Wasn't sure whether to put this in health or breeding, so have opted for health (please change mods if you think appropriate).

Esme (and probably Mo - this will only be her 2nd season) is due in season anytime now, and I've been doing the daily dabbing of their girly bits, as you do! :)

Tuesday evening I noticed a drip on the floor and sure enough when I dabbed Esme there was blood. Following day when dabbing Mo there was also blood. Wednesday there was still the slightest showing on the tissue but by yesterday there was no sign at all from either girls.

Is this a common occurrence as this has happened with Esme before? She's shown blood for a couple of days, then stopped and come in proper about a month later. It just seems really odd for both girls to do exactly the same (although they are Mother and Daughter).

I have had it happen, usually when they are overdue in season, its like the hormone levels have just not gone high enough.

I have mated bitches with such season twice and had litters, but they stayed with the stud (thanks to the lovely stud owning friends) for ages as we didn't know where we were.

Interestingly now you say it I have only had it when another bitch was also in/due in season. 

Never had odd seasons when the bitches have not been synchronising. As at present everyone is different, as the only two seasoning close together one has been spayed, the toehr two are several months apart an the pup is only 5 months.

I was hoping to mate Esme this season, so I guess the only way I'll know what she's up to is to progesterone test? I don't have the option of leaving her with the stud.

She does look quite swollen down below and is cleaning herself quite a lot, but I would have expected drips on the floor to be noticeable by now.

Well they are both definitely bleeding now, so are in season for sure.

Had Esme progesterone tested on Tuesday (3.2nmol/L) and again yesterday (4.2nmol/L), so we're not getting anywhere fast. These could have been days 8 and 11 from 1st spotting, but it has been stop/start so they could just as easily be days 2 and 5. I can see this is going to cost me a fortune in testing. Larry advised re-testing on Monday/Tuesday.

Even though Hamish was neutered it was much easier to gauge what was going on with him around as Esme had someone to flirt with. Both girls seem a bit confused this time round.