My bitch has just come into season today for the first time and i was just wondering what i should do regarding exercise. When my collie had her season, i continued to take her out, but i kept her on the lead and stuck to places where i knew the other dogs would be on lead too, i.e. road walks. Would that be acceptable? I have never owned a dog so i don't really know first hand how a bitch in season affects males and i would hate to cause anyone any problems. Can i exercise her with caution or should i keep her in, with supervised access to the garden for the whole time?

As mentioned in a previous thread earlier tonight, I walk mine before 6am and after 10pm when the likelihood of meeting people has diminished.  It is true to say that her exercise is reduced during her season but I find that it is the actual process of going out she needs, rather than the length of walk.

If my dog (who knows just what to do) comes across a bitch in season when I am out, then there really is no stopping him.  He is very strong and insistent at certain times and I had an unfortunate incident when I came across a bitch in full season off the lead on a regular walk once.  The owner felt I should keep MY dog under control.

He would cross hell and high water to get to a bitch in season and there is little reasoning with him on those days.  Even if I walk him where a bitch in season has been, I might just as well go home as he goes totally deaf!

If you were walking on the road with your bitch and I walked by on the other side, he would be over the road and on top like a shot!  No foreplay, nothing!!  Of course this is only on day 10+ and he doesn't bother if it isn't the right day!  It only takes a second, so don't risk too much.

I'm so glad that you answered like this - I always get on my 'high horse' about bitches in season 'on leads' where everybody else walks. You saved me saying it.

I do understand the problems I have both girls and a boy and although he is 13 he still can remember!!

Just a little tip if you want to road walk her - try not to walk to and from your house.

Some years ago my then girlfriend (now wife) and I took her parents 'in-season' cocker spaniel out for a walk, straight from the house. Later that night we heard a howling from outside. Two determined looking dogs of questionable parentage were set in for the evening outside the house. These dogs sat virtually motionless for a number of hours in extremely heavy snow-fall, gradually getting covered in snow! I seem to remember one giving up after a couple of hours, whilst the other one didnt give up until the next morning!

Seems a bit unfair to keep your girl in for as long as three weeks. Just try and find somewhere without too many dogs roaming out of control.

If like me you live in an area where loose dogs are not going to be, then walking around the streets diring seasons should be fine, though a spray of antimate spray to mask the smell, and avoiding taking them out wyhen they are in the middle week should be OK, just watch out for dogs coming the other way and cross over.

OF cour5se never ever let your bitch oiff lead or take her where dogs have a legitmate business being off lead.

Here here, and well said Brainless.

I tend to forget that not everyone lives in the same area as me!  I live in a small(ish) village that is on the edge of rural but there are still lots of people around.

I like the bit about dogs having legitimate business off lead and I wholeheartedly agree with that.

That's perfectly said.  When out walking my Staffy with my sister and her (neutered) EBT, we came across a very friendly collie who was playing about off her lead.  When her owners came into sight they shouted at us (yep, shouted)  "GET YOUR DOG AWAY FROM HER!  SHE'S IN SEASON!"  I have to admit, the memory of it still makes me shake my head... Thank God Tommy wasn't entire, I don't think my sister could have held him!

I know just what you mean Bennyboo.  I was just recovering from major surgery when I walked my dog off lead in the same place as usual.  I knew there had been a bitch around as he had been pre-occupied all week.  I couldn't believe it when we were walking at 9am and he took off across the field after a springer bitch and mounted her.  The woman was screaming at me to keep my dog under control and giving me all sorts of abuse.  "Yes she is in season but don't worry, it's her first".  It took every ounce of my strength to get him off and he wasn't happy.  I dragged him away saying that I would take him home and she replied "don't worry, we'll walk the other way if you are going to keep him under control"!!

I had a bump in my car on the way home too which didn't help improve my day!  When I spoke to someone else later and told the tale they said it was a good job he didn't do the deed as the womans husband didn't want the dog anyway and puppies would have meant divorce.

I just can't beleive the stupidy of people who alow their bitches off lead in season, no matter how well trained primal instincts will take precedence.

As for people like that expecting others to control their dogs in such a situation is laughable, after all they are in possesion of the informatiuon that their bitch is in season, not the males owner, though the male soon knows!!!

I have absolutely no problems walking my girls thank God, and don't get followers either thanks to a good dog warden we rarely get loose dogs these days.  This is very fortunate for me, as I have no option but to walk them to and from my own front door, as I don't drive.

The situation would be exactly the same if the bitch was on a lead though.  It takes two to tango and if people want to keep an entire dog they should, perhaps, ensure they can handle it either physically or by training and if the bitch owner advises them that she is in season be prepared to play their part in keeping them apart.  Both own entire animals so to my mind both are responsible for their actions.

But we are talking about off lead areas.  I am sorry but how on earth is anyone but the most talented trainer (and I doubt even they would succeed) supposed to regain control of a loose dog under that sort of provocation.

In season bitches do not belong in the Park or any off lead areas.

I have no trouble sticking to the streets, and if a dog owner is coming the other way I will warn them that I have a bitch in season so as thye can get a firm hold of the lead, but would also cross the road.

I have rarely had a problem with the other dog even noticing when the girls are early in season, as the average Pet dog is not that clued up.

took merlin out the car at agility which was outside and he was playing up in the queue, which to everyone that knows this nutty rottie is nothing new, did two jumps and then took off back to the queue waiting there turn, i went and got him and he did the same thing, so i thought right back into the car, and got my collie out now he loves agility to the point he will take his own course and hurtle around until he drops if i let him, so stood in the queue and then my turn let him off did one jump belted back to the queue to the same person and sniff sniff sniff at their dog, now i (call me thick) did not twig, so go merlin out again and this time he jumped one fence and the instructor tried to stop him comming back to the queue but he knocked him out the way and went to mount this bitch, i took hold of his collar and he growled at me, i looked at this woman and said is your bitch been in season, oh yes she has been bleeding for 3 days, the instructor asked her to leave and explained about the season of a bitch, but i did not matter my two boys were sniffing the grass where she had been sitting, they where so wound up i just gave them a drink put them in the car and went and had a cuppa, as i could not do anything else with them.
Some one said i need to train them to ignore a bitch in season and if i call them they should come to me, i don't know how to go about doing this unless i find a bitch in season and everytime my boys look at her give them wrong.
Carol

Thankyou, this is very helpful. Luckily where i live there are very few loose dogs if any, i leve in quite a rural area, and being a village with very high house prices most dogs appear to have had the chop, well the ones i have spoken to anyway. Never the less i am not taking too many chances, she stays on lead and we only walk where no dog will be offlead (unless they have very reckless owners). I was terrified that dog owners might think me irresponsible for taking my in season bitch out regardless, but luckily we haven't met any dogs at all yet, (and hopefully won't) and at least i am not the only one who takes an in-season bitch out for small road walks.
She seems a bit miserable, spent most of the day asleep on the sofa, perhaps she has a touch of PMT!! ;-)
I was really disappointed yesterday that we couldn't go to training class last night, but at the time i would've been there we had the most tremendous storm, thunder lightning, hailstones, the lot. She got lots of cuddles, for making me stay in i can tell you!!