My 16 month old flatcoat bitch came into season for the first time last sunday, by this i mean she started bleeding which i thought meant she had only just started, Today a veterinary nurse told me that this meant she had already been in season for at least a week. Is this correct information? As ive always referred to the "Book of the Bitch" for information and it doesnt say that? Many thanks from Charlotte and Ferny.

Hello,

The bitch will come into season and the dripping may not actually happen for a couple of days, it depends on how clean they are and how heavy they are. Each bitch will be different.

The first signs would be excess cleaning round that area and swelling of the vulva, you may not ever notice blood or dripping if the bitch is extremely clean.

One of our bitches keeps herself extremely clean and the only signs are a swelling, licking and occasionally a little stain where she has been lying on something pale, another one is a dirty little madam... :) , she can't help it, because she is very heavy and relies mostly on her mother to clean her, even though she is now 8 years old....big baby.

Hope this helps, the book of the bitch is an excellant book!!!

manda
X

Technically the veterinary nurse is quite correct. The season does start about a week before anything shows. This is the time when "Things start to move around inside". From our point of view the season starts with the start of the discharge. Before that there is nothing to tell us that the bitch is in season and as the bitch will not stand for a dog we are really not to concerned. (Most dogs would know though! :d )

Regards, John

As a novice re: seasons, perhaps you would answer a question ? :)

Our Aussie pup will be 1 on Tuesday. She hasn't had a season yet (as far as I know). For the last few weeks, friends male dogs have been trying to mate her - they are all much smaller than her and get no farther than her leg or head :) She has had no discharge yet. I don't think that she is any more swollen than she has been the last couple of months. Is the attention of the males just a sign that she is about to come into season or just that she is just on the way :)

Thanks

Daisy

My friend's Bernese knows my Anna is coming into season at least 3 weeks before there is anything to show so there is a strong possibility that your girl is not far away. When I think a bitch is near I start doing the toilet tissue test. When she stands after she has been laying quiet for a bit I wipe her with a toilet tissue. The laying quiet allows any discharge to collect and drain down when she stands so you are more likely to find something then than at any other time.

As I work my dogs I find that on the run up to a season they also get a bit slap dash with their work. They are also inclined to get a bit broody afterwards so I loose something like 8 to 10 weeks out of them! I HATE THEM!;)

Best wishes, John

Many thanks, John. Will just have to watch and wait :)

Daisy