Hello all, I was just wondering at what point male dogs stop showing an interest in a bitch that has been in season. My girl is showing signs of her 2nd season (the insanely crazy behaviour we had about 3 weeks before her last season started - 3 escapes in a week, I caught her literally kicking down the fence panel yesterday kung fo style, running at it then pushing it with all 4 legs at the same time! Plus male dogs have been doing a lot of sniffing etc) A lot of our friends and family as unneutered males and although we will be avoiding them during her season at what point will she stop being fertile. I certainly don't want any unplanned puppies! Also her behaviour is so manic before her season starts we will be getting her spayed after this one  - for her own sanity and for ours!

Are you sure that she's not having a colourless one?  For her to be like this before a season in my experience is extremely rare.  I have to keep my dogs away for around 4 weeks as I have mated bitches at 18/19 days before now.

She was exactly the same with the last season showing this crazy behaviour several weeks before. However, with it being our first bitch and her first season we didn't know what was wrong with her, dropped her off at my mums who was dog sitting whilst we were on holiday and she started bleeding 2 days after. The blood had virtually stopped 2 weeks later when we returned but there was still a bit so we avoided males. Can they still be mated after the bleeding has stopped?

I should also probably mention that when she showed this odd behaviour the first time round we took her to the vet who found nothing physically wrong but explained it could be the 'adoloescent stage' which seen as she was 8 month old made sense. However, she went back to normal (well whats normal for her) once her season has finished and now its due again shes showing the same behaviour. Like i've mentioned though we are getting her spayed after this season as we've no intention of breeding or showing here, I'm more bothered about her coming into contact with a male sooner than she should.

The blood had virtually stopped 2 weeks later when we returned but there was still a bit so we avoided males. Can they still be mated after the bleeding has stopped?

When the bleeding stops this is usually the most fertile time, when she would normally be mated!

God can't you just tell I'm not a breeder! Thank God for CD and all your advice :D So how long after the bleeding stops will she stop being fertile. I've googled it but it seems to vary greatly so some advice from people with 1st hand experience would be much appreciated :)

To be safe, avoid contact with male dogs for 4 weeks from the first spot of blood, one of my bitches bleeds for 27 days :-O and on every season they can vary as to when they are most fertile :-)

Lol Lol ,you have just reminded me ..... , my husky girl was like that , but managed to escape (jumped on to a ten foot wall from the raised patio then must have jumped down the other side which was a bigger drop as the garden was tiered ) There was me panicking running around like a headless chicken , ringing the other half and telling him to get home from work now, screaming at anyone who passed . But she had gone in the first door that opened , chased a cat and smashed a £120 ornament, luckily we lived on a army barracks at the time and they knew she was mine and kept her in ( thank god for nice people), even though they had 5 day old kittens.    When she has seasons now she is not allowed in the garden alone unless she is in her fully enclosed run and i mean fully enclosed . But the husky girls do like to create mayhem at the best of times    LOL

> . Can they still be mated after the bleeding has stopped?

This is the stage they are normally ready for mating, though some bleed throughout the 3 weeks or so.

If you have males around I would avoid contact for 4 weeks.  I certainly know of bitches mated at 23 and 25 days and getting pregnant.

As for male reaction a lot depends on his experience.  Some pester for ages after as they are clueless/desperate.

The season is over when the vulva looks closed and has shrunk down again to the pre season size.

It is a good idea to give her a bath after her season has finished to take away lingering female scent.

I have a bitch that acts silly for a week or so before actually coming into season ;-) She has been bleeding since Tuesday, and as I have a male in the house I'm having a bit of fun (NOT!!!) Thankfully I have crates that they are both quite happy to go into, but they will not be allowed to meet for about a month. Means a lot of shuffling, and different gardens for toileting, but I wouldn't be without either of them. My bitch used to go into kennels (her breeders) but as they sold up I don't have anywhere else to put her that I would trust. My boy pines if he is away from me, but will quite happily lie in his crate, and only whinges for the few days she is at her worst :-D