ok so i have never had a dog since i have been on my own and i was always too young to understand when we did have dogs about the female dogs 'period'. i have a mini schnauzer and i just want to make sure that this is normal (i spoke with someone else who use to breed dogs and she said that it sounds like its just her 'period' starting) but i cant really afford to rush to the vet unless i know that its not normal and it is something serious.  my husband noticed it yesterday and just thought that maybe she had cut her foot on the rock outside or something (men, why he didnt check beats me) anyway, i was out all day yesterday and didnt see it untill i got home from work today and started playing with her. the hair around her private area is bloody and the ground by the slider door has little smudges of blood all over it and we just noticed that there is some fresh spots, she just turned 7 months the begining of january, and i was told that she can start heat anytime after 6 months. now i probably sound like i dont know what the hell im doing with a dog, and that i should have maybe read up a little, but i happened to get her and never really worried too much about it, please just let me know if this is normal before i rush to the vet and look stupid about something i should have known about. thank you!!!

If you wipe her bits (vulva) with a white tissue and there's blood
then she's inseason. Which is totally normal.
She will need to be confined to barracks (your garden) else if you walk
her outside your own home/garden you'll get all the neighbourhood dogs showing
extreme interest in your bitch (you want to avoid them mating her). It is also important to watch her whilst she's in
your garden as dogs can be very determined to gain access if they want to mate a bitch.
Also bitches can be escape artists trying to get out too.

I would suggest you get a book called 'The Book of the Bitch' by Kay White published by Ringpress. It's widely available
on Amazon etc, average cost in the UK is £9.99 (then you've got mail order cost on top)
This will be a very helpful book and helps you understand the things that happen to bitches.

Also if you don't want to breed from her I would suggest you have her spayed approx 3 months from the time she finishes
her season which can last upto 28 days. So that's also the duration that she should be confined to her own garden (28 days).
She may not bleed for the full 28 days but normally after 28 days she should be safe to go back out on walks outside her garden.
At the end of the 28 days I'd give her a bath to get rid of the 'bitch inseason' smell.

Hope this helps a little.

Just to add when she stops bleeding this does not mean the season ahs finished, with most bitches it is actually the most fertile time(though some bleed throughout).

As has been said to be extra safe she must be kept away from any male dogs for 28 days from the first day of bleeding.

If you live in an area where you don't have uncontrolled loose dogs roaming the streets (we have an efficient Dog Warden) then you can still take her for lead walks on the streets, but do not take ther anywhere where dogs are likely or have a right to be loose, as the best trained dog will ignore it's owner and head straight for your girl, otherwise you will just have to keep her to the garden, but never leave her alone, and watch ehr even when she goes out for a pee.

Thank you both, i was a bit nervous that it could possibly be more serious and i didnt want to rush to the vet if it wasnt especially that she is herself, eating, drinking and doing her duties as if nothing wrong, but your replys were of much help thank you!!!!

HI,

You can also buy the Book of the Bitch £9.99 at most Pets at Home stores.  It really is a great book for bitch owners, I recommend that you buy it, it will pay for itself really if you haven't owned a bitch before ;)  you'll have more confidence in knowing when the vet is needed ;)