because they're not breeders?  :-)

> She bled for two weeks, and seemed to stop.  Seven days later the bleeding started again, very heavy, and she was very swollen.  The bleeding was very heavy for a week, and after 7 days (on day 28)

Sounds like a classic Split season.  When she first came in the hormone levels were insufficient so she came in again a week or so after stopping.  This second start was the start of the proper season and she mated about the right time into it.

>Why would vets etc tell owners to keep their bitches away from dogs for 3 weeks if there are multiple experiences of bitches catching on day 28?

Because they don't talk to breeders but rely on what they've been taught. To be fair, such late matings are unusual, just as very early matings are; the average bitch will be fertile at the average time of between days 10 and 15, with 11 and 12 being the 'traditional' days. It's also a possibility that, with the majority of bitches being kept in the home rather than outside, breeders notice the signs of being in season that little bit sooner - a slight pink stain on a bedspread is more noticeable than on wood-shavings, and so 'Day 1' is noticed a few days earlier, making the actual season seem longer as a whole.

Same reason why so many are told to mate their bitches on day 10-12, that is the average, but many bitches don't read the books.

Also there seems to be a wide variance between breeds as well as individuals as to when bitches are ready, most of mien are not ready before day 15 or later.

I have a theory that perhaps we pick up the start of a season sooner these days because our bitches live in the house. 

In a kennel environment of outdoor living bitches the first few days would easily be missed until the bleeding got noticeable, and the vulva really swells.  Also many males show little interest in the first week (except again in those bitches that confound everyone by ovulating early ;)

> It's also a possibility that, with the majority of bitches being kept in the home rather than outside, breeders notice the signs of being in season that little bit sooner

Snap ;)

> Also there seems to be a wide variance between breeds as well as individuals as to when bitches are ready, most of mien are not ready before day 15 or later.
>

Totally agree.  While all bitches don't appear to be the same each season (i.e.  I've had a bitch not stand until day 17, yet second litter was day 7), I have a girl that is the same every time without fail.  Flags on day 3, mates on day 8.  So, yes, very wide variance between both breeds as well as individuals.

Thanks for the explanation on split seasons Barbara.