Hi all
Buffy is now 5 months and 2 weeks old. Will i be able to tell when she comes into heat? I dont want to risk an unwanted pregnancy.

One other question, why do dogs try to mount her? I am sure she is not in season yet but twice now in a week a dog has tryed to get on her, both times she put her tail between her legs and ran off. One of the dogs was my dads 2 year old dalmation, we had all been together all day and it wasn't untill they where getting ready to go home that Merlin tryed to get on.
The second was a dog in the park, the owner told me that he just had a habbit of trying to mount everything and anything, he proved this when he tryed to mount my 9 year old son's leg.

All this said it really worried me because then everyone was telling me that she must be giving out signals to the dogs.
As soon as i can after her first season i will have her spayed but for now i dont want to risk anything.

Thanks

Debbie

For some reason male dogs have loved ellie ever since she was a pup. I was in the park once when she was about 4-5 months old and she was repeatedly mounted by a labrador and later by a retriever, who was neutered. (shes a retriver herself so oviously attracts the right males!) Shes now just gone a year and we are still waiting on a season. A month ago a latchkey retriver followed us up the seafront and constantly tried to mount her and she was getting very irate. (As was i, no owner around, just me with my two dogs, one of which doesn't like other dogs and the other who was being mounted - nightmare!) I think it must just be some dogs are more attractive to other dogs.
I worry about not noticing myself, but when meg came into season last year i couldn't miss it. The first thing i noticed was spots of blood on her white duvet when we got up in the morning, and the blood spots were fairly noticeable throughout her season. Another thing was that her bits were,-ahem! - huge!!! I heard they swelled, but i thought there is no way i would no, they looked pretty ample before, but i was surprised.
What breed is buffy?

We're in the same situation, our bitch is coming up to 8 months old and so can come into season at any time, we're just keeping a good eye on her so we'll notice as soon as she does come into season.

Hi

My girl Luna a choc lab has just had her first season and she is 1 year old. As mentioned above you will not be in doubt when it happens. Luna bled for a couple of days before she started swelling. But oh boy she got huge! Right to the point where I thought, now she'll explode! 

About the mounting. All dogs try to mount Luna and has done this since she was a baby. I've heard its domination. The "mounting" dog is trying to show your girl who is boss.

My friend has a bitch Freja and she also mounts Luna. Again domination. But the owner of the other dog is supposed to pull their dog off, and if they don't you should! They should not be allowed to keep it up!

Jeanette

Debbie none of my Lab girls have had a first season before they were 13months.

My cocker spaniel has just started her first season, she will be 1 year old on Monday.  She has been grumpy for a few weeks now, plus the past couple of days she has been swollen, so she did give me signs

Oh and their hearing seems to go out the window! Luna didn't get much of lead (I live around fields with no other dogs around) because she simply just ran the opposite direction.

Jeanette

That is why I would never risk letting an in season bitch off lead anywhere other than my own garden, and then under supervision. :D

Hi all
Thanks for the replys, sorry i have taken so long to reply. Buffy is a black lab.
I have already decided that she will not go off lead (except when in my garden) once she comes into season. I was really worried that she would come into season and i wouldnt know but after reading your replys i dont think that that will be a prob.

After the 2 dogs last week trying to mount her she has now decided that no dog, male or female is getting anywhere near her tail end, if they try she either runs and hides under a bench or just keeps swinging around to face them again.
Thanks again for replying.

Debbie

Hi Debbie

Get into the habit of daily placing a piece of white tissue against her vul*va once she reaches 6 months.  Then you will soon see when she comes into season as it will be stained.  Some bitchs lose a lot and others only a little but it would be a very unobservant owner who did not notice any diffence in their bitches demeanour and certain parts of their anatomy - let alone the staining :)

Think you will know, but it is difficult to say how you will know but I am sure you will, for about 2 weeks before it starts she will change in her temperament and she will start to pee more often and all over the place, she will look a tiny bit swollen and more obvious, you have about or should I say at least 7 days to find out she is in before things get critical. Try to relax it could be another 6 or 7 months yet, and if all else fails there is always the morning after jab ;)

Hi
I have put a white blanket in her bed which i hope will show some stains when things start to happen. I am now trying to relax, i am so happy about the morning after jab tho.

Thanks again

Debbie

Ah ha! Ellie finally came into season this morning! I thought she looked a bit swollen yesterday, but no blood, but when i checked this morning there was a little drip of blood. She is so clean though, so far not a drop on any floors or furniture she is constantly licking herself, bless her.

My Lab went into season at 6 months old.  You'll definately know when it starts as they swell, bleed, sulk and wash themselves a lot.  Mine even got Cystitis while she was in season.