Just as I'm about to leave her in the care of others for three weeks while I swan off to Oz, typical! I need to research the practicalities but any indoor and garden exercise ideas are welcome. Instead of the walk we were ready for I'll go looking at past threads...
It is typical its going to depend on her. Moo was very withdrawn tired, off her food for a few weeks. It was just short on lead walks when i knew not many dogs were about. She wanted to sleep and be quiet. Libby might want to play games and do a bit or training in the garden. Moo had a horrible first season she was just so down the 2nd was a bit better but I had her spayed because it was everso upsetting for her. I know there's lots if ideas on the main site. Hope she's ok and that you are feeling better
What rotten timing ! When Millie came into season , she didn't really display any typical behaviour at all , apart from being a bit of a hussy around week two ! Living in a rural area , I walked her very early morning when no one else was around , even allowed her off lead a couple of time which, looking back , was pretty risky but this was 6.30 in the morning ! She only had the one season in our care as she then had the most horrendous phantom pregnancy, needing medication to stop milk production which was in full swing , then she was spayed . My advice to anyone is to bear in mind that a bitch in heat can be every bit as eager ( if not more ) than a dog looking for a bitch on heat ! Millie even tried it on with Sam , who was mortified and at a complete loss as to how to deal with it !
@DebzC I think it is quite common , but not all cases are extreme , for some bitches its a case of nesting and guarding toys ( like they are babies ) but I was told by my Vet that if they have one phantom , they are likely to have another one , so having her spayed was the best option .
And for those who are curious and watching out for their own dog's first season...Libby's lady parts aren't swollen at all!
@DebzC , glad that you mentioned this , its quite common to actually miss a first season due to very minimal blood and lack of other signs !
Bramble had little swelling, slight spotting really easy to miss...then after about three weeks later, it all started again, this time her ladybits were huge, coupled with more noticeable spotting. All in all it from start to finish it was 7 weeks. She now has nipples like sparkplugs! I think seasons are not really straightforward or predictable.
I think for some dogs, the first season is definitely a bit of a non-event - Indie only had a few little drops of blood and no promiscuous behaviour (although v swollen lady bits, she looked like she had sat on a hot cross bun...). The boys werent even interested in her. But she had a phantom pregnancy after her first heat. Nesting, intense fears of going outside...her 'puppy' was a squeaky pink bus toy, which we had to take hostage and squeak every few meters to get her down to the vet! We spayed her after that to avoid the risk of another one. She now has saggy old jibbly puppy boobies from when she was lactating which make people think we've bred from her!
When we look back now its kind of funny but terrible at the time! The looks we got walking through the village squeaking precious Bus-puppy with Indie hurrying along after it with her big milky puppy boobies! Tiger-print doughnut was briefly a puppy too, my friend said 'oh Indie you strumpet, different fathers...' the worst was when we actually thought she was pregnant, we were ready to accuse our dog walker of letting a male get to her before we realised it was a phantom!
Ha ha ha....just remembered the other day I googled something like "best flat rear entry" looking for cars - won't repeat that in a hurry. It may not have been that exact wording, but obviously I wasn't specific enough
Ha ha ha, how funny! Luckily I'm not in work this year. The kids would be very interested though, especially as I teach the sex ed too
