Hi - We have an 18 month old border terrier bitch and she has never had a season.  Can this be normal?  We also have a 14 month old border bitch and she has had one season approx. 4 months ago so was expecting the other to come into season soon after - but nothing.  Is it possible that some bitches do not have seasons'?

Have you had her thyroid levels checked, and underactive thyroid can result in bitches failing to cycle or if they do have seasons not to ovulate and general fertility issues.  Could she have had silent seasons?

Some bitches don't have their first till 2 years old.  Like with humans it can happen any time.

It wouldn't be normal though and I would be worried about the wisdom of breeding from bitches that failed to reach puberty for so long, especially in a small breed..

thanks for your quick replies - We do not intend to breed from Ruby our concerns are for her health.  Each time I have mentioned it to the vet (one in January) and was told we should expect her to come into season around about the end of February.  Then when Maisey came into season (middle of May) we was told again to expect her to come into season.  I am more or less certain that she has not had a silent season because when Maisy was in season three/four dogs in the surrounding area were barking a lot more than usual and Winston our boy dog (although he had only been nuetured 2 weeks before) would NOT leave her alone.  No signs what so ever with Ruby???

gollie my swd had her 1st season at 18 months then went on to 1 season a year.she had two healty litter of 5 puppies in each litter.
tangle her daughter is two and only had 2 season.

brie the fcr was ecery 4 months only carried her pups to day 54 and 56.

Hi,
I waited until my bitch was 2 years old and she never had a season at all. I then had her spayed after having blood tests which showed no abnormalities.

When they spayed her the vets couldn't find any reason as to why she hadn't ever had a season. This was despite her litter sister being here too and having 2 seasons.....

I thought one might have brought the other in, but it never happened.

Gabrielle

A friend who had one of my puppies 2 years ago was concerned as she hadn't come into season at nearly 2 - had blood tests etc done and was told her ovaries weren't functioning.  They decided to just forget about seasons and get on with life etc - when 2 weeks before her 2nd birthday she came into season.  In my opinion she was a little underweight and perhaps this could be a reason she hasn't matured until now.

Same here, one of my girls had reached her 2nd birthday and no season, so off to the vets, full blood works done, everything came back clear.  Two weeks later she came in season and it was a full blown season too, I guess she was just a late developer too.

My vet did say he wouldn't do anything until she reached 3 years old, because although uncommon, some bitches don't have their first until around 3 years of age (although I've never heard of it)

What can the Vet do for a bitch that hasn't come into season? Hormonal therapies, drugs

I'm still waiting for Izzy to have a 1st season, she is 15 months old, her mum was 11.5 months for a 1st season and Izzy's litter sisters were both a similar age to the Dam. Could having 4 GA's and 2 ops slow things up a bit?  the G-Dam was 13 months old for 1st season.

Most of my Spanish don't have their first until around 17 months.  My Carmen isn't 2 until the 19th of this month and has had 4 season already, I prefer it to be the first way round rather than Carmen's way.

I wish my girls would wait until over a year :D  I usually ahve the opposite problem that they are ahvign seasons every 4 to 5 months at first.

Lexi didn't go to 6 monthly until she was two so had 4 seasons by then, startign at 7 months.  I don't usually breed until they are about three, so starting at 18 months woudl be great.

I was hoping that when her mum came in season back in May this year, that Izzy, 13 months at the time, would follow but she hasn't............maybe she will follow her mum at the next season over Christmas, by which time she will be 20 months old

Her mum has seasons every 7.5 months regularly