Willow ( 9 month old lab) came into season 2 weeks ago. She had 8 days of bloody discharge then 4 days of straw coloured discharge - then 2 days blood again. Now it has stopped - do you think it will be OK to take her to training on Tuesday  - she's got her bronze test next week so I don t really want to miss it.

I've had a bitch mated on day 28 from season.  You have to decide how you feel about the risk.

I'd certainly consider her to be in season for a full three weeks, and would not risk ether unsupervised with a male dog until 4 weeks from the start.

As this is a test of obedience I think it would be most unfair to take an in season bitch, as ti would almost certainly affect other dogs performance.

My GR has just done something like that but then soon after that she started again with a vengeance. In her case I think the first bit was a trial run lol there was more swelling and blood this time and her first season ended up saying for 7 weeks so I woud defiantly give it a miss

That only makes her around day 16 I think, it would be a bit risky imho. I know how annoying it is to miss those tests, but it wouldn't be fair on the other dogs unless you could arrange to arrive after everyone else had been tested and do it alone.

> it wouldn't be fair on the other dogs unless you could arrange to arrive after everyone else had been tested and do it alone.

That's a good idea, if it's evenings you could arrive later and leave her in the car until everyone else had been tested.

Technically speaking it would be breaking the rules and making it too easy, as exercise 5 is "Controlled walk amongst people and dogs".

Thanks for all your replies. My question wasn t really if it's Ok to take her if she's in season - I realise that that isn t Ok - it's more about how long her season will last and now she has stopped having a discharge does that mean her season s over? I take on board the advice about 3 weeks. In fact the test isn t till a week tomorrow which will be 3 and a half weeks. I just wanted to take her for a last class tomorrow. It's not the end of the world, but if we don t pass the test next week we have to wait another term and I feel like she's ready to move on.
You are right Goldmali - they do have to walk between other dogs

No just because there is no discharge it doesn't mean it's over, often it's subsided and bitches can be very clean. 

Some even have colourless seasons which are a real pain, but the amount of bleeding and it's duration can be wildly variable even in the same bitch.

I'd give the class this week a miss, go for the test, but bath her a day or two before, and ask to go last.  Spray some Prfume body spray around her rear, and you should be certainly fine to walk around the other dogs, who will of course be on lead, for that part of your test.

Oh 3 1/2 weeks should be fine - like Goldmali says, give her a good bath the day before, and just do some practise at home instead of the class and you'll be fine!

Is it really up to you whether you go to a training class with a dog in season or not??  I run classes and no bitch in season is allowed for 4 weeks from the start of her season.  It is extremely distracting for male dogs to have a bitch in season nearby and if they are hoping on passing their Bronze test too, they will not thank you if you turn up with a bitch in heat!!  I will transfer bitches in season free of charge to the next course.

I DIDN'T ask if it's OK to take a bitch in season or not. I have no intention of taking her if she's in season.I've made it really clear I am just asking for advice about how long the season lasts.

Well 3 weeks at least, but some bitches are fertile and attractive up to 4 weeks, which is where the advice about precautions, appropriateness, being fair to others has come in.

Only a dog will know if she has truly finished.

So if she is the average bitch you should be fine, but it would be wise to minimise any chance of distracting other dogs that are going for testing, or the slight chance she may still be receptive (some of mine have been mated days 18 - 22) and a complete distraction.

As I don't own males I have this problem all the time, and if I have a doggy event when a bitch has just finished a season, for the benefit of others, I will keep her away from sniffing reach of males, will bath and/or perfume spray, and maybe even give chlorophyll tablets if it's within a week or so.

After 3 and a half weeks I washed Willow's back end and put some body spray on her and took her to the test - she was fine as were all the other dogs and she passed her KC bronze. Yipee!

Well done