I think that my lab is in Season.  We came home today to find blood on the floor and some speckled bits on her rugs.  She did not have a proper first season so this is I guess the first one.  She is 15 months old.  Problem is she is due to go to the pet sitter next Monday for a month.  What I don't know is how long she will actually bleed for.  I have to tell the pet sitter tomorrow morning that I think she is in Season and am praying that she will still take her.  Can anybody tell me exactly how a Season works.  How long do they bleed?  Can she still be walked on the lead etc.
Also she was supposed to be spayed at the beginning of December but now I am not sure if December is still alright because of hormone levels etc.  If this is her Season when can she be spayed?
Thanks so much for all help

Of she came in season today then she should not be spayed until the end of January.

A season on average oasts 21 days, but a bitch shoudl b kept away from male dogs for up to 28 days as some bitches can ovulate late.  bitches can be willing to amte and become pregnant any time from 3 days afteer bleedign starts up to 28 days. 

Some bitches bleed for only part of their season and then the discharge reduces and becomes vlear, some bleed all the way through.  The lack of blood does not mean the season is over. 

Only when the vulva has shrunk and looks closed up will ti be over.

hi
thank you so much for answering my post.  Can she still be walked in the park if she is on the lead though?

Whether she's walked on the lead or not I'd say depends a lot on if there is any likelihood of there being entire male dogs off the lead there or not.

think am following you round the board Marianne :D am not a stalker honest :)

LOL!!! :D :D

Think you may find walking a dog in season in public rather challenging ........she won't suffer unduly until her season is finished IMHO

I have decided that I will definitely not take her to the park whilst she is in Season and will stick to the garden or the pavement what I did want to check again was do they bleed for the whole 3 weeks, someone told me today that they think they actually only bleed for 5 or 6 days so I am a little confused.

As I said it depends on the bitch.  I have had them bleed all the way through for a month, and have had no more than some spotting for a day or two. 

What you must remember is that even with no blood they are still very much in season (some bitches have silent or colourless seasons, which is a real pain as you might not notice the other signs). 

On average the bleeding starts to wane when they are ready to be mated.

NO NO NO!!!! 

You will know she is in season, but the owners of male dogs that are off the lead won't and they will make a determined beeline for your bitch, and you could find yourself unable to prevent a mating or even get in the middle of a dog fight. 

Very unfair to the owners of the males whose instincts will overide training, as they will in your bitch, so don't be tempted to let her off lead anywhere and watch her in your own garden.

I walk my in season bitches on the lead only where loose dogs have no business being, in other words lots of pavement pounding :D

Thanks Brainless

You have been really really helpful, I am so worried because she is going to the pet sitter and I can't believe that it happened now just before we go away.  She will definitely not be let off the lead and she will defintely not be going in the park.  I will do the pavement pounding or the garden and that is all.  I hope that the pet sitter will be ok with her I feel really bad that this is the situation but I really had no clue when her Season would be.  Rest assured January the 25th she will be spayed.

Best wishes and thank you again for your help. :-)

Unfortunately bitches are rarely always predictable. 

I have been waiting for my youngest to come in season now for 7 weeks, as she had previously come into season at four monthly intervals, so am pleased in a way that she has now gone over 6 months.

Another time my bitch that was pretty regular around 27 week intervals went 34 weeks.

To let you know how determined dogs can be. My bitch was in season couple of months ago.  We have an 8 feet wrought iron gate at the front between 2 brick walls and the gate bars are far too narrow for my dog to escape through onto the street so  I thought she was perfectly safe outside.  I was in the study and I saw an old man running after a little Norfolk Terrier (I think) with its lead trailing behind.  I heard my dog barking and went to gate and suddenly realised looking at my dog on this side and the little Norfolk Terrier on the other with the old man now tugging at the lead that the little dog could and would have quite easily walked between the bars of the gate.  Even within the confines of our boundaries our bitch was not safe from mating.

goodness me that really hits home doesn't it.  I know this might sound like a funny question but do neutered dogs also react this way to a bitch in Season? 

Most will be interested (curious as other bitches would be), and some will still try and mate (and some succeeed), but generally their drives have been reduced to the extent where they can't be fussed. :D