Our 11 month old GR has come into season today, I am unsure on what to do regarding walking her ? My worry is she will be bouncing off the walls if confined only to house and garden, but obviously I do not want any"accidents" or to cause a nusiance to other dog walkers.

I walk mine when they're in season, but I am on high-alert for other dogs.  I walk in out of the way places where I'm unlikely to encounter other dogs, and even then I'm listening and watching.  If another dog comes along, I recall mine long before they've even seen it, and I hold the in-season bitch by the collar until they are well past. 

If the dog comes up to us, I shout to the owner that my dog is in season.  If they say that it's a girl too, then I will let go and let them meet each other. 

I know that there are all sorts of horror stories out there - if you believed them all, you'd have a pack of dogs baying your door down for an entire month.  IME it isn't that difficult to avoid trouble if you're careful.

If you feel that you don't have the facilities to keep your bitch at home, then I think that you need to find somewhere to walk her away from other dogs.
A normally well trained dog can forget his recall if he picks up the scent of an in season bitch and so I think it's your responsibility not to be a problem to other dogs and their owners.
I had a friend who used to walk her inseason bitch (always on her lead because they can behave like a trollop when in season too) around an industrial estate in the evening, which was just about as dog-free as you can get.

we once had about 4 dogs wining at the door at night long, when we were out one afternoon they pushed though the door panel (this was in the 1070's remenber the very thin door panels no double glazing in those days!) 8 weeks later my father came in and anouced that we now had two dogs, then three, finialy six.
We had'nt a clue they were born under the table, no vet, there were five when we went to bed and six in the mouning.
They were colliexJR and all got lovely homes. 
walking a bitch is season does cause a nusiance to dog owners they will folow you home and could get run over.

Don't own a bitch but if I did I would be finding somewhere were there are NO dogs and I wouldn't be letting her off lead at all.  You might have total control and recall but for many dogs entire or not the scent of a bitch on heat drives anything else from their mind. A friend (80+) was walking her bitch on heat along the beach sometime ago, Lucas had never shown any interest till the day he charged from 1/4 of a mile, rightly or wrongly she picked her up. A 4 1/2 stone basset trying to climb up someones front is not a pretty sight and thankfuly he didn't knock her over. OK, I know bassets are not the best at recall but even if I had the sunday roast with me, he would not have taken any notice. It's not fair and can cause unnecessary problems.

If the dog comes up to us, I shout to the owner that my dog is in season.
You wouldn't get a very polite answer from me if I'd been chasing a male for half a mile attracted by your bitch in season! :( :(

I have had my walks ruined so many times by people walking in season bitches, if walking in an area where there is a chance of bumping into off lead dogs it doesnt matter if the bitch is on lead or not, once my boys have met her they have to be put back on the lead for the rest of the walk otherwise they would go off after her .... not really fair.

Obviously they need walking, I dont think road walking would hurt for a few weeks.

Thanks. I obviously don't want to cause problems for other people so I think just on lead short walks "off peak" times and avoiding all the areas we know we often meet other dogs may be the answer.

A responsible solution. :)

My gundog bitches are only ever walked on lead on road walks when in season.  An hour a day, the odd jogging outting and lots of fetch in the garden keeps them entertained and in good condition.  Plus I dont upset anyone or find myself fending off a large over eager male.
Add be furious if I had a male and he went off into the distance across fields chasing a smelly girl.  Plus I'd then find it hard to let the dog off again for weeks afterwards :(

I noticed the fact that most replies are from male dog owners!

Well as I have had bitches coming into season and also owning a male dog too I can see both sides, yes it is inconvenient to come across a bitch in season but at the end of the day they do need walked too and it's only for a few days every 6 months.   I've had to put up with the local latchkey Sprnger in my garden and when I tried to chase him away he went for me!

>I obviously don't want to cause problems for other people

Bracey: Well done you for asking - then listening to the answers

...my entire boys and I thank you :)

What about a male dog going off into the distance across roads after a bitch in season.
Walking at night makes no difference the scent is still there the next day. the scent will be just as strong on roads as it is on fields.

Well said Lacy, a dog will go off for miles after a bitch in season and so will a bitch. Lucas could of been run over if he followed her on to a road.
I have recently heard of this happening, someones German Shepherd ran across a road to a bitch in season and he was killed by a car.

That can happen even if the bitch is kept in the garden. The scent will travel.

When our girls were entire they were pavement walked at about 11.30pm when we were unlikely to encounter any other dogs. I know it's difficult but maybe you could also paly more games with her at home to try and keep her menatlly active the garden is the best place for her at the moment. All dog owners have a responsibilty to each other to act in a fair and common sense manner and having two males as well I am always amazed at the people who call out " bitch in season" and expect you to walk the oyther way with your boy when his bits are already jangling with anticipation!!!!!
The comment about if it was a bitch that approached they would be ok I find interesting as us girlies hormones make us a bit touchy so I have seen incidents occur between bitches who are normally good friends.

When I said on lead on road walks I meant residential well away from fields/woods/beaches.  I live in an area with heavy (30mph, more like 45!) traffic so even the most irresponisble of owners know to keep dogs in an escape proof garden.  Or at least in my 4 years I have never seen one out alone.  Also walks are off the cards completely on the girls 'most dangerous' week. 
And where I live walking at night is a complete no no, that is when the dog aggressive dogs are walked round here and I REALLY wouldn't want to encounter one of those with an in season bitch!

Aside from the other possibilities - it's not uncommon for people nowadays to have in-season bitches off lead AND not caring if they get pregnant!

I guess there might also be a chance that an entire male will meet another entire male and start a serious fight over the bitch.

In the case of the former, the very day before my lad got de-nutted we met a woman with an off-lead "fox red" smooth BC bitch who, when mine had started to play with her, casually said "oh she's in season by the way" as if it was of no real concern. It appeared she really wouldn't have minded if he had mated her bitch! Luckily he showed no interest at all .....but a little piece of me inside was secretly whispering, "Go on my boy..... first and only chance you'll ever get!" :)

> That can happen even if the bitch is kept in the garden. The scent will travel

My collie once jumped fences to get to a bitch on heat in a neighbours garden, 3 houses down, and he was not even entire :-(  I am not sure who was most put out the bitch, her owner or me !

> "Go on my boy..... first and only chance you'll ever get!"

Lucas has since been neutered and it was the worst thing I could ever have done to him, but what gets me is that when a dog reacts to a bitch on heat, the attitude is that it's the dogs fault. Even on lead walking along a pavement, i've had a normally docile dog desperate to cross a busy road to a bitch and just been laughed at.

> the very day before my lad got de-nutted we met a woman with an off-lead "fox red" smooth BC bitch who, when mine had started to play with her, casually said "oh she's in season by the way" as if it was of no real concern.

OMG some people, grrrr.

Was out with Buster when a small dog came belting out of nowhere to come and see Buster (he's entire). He was pleased so see the little dog and wanted to play, however, as the owners (2 teenage girls walking the dog) got closer, Buster was getting more 'excited'. I explained that he is usually playfull, but hasn't got that excited before (his 'lipstick' out in a major way!), when they said, "oh, we think she's still in season!"

> what gets me is that when a dog reacts to a bitch on heat, the attitude is that it's the dogs fault. Even on lead walking along a pavement, i've had a normally docile dog desperate to cross a busy road to a bitch and just been laughed at.

Indeed.... it's all very well Jeremy Kyle telling blokes to 'wear something on it' but I don't think they make them in dog sizes....

Joking apart, it was - luckily - only a very small part of my brain that would have made me proud to see him take some interest in that bitch. Being sensible, thinking of all the unwanted pups in rescue, and a lot more attentive to my dog than the bitch's owner, I would have put him on lead at the first sign of him getting all unnecessary and walked off in the opposite direction. Which is what I did anyway, as soon as I saw the only balls of interest were the tennis ones ;)

>That can happen even if the bitch is kept in the garden. The scent will travel.

so what on earth do you expect owners of entire bitches to do then? We can't walk them  We can't keep them in the garden, Should we keep them locked in a room with the windows tightly closed for 3 weeks? I am actually shocked by the negative responses by the owners of dogs on this thread. 
Entire dogs are just as much a problem. Last time my girl was in season a Labrador took up residence in my front garden and wouldn't leave. The dog wardens response was to tell me to neuter my bitch. If every bitch owner did this where would the next generation of puppies come from?

> If every bitch owner did this where would the next generation of puppies come from?

Same place they come from if all the boys are castrated I guess.... Fair point. :)

> but at the end of the day they do need walked too and it's only for a few days every 6 months

It may be only a few days every 6 months for you, but if everyone did this it could be all year round!  As the bitch owner you know when your bitch is in season, as a dog owner you don't know until you recognise the signs from your dog and by then it could be too late :(

I do have entire bitches too, but would never walk them where other dog walkers walk.

> I do have entire bitches too, but would never walk them where other dog walkers walk. <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20 height=10>

Same here! 

Bitches in season can be lead walked where OFF LEAD dogs ahve no business bien.  Basically this means road walking.  Safer for the bitch and only reasonable as any loose males owner will not be aware in time.

Sounds sensible - the only problem would be if the scent travelled to where dogs would be off lead and they would follow it eg the road at the side of the park........ 
Common sense maybe, but unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be very common these days. :(

The other week I was walking my entire males on the beach. It was a busy day of people and dogs all around.
I had one dog on lead and another off. There were other males off lead too.

A woman walked towards us with 2 dogs on leads. My off lead boy walked over to say hello. The owner shouted her bitch was in season
Her actions were crazy and if any dog mounted her bitch in this situation then she'd only have herself to blame!!

>Brainless said :
>Bitches in season can be lead walked where OFF LEAD dogs ahve no business bien.  Basically this means road walking.  Safer for the bitch and only reasonable as any loose males owner will not be aware in time.

Westcoast said

>Sounds sensible - the only problem would be if the scent travelled to where dogs would be off lead and they would follow it eg the road at the side of the park........
>Common sense maybe, but unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be very common these days.

So again I will ask. Just where are bitches to be walked? The moon?

An industrial estate?  Shouldn't normally be too many dogs being exercised there. 
If they feel the need, then it's up to the bitch's owner to find somewhere suitable in their area where other dog owners won't be troubled or their dogs put in danger.

I've never walked mine in season - just put in extra time to keep them occupied at home.

As I have three  bitches I have to deal with 6 seasons a year. We still do walk but stick to remote areas and roads always on leads. It is a fact of life that bitches have seasons and they still need excersise so a sensible option has to be worked out. They still scent the garden and I live in town, my garden borders a green area where dogs are walked. There is nothing I can do to stop male dogs (And remember even castrated dogs can and do mate bitches!) picking up on the smell and getting excited. Yes it is very unfortunate if male dogs run off after a smell like that but barr locking my girls in the house and allowing them to pee indoors there is little I can do. In the 15 years we have been in this house I have never had a problem with romeos in the garden. My fencing is too high for them to gain access and my girls are never out in the garden without supervision. It is a juggling game I agree but not immpossible. It is not just down to bitch owners but male dog owners must be aware that any other dog met on the street/park etc.. could potentially be in in season bitch. All dogs on roads need to be on a lead and under control and bitch owners should avoid communal dog walking areas, then I think you have been responsible.
Aileen

>the only problem would be if the scent travelled to where dogs would be off lead and they would follow it eg the road at the side of the park........ 

That could happen just as easily if the bitch is only allowed in its own garden! The scent will travel as easily from the garden as it will from the park. Short of keeping the bitch indoors the whole time you just take sensible precautions; bitch on a lead and walked only when and where the chances of meeting another dog are as low as possible.

Maple is currently having her first season, she is moping around the house, is bleeding everywhere and is generally flopping around and doesnt really want her normal level of walks/runs.  There is no way that I want to take her out of the house even on a lead, she would be like a great big red flag to any entire male around here. I live fairly near a road, it would be irresponsible of me to endanger other dogs. I wouldnt be walking her round an empty industrial estate on my own after dark either, how dangerous would that be :(

However considering its only around 21 days that Ive got to keep her occupied for, we are playing fetch in the garden, shes got kongs, a treatball/cube, she plays with us, we do some clicker training, its not long, dogs that have surgery have to be in the house for much longer than that.  It wont hurt her to stay indoors for a while.  Ive chosen not to have her spayed yet, so its my responsibility to keep her away from other dogs.

>so what on earth do you expect owners of entire bitches to do then? We can't walk them  We can't keep them in the garden, Should we keep them locked in a room with the windows tightly closed for 3 weeks? I >am actually shocked by the negative responses by the owners of dogs on this thread.

I totally agree.  I agree with Christine above, too.  You would think we should be locking our bitches up in a barricaded room, paying for 24 hr security guards and movement sensoring equipment.  It might be possible to walk some breeds of dog on lead for 3-4 weeks every 6 months, but my highly active breed would be climbing the walls if I tried this.  The only times they have been walked on lead is when recovering from an op, and then they don't feel at their best anyway, so don't mind so much taking it easy.

All I can say, to the original poster is that I have had 2 entire bitches.  One is now spayed, but only was when she was about 4 yrs old.  The other is still entire.  When they come into season, I pick the walks where it is highly unlikely that we will run into other dogs.  90% of the time we won't encounter anyone.  If we do see someone, I can see them from a mile off because I'm walking in a field and I can walk the other direction or avoid them.  NEVER have I had a dog scent my bitch from a long distance away and run after us. 

I have a bitch in season at the moment and only last week I had been walking them through several fields and I heard a 4x4 coming along the track behind us.  I sat them next to me, for it to pass.  Next to this 4x4 was running an entire black lab.  He ran right past us without even looking at us, almost doing heelwork next to the 4x4.  (Not safe in my opinion, but that's not the point.)  This was not a good situation to be in, but it didn't result in a disaster.

My point is that, yes, there are things to be careful of and sensible precautions to take - but most of the things you fear don't actually happen.  Sure you should be careful and try to avoid them, but do bear in mind that a male dog is capable of siring a litter at any time, any day of the year.  A female is only potentially capable for 3 weeks.  Yet the boys are the ones who are allowed free reign and it's expected that the girls have the responsibility of keeping safe...  There are a lot of people here who expect the bitch owner to take all responsibility (thereby encouraging them to lock the bitch away).  This is almost akin to saying that girls who wear short skirts are asking for sex!  There is a responsibility on the part of BOTH the provocative party - but also the party responding to that provocation. 

Case in point:  On the last season, due to a flat tyre, we ended up walking on a path I would not have chosen to walk down with a dog in season and we came across a golden retriever.  We needed to continue on this path, to resolve the flat tyre situation, so I asked if he was entire and the owner said yes.  By now my bitch was on a lead.  I said she was in season and they got their dog back.  I hadn't walked but 20 paces down the path when I turn around to see we are being followed by this dog.  Obviously the owner didn't think to hold onto him a bit longer, having just been passed by a bitch in season!  They then called him, and he ignored them, and they came to get him. 

Point is - if you own something from the canine species, then you are going to be on one or the other side of this (or both) and it is ALL of our responsibilities as dog owners to work together to prevent undesirable things happening.

I do think that, if you are a novice dog owner with your first female, you probably want to take it easy and keep her on a lead and take more precautions.  As you learn about your bitch and how she responds and as you grow in confidence and see that you're not leapt on by every male dog on the distant horizon, you might want to consider relaxing those precautions - whilst always keeping some in place.

>Point is - if you own something from the canine species, then you are going to be on one or the other side of this (or both) and it is ALL of our responsibilities as dog owners to work together to prevent undesirable things happening.

Well said Rabid. It is not just down to the bitch owners. Dog owners need to be aware of their dogs too.

> Point is - if you own something from the canine species, then you are going to be on one or the other side of this (or both) and it is ALL of our responsibilities as dog owners to work together to prevent undesirable things happening

I think we are all perfectly aware of this and I have re read and I can only see people recounting incidences.

No one has slatted any one off.....or am I miss something ;-)

I'm confused too I don't think anyone has been unduly harsh. It's simple, owners of both sexes have to take responsibility for their dogs actions and welfare. As I said I have dogs and bitches and whilst it is inconvienient it is not the end of the world, people have managed for years to exercise in season bitches without having to get a rocket to the moon, or maybe that's the alien life form up there :)  

it is ALL of our responsibilities as dog owners to work together to prevent undesirable things happening
Interesting idea!  I've never felt that it's anyone's responsibilty but mine to take care of my girls.  It was my choice to have them and so it was my responsibilty to take care of them, keep them safe and make sure that they were never a problem or inconvenience to anyone else.  But then I felt the same about my daughter too! :)  Unlike those who let them loose in the community to be a nuisance to others. :(
My life is the product of what I have done and I take full responsibilty for that.

I certainly don't feel responsible for anyone else's dog......

Westcoast - you said: 'I've never felt that it's anyone's responsibilty but mine to take care of my girls.'
But, for example, you would expect someone with an aggressive dog to keep their dog on a lead for the safety of other dogs - including yours. So in effect you do expect people to behave in a way that contributes to the welfare of your dogs.
I think I really like the collaborative approach...all dog owners (responsible ones anyway), usually care for the welfare of dogs generally so just behaving in a responsible way is surely the way forward? We certainly can't change nature - bitches have seasons and entire dogs know it...that's a fact, we all just have to rub along and be as responsible as we can - by which I mean finding a best-fit solution to a less that ideal fact of life.

Just another spin on this, my bitch is neutered and she and I both get very cross at entire males (usually young ones) trying to mount her. But what can you do? Entire adolecent males can't be walked on-lead all the time just in case they come across a grumpy neutered bitch or an in-season one for that matter. But it would be nice if entire males and their owners understood that a good recall would be nice and that when my bitch gets mounted and tells of the male, she's kind of entitled to do so! It's just tolerance and understanding...needs to be more of it I think.

> gets mounted and tells of the male, she's kind of entitled to do so!

MY gsp adores my sisters Cocker Spaniel. He got a little interested once. She told him off good and proper. He got the message but he found it very hard to walk when around Milly for a while. Teenage crushes!!

you would expect someone with an aggressive dog to keep their dog on a lead for the safety of other dogs - including yours.
I wouldn't expect anyone with an aggressive dog to allow it loose in a public place.  THEIR responsibility - not mine.  At the risk of offending, I wouldn't own an aggressive dog - full stop. :(

But it would be nice if entire males and their owners understood that a good recall would be nice
Would be nice??  I see controlling your dog in public as a basic essential requirement, not an option.  I wouldn't allow my dogs to approach a strange dog or bitch without asking the owner's permission first.  Not all dogs want to play and why should they?  IMO, to allow a dog (or bitch) to bother another dog or owner is just irresponsible.  I see no reason why you or your bitch should have to put up with being bothered by another dog.

It's just tolerance and understanding
Absolutely.:)  Owing dogs is a personal choice.  The owners need to understand that they should never be a problem to others in the community, whether that is causing a nuisance by barking, fouling or causing any other nuisance.  But it's a fact of nature that the best trained dog will not recall when he has smelt a bitch in season.

> But it's a fact of nature that the best trained dog will not recall when he has smelt a bitch in season.

Well said!!! :-)

This is it and why i'm at a loss why people with in season bitches take them to highly populated areas of off lead dogs of both sexes. This topic flagged up in my head earlier when I met a couple walking their entire male, they explained that the park we were in which is one of the busiest for dogs they'd come across within 5 mins 2 in season bitches, one of them off lead at a very busy time of the day and the owners of the bitches had the audacity to tell the dog owners to get their boy neutered

I'm hoping at some time next year, maybe a year after that to find myself a good bitch. There is no way she's be walked at the height of her season anywhere - back garden for her. And the rest of the season would be lead walks in urban areas - away from parks and places where dogs run off lead!!!

Dogs are required to be on lead on public roads, so road walking, 'simples'.

> but my highly active breed would be climbing the walls if I tried this

There are highly active breeds that can never be off lead, yet their owners manage, so managing while a bitch is in season is not a lot to ask.

I only own bitches, but have a very natural breed, and certainly know they would be as keen to be mated as a male would be to mate them and would never trust an in season bitch off lead.

A bitch owner knows their bitch is in season, a males owner won't know until possibly too late to gain control over a hormonal male, so it isn't fair for bitch owners to cause the male owners a problem.

i'm going to play devils advocate here on the excercise front. while i think we are all agreed on a road walk far away as possible from public places, i would like to add that brain work tires a dog out far more effectively than running around like a loon for however long you decide. this also applies to the recent bad weather and difficulties in getting out for walks. i simply get out my clicker and treats and either work on something i have had difficulties with, and i dont live in a massive house so its easy enough for everyone to have ago at.

Agree, I have a kelpie and no amount of exercise tires him out. The problem I expect many people find is their dogs have a routine, I know when I worked my dogs wouldn't settle when I got home until they had their walk - even a short one would get them off my case !

Bracey,

I appreciate your considerate response - I have met people in our local park who think it is just that the male dog is badly behaved!

My boy is entire and although mild mannered and fairly good on recall, his instincts are stronger than his wish to please me.   He is afterall a dog!!

Mi_chelle

I don't walk my bitch in season, I don't like the thought that I may cause havoc with other peoples' dogs, and as has been said, it's not just entire dogs that are attracted to the scent, my spayed bitch will cock her leg up a tree to pee over scent, and actively seeks out and marks over other dogs scent, no matter if they're male or female. 

The way a scent cone works, means that you will be spreading the scent much further afield, and as your bitch will scent mark frequently, it really will exacerbate the problem for other dogs.  There's all sorts of possibilities that can and do happen, if you come across another dog, it may go for you, and/or your bitch, they may fight and it's not easy to stop them if the other dog has run over to you off lead.  He may even manage to catch your bitch, particularly if you attract the attention of more than one dog, it's hard enough to stop one from getting at your dog when it's on lead sometimes.  So for all those reasons, I stick to training sessions only, and try to wear her out mentally as well as a little bit physically.  The only other thing I'd consider, is driving to a remote spot that I know isn't used by other dog walkers often, and where there's no main roads close by, so that I'd be causing as little problem as possible, and not leaving that pesky scent trail to where I exercise her. 

I might be considered as very over cautious, but I feel it's only fair, it's my problem as it's my bitch, and I keep it to myself.  I know others won't agree, but this is just how I approach it. 

So again I will ask. Just where are bitches to be walked? The moon?

i used to walk mine on the road to a local 'green' which has heavy traffic all around it so no off lead dogs. we were never bothered by dogs around the house.
luckily my two used to come in season together so it was over with in one go.
however, i have been at my local park where people walk in season bitches on and off lead and have seen a golden retriever attack its owner when he tried to pull it off a bitch in heat