My female GSD is now 7 months old, and I am obviously very aware of the fact that she will be coming in to deason at some point now she is older. Can anyone tell me (and I know this is going to sound pathetic, as I should know this) but what are the signs that she is coming in to season, barring noticing blood etc? She is my first dog, and I have asked advice from my partner's mum, who has shepherds, but she said usually she only realised when she saw spots of blood on the floor, and that was it - no changes in behaviour or anything like that. Should I exoect to see a change at all before she comes in to season, and what are the signs I should be looking for?

The main thing we noticed was that, for a few weeks before she actually came into season,  male dogs became very interested in our bitch :)

Daisy

I can't believe that you've had her for so long already!!!! 

My girls sometimes turn a bit "mopey" just before they come into season, but then another season the first I know about it is when someone else is washing a backside!

If she gets a bit more "needy" or wants cuddles when she wouldn't normally - or vice versa, then I would think it is a sign.

Margot

Like Daisy, my girl showed no changes, but she did begin to attract more attention from the boys! She was 11 months when she came into season.
Kat

One of mine throws her coat when she's approaching a season and the other like has already been said- you get an awful lot of cleaning going on down there :-)  Both are GSD's.  Kassie didn't have a season
until she was about 13 months old.

Stacey x

I can't believe I have had her for so long either! Well, she is cleaning herself a lot more I think, and also we took her to the beach on new years day and there was an entire male GSD there and he got VERY happy to see her if you catch my drift, but she wasn't interested at all, and just carried on picking up seaweed and throwing it about, even though he was showing her what he had so to speak....

I am thinking she might be coming into season in a few weeks time. She is still SUCH a puppy though I can't quite believe she will be a woman soon!!!

Thanks so much for the advice. I want to be really prepared so I can avoid taking her where other entire dogs will be, and part of that is knowing how to read the signs before hand!

Thanks again, this place is so invaluable!

If you think she might be why not try just giving her a wipe with some tissue to see.  If you do decide to do this you're better off waiting until she's been laid down for a while then stands up- when she stands do it then :-)

Stacey

Thanks so much for that tip - I will do. Also, in general, how long should I keep her away from other doggy areas? I guess it is just until you see no more blood? I must sound like such a novice! I want to give her two seasons before spaying (although I will se what the vets says), but she will be climbing the walls if she stays away from other dogs too long, and also I will need to keep her away from puppy class too....

>I guess it is just until you see no more blood?

Nonononono! :D

Sorry for the screech, but no! With many bitches, when the bleeding appears to stop, that's when they become fertile! From the first time you see a pink stain on a white tissue when you dab her vulva, keep her away from other dogs for a minimum of 21 days; 28 days is safer. Don't even allow her unattended in your own garden - many unwanted litters are sired in supposedly safe gardens by dogs who can jump!

Have you got a copy of 'The Book of the Bitch' by J.M. Evans and Kay White? It's invaluable. :)

Hey, thanks so much for telling me that - boy would I have made a mistake. I will also be looking into purchasing that book you mentioned. I am a first time owner and all this is so new to me. I will be keeping an eye out now then, as I have noticed a number of changes in her which may be connected to her imminently coming into season (interest from a male dog, her cleaning herself more, and fussing around her bits more). Thank you so much for that, and thank god you did screach at me!

I don't know if you will be able to see on your breed but on my dog she would start swelling up around her vulva a few days or so before starting her season.  The swelling was very noticable

when my bitch is in season my dog only takes notice after about 12 days but then it is only 4 a few days so i only keep them apart 4 a week (having read your reply this seems strange).

Hi Bek,

I've known bitches mated (accidentally) as early as day 3 and late as day 25 - and these were bitches which had previously been bred from and mated around day 11-14!

A friend who employed your method found her dog and bitch tied in the time it took her to walk to the other end of the room and open the curtains - she was similarly confident that it wouldn't happen as she'd always dealt with seasons that way!

regards, Teri

i have been doing it that way since i got my bitch (have 2 now). i have never had a unplanned litter ( when his is intrested i take him every where with me even to the loo) i seperate as soon as intrest is shown no matter how early all i am saying is his intrest doesnt last very long

Yes, my friend did that too!

It may have worked for you up until now Bek, but you're really leaving far too much to chance - the accidental matings I've referred to have happened to people who have been heavily involved with multiple dogs of both sexes, some over several decades (although the latter was a friend who had kept dogs and bitches together for only around 4 years).

Even if you choose to adopt the "less is sufficient" method of animal husbandry, please do not advocate that anyone else should follow suit :(

no way was i telling any one else to do this all i was saying is from what i read in other posts that my dog seemed strange as HIS intrest only lasted a week at the mst

Hi Bek! My bitch's last litter was conceived after matings on days 18 and 20 of her season. All bitches vary, and from season to season in the same bitch, as to when they'll be fertile. It's best not to take any chances.
:)

belive me i dont take chances if any intrest is taken then i seperate them at once

My first ever litter was 15 pups from matings on days 6 & 8. I'd taken her along for baseline cytology thinking I had another week and there she was ripe as you like. :)

If only bitches read the books! :D