This might sound like a silly question but how do I know when my dogs season is over?  I have a 7 month old puppy and this is her first season.  I have not noticed any blood for a few days but she is pretty good at keeping herself clean. I just need to know when it is safe to let her out again. Thanks for any help.

If her bleeding has just stopped, it is most likely now her most fertile time!!  Most bitches bleed for about 2 weeks, then are at their most fertile during that last week when the bleeding has stopped.  To be safe, I would wait 3 full weeks from the first day of bleeding before considering taking her out.  And even then, some bitches are still fertile into the 4th week after the first day of bleeding, so if you want to be super safe and you don't know this bitch's pattern very well yet, wait 4 weeks!

Thank you for that advice.  When I spoke to my breeder after I first noticed blood she said that the dog has most likely been in season for 5-6 days already before I saw any blood.  I now have no idea when to take her first day as!

... Maybe slightly extend the above advice, excellent as it is. A bitches season tends to last 28-30 days as a rule. Some last longer. So three weeks is a very short space of time, indeed we have had bitches still willingly mateable at 20 days so 21 days is a short period to advise retaiking your girl back out in public (3 weeks).

Generally its a slight exaggeration to say you don't tend to notice blood for 5 - 6 days on average by your girls breeder. Especially asa single dog mum (if you are) I expect you watch her like a hawk.I find people are pretty accurate on when they take day 1 from.

Take day 1 as being the first day you definately saw bloodor a watery red discharge. Around days 10 - 15 the blood will cease (on average) for around 5 days. It may resume around day 16 - 20 (depending on when it stopped). From the time wait at least another 7 -10 days before taking her back in public. So you end up taking her back out around day 28/29/30 with most bitches.

That is if you have to walk in places where other dogs frequently run free - if you are lucky and live nearby somewhere open (so you can see approaching dogs coming, not like in woods or on a common with heavy bush cover etc etc) then try her out around day 28 or so, if she attracts a lot of unwanted attention take her home, give it another couple of days and try again. A good bath helps some or maybe a good long full body swim.

Di