My 16 month old girl is finally having her first season. However I have never seen so much blood. I have just come back and she has obviously been sitting in the hall waiting for me and on the laminate is quite a pool of blood. and inspite of cleaning herself all the time there are noticeable large bright red spots on the floor. I have other entire females but they dont seem to lose anything like this amount. Is it just because she is late having her season? Is this with in the realms of "normal" or should I get the vet to take a look. She seems quite happy if a little puzzled as to what is happening to her nether regions. I am considering nappies and bitch pants neither of which I have bothered with in the past.

Some bitches just are like that, I have a couple that always bled very heavily (one now been spayed), large spots everywhere, looked like a slaughterhouse. Others much less.

Sorry to butt in with a question, but how long does bleeding last when a bitch is in season? I've never owned a bitch before. Only male dogs.

The books say about a week or so then it starts to become straw coloured and not very noticeable. However bitches dont read the books so can bleed for anything up to 3-4 weeks. Novice owners sometimes think that once the bleeding has stopped the bitch has finished the season but that is not the case. She could be just about to enter the receptive stage of her season so it is important to keep her apart from entire males for at least 3 weeks and preferably 4.

>but how long does bleeding last when a bitch is in season?

Varies from bitch to bitch, so hard to answer.  Officially a season is 21 days.  But I've had bitches bleed for longer.  And, even when mated, mine normally continue to bleed until the end of the normal season.  No two bitches are alike, it's difficult to give you a straight answer!  :-)

>The books say about a week or so then it starts to become straw coloured and not very noticeable

Now, this is where I tell novices, or none bitch owners, to ignore "the book."

In 45 years I have never, ever seen "straw coloured."

So I'm afraid that I still think it's a load of old tosh.  Sorry!

Agree, if anything mine start of light, then get heavy, then tail off, but always obviously bloody, up to 30 days in one case but more usually 21 - 23 days.

Always keep my girls away from males until 28 days, even if they have finished before, I'd never leave them in striking distance of a male until after four weeks.

I am with Barbara in this I keep them away for four weeks and watch whispa my castrated male like a hawk. I know he can't produce but don't want a tie

I am with Barbara in this I keep them away for four weeks and watch whispa my castrated male like a hawk. I know he can't produce but don't want a tie

It's interesting that it can last so long, I've never had a bitch dog before but I know of plenty of friends who have kept their dog in for 'a few days' whilst they're in season! I realise now how dangerous that can be.