Hi,
Hope someone can help me decide weather i need to investigate this further or if the following is normal behaviour.

We have an 11 month old female rescue lab and a 3 year old castrated male GSD.
When our lab was just coming into her first season at 9 months our GSD showed an interest although it wasn't until she was at the height of this season that he bothered with her.
She has now been out of season for about 7 weeks and all has been well up until yesterday.
Our GSD suddenly felt the desire to try and mount her and all the other usual behaviours i would expect from a dog wanting to mate with a bitch.
He has also tried it again today.
So is this "normal" ?
Why after such a period after her season has he suddenly started this ?
Any help offered will be appreciated and taken on-board
Thanks
Donna

Some castrated males do show interest in a bitch in season and some can even achieve penetration. Both dogs and bitches will mount other dogs of both sexes when no one is in season. It is proably a dominance thing and if it isn't bothering your lab I wouldn't worry about it. If you really don't want it happening you can tell the GSD 'No' every time he looks as if he's thinking about mounting, but basically its normal.

Hi Jas,
Sorry i think my post might be a bit confusing.
I know that castrated males can be interested in bitches whilst they are in season, that doesn't concern me in the slighest, i was just concerned as he has not done this before and it is well after her season now.thanks
donna

The smell of infection seems to be a great turn-on to many dogs, so I'd take the bitch to the vet and get her checked to be on the safe side. You can't be too careful when it comes to possible pyometras. Hopefully it's 'just' a phantom brewing, which again can cause a bitch to smell 'interesting'.

I was wondering if it may be an infection and this was why i was a bit concerned, afraid i am a bit of a novice when it comes to un spayed bitches so i tend to panick !!
Whilst i am on the topic do you think it is wise to have her done, it is something i have thought about but an unsure on weather it will be a wise move for her or not, after this though i am not sure i want to keep panicking every time my GSD gets a whiff of something.
Thanks
Donna

It's entirely your choice whether or not you have her spayed. It's not difficult to keep an entire bitch safe from admirers when they're in season (I've managed it successfully for years, so I know it's only common sense!) but there's no denying it's a nuisance. Midway between seasons is the safest time for the surgery if you decide to opt for this. In the meantime, get the vet to check her over.

I learned about infection's attraction to dogs when mine took a very keen interest in my (spayed) bitch's eye, and got terribly excited. It turned out she had a slight infectionat the back of her eye, which wasn't causing her any symptoms. But if it had been left, she could have lost her eye - so I'm very grateful to my boys!

Well JG under those circumstances i think i would be grateful to !!
I will take her along to the vets with me tonight.
(luckily i work there on an evening so i can call in at the end of surgery and have a word with the vet)
I Am undecided about spaying her because every time i think i have all the information i need and have decided one way or another i read or hear something else that makes me rethink my original decision !!
My vet has told me that if want her done to go mid way between seasons, Why is this ?
What is the recovery like for a spayed bitch ?
thanks Donna

The reason for spaying midway between seasons is then you're as sure as you can be that the hormone levels are low (avoiding possible behavioural problems afterwards) and so is the blood supply to the uterus, making surgery both safer for the bitch and easier for the vet.

As for recovery - if there are no complications, such as minor infections, I'd expect a bitch to be pretty much back to normal within 48 hours or so.

My thoughts exactly, with the timing I would be worrying about Pyometra.  Has she been drinking more than normal?

Hi,
No she doesn't seem to be drinking more than normal, appetitie is as good ever, and herself she is still as "bouncy" as she always is, the only difference i can notice is that my GSD suddenly took an interest into her back end !
Took her along to vets with me and had a word with the vet and all looks to be well on the infection front, the vet is not concerned that it is pyometra or any other infection, but that now leaves the question of if it isn't an infection is their another possible cause for this behaviour or am i just looking to deeply into this and it is just my GSD being a dog.
Thanks for your help so far.
Donna