Just how far can a dog tell if a bitch is in season? A mile, two, or more?

I'm only asking because Chance is pestering my two neutered bitches like anything just now and wondered if he could smell a bitch from one of the farms nearby? Though his mum might have been in season around about now if she hadn't been done. She had funny seasons, so I could never pin her down to a date until she actually came in.

I was once told that the smell can drift 5 miles downwind.

Scent is a strange thing and how well it carries depends on the temprature, humidity and wind strength. You can think of it as a cone, the pointed end at the scource and widening out the further away it gets. In a strong wind the cone is a very narrow angle because the strength of wind is carrying it fast. In light wind the cone is a lot wider angle as it is able to spread out. Obviously the more spread out it gets the less dense the scent spore. From this it's easy to see how a scent can carry so much further DISTANCE on a windy day even though the total AREA covered by the scent would be exactly the same!

Add to this, some breeds have a far better sense of smell than others. The scent hounds such as Bloodhounds would smell something which a sighthound would not even realise was there!

Best wishes, John

I would doubt that distance but it would be for quite a fair way! The dogs often pick the scent of a bitch as she is walked past the gate. The thing is, the scent is being continually carried on the wind so although the dog may not sniff it all at once, it's the kind of scent that over a period of time he would gradually realise.

Regards, John

Having only really had bitches before this is a real eye-opener! 5 MILES!!!!!!!!!

Oh well, I'll just have to make sure he doesn't try to jump the fence (it's only 3' high, but he's never tried to jump it yet!)

If I were you I'd check the garden shed out for climbing equipment ;)

That's where the ladder is :D.

You should actually see him when he sees my next door neighbours (the nice ones ;) ) He puts his front feet on the top of the fence and jumps up. His back legs come half-way up the fence, but he doesn't try to jump it   He adores these people and does rings when he sees them in the street. I've just never taught him to jump, so he doesn't know he can do it :D One day, one day.

I've just found out that the bitch 5 doors up is in season and was caught a couple of days ago by the owners own dog! ESS bitch Lab dog. :( They don't want pups and intended taking the bitch to the vet on MONDAY to get it sorted.  Some people just don't want to know. I'm afraid I said a few choice words. Probably lost a friend (though I don't think so) as they seemed uncaring as to what might happen. All she said was "It's not my dog, it's my son's, so it's up to him" I'm still a bit angry. But what can you do?

Thing is accidents do happen even in the best sectioned off areas.  Just be thankful Linda they are taking the Springer to the vets and not letting another litter of unplanned x-breeds enter this world!

How true. Apparently the son had said to his mum "Oh, well, can't you let her have the litter and keep one of the pups?" I can't repeat what his mum said - children might be reading!!