Hi everyone Penny is 6 and half months and gone into season today. I am at work and my daughter phoned wondering where the blood was coming from ( thought it was her paw that she has just had stitches removed and has healed great). I was a bit taken aback as i thought i maybe had a couple of months before it happened. Now i know why she has been pacing about and constantly pawing at me for attention wanting out but not doing the toilet just wandering about and barking incesantly. Sooooo...what do i do now..i have never had a girl dog so i am completely new to this ..how long does it last ..anything specific i should do or buy to help her (and me lol) Is it normal that she has gone off her food too. Any advice would be great. Thanks
Don't panic ! Her season will last for approximately one month , usually around 28 days counting from the first day you notice it , but one month to be absolutely sure . She might lose the edge off her appetite , might be more clingy , and generally mooching about, all absolutely normal . It goes without saying that she must have on lead only walks for the duration , but apart from this , nothing any different at all . Lots of bitches feel confused and upset at the onset of their fist season , just give her lots of cuddles . She should mainly keep herself clean , blood loss is usually light on a first season anyway , bless her x
She should keep herself pretty clean, but might be worth putting an old towel or sheet under her when she sleeps. When she stops bleeding she will be fertile for some time still so don't be fooled by thinking she can go off and play with her friends. When Harley was in season I only walked her on lead and also on main roads. I didn't take her into parks or fields as too many off lead dogs and not fair on them as she will smell desk table to them. She may go off her food for a few days and becoming a bit clingy. Try and keep her busy by playing games at home and in the garden.
You can buy doggie diapers if she bleeds enough to be a concern with carpets and such. Cooper bled very little and we did not use them, but we did have a package just in case. I suspect it would have been a chore to get them on and keep them on.
I was advised to not walk her from the house, but take her in the car somewhere to walk her. The scent leading from the house would attract dogs to her, and they can be very persistent. You need to remember that she wants to mate too!
Thanks folks Very little bleeding still but she just seems as if she doesnt quite know where to put herself. Its a shame for her because as i have posted on here..18 days ago she had an operation to stitch a really bad cut on her front paw and only got the stitches out on friday so her exercise has been very restricted and i was hoping to get her out running about. Now she is restricted again ..wee soul hasnt had a chance to get out much. I am laughing as I can just imagine trying to get a doggy diaper on her ...we will power through this and see how she is before i decide about spaying her
Dont know if this is a silly question but does it hurt her like it would for human females with cramps and such ..does she need some pain relief
Hi there, there are no silly questions!! It may hurt her a little, it's hard to tell, but she won't need pain relief. What will do her good is if you can take her mind off things, so if necessary get up really early and give her a good long walk before other dog walkers are around. Same in the evening - walk her once other people are (sensibly) indoors watching the television. If you have a secure garden, you can play games with her out there, and if not, then play searching games indoors, teach her tricks, etc. anything to stop her feeling sorry for herself! Don't worry, it'll all be over in three to four weeks.
Another strange this is her teeth chatter..it only lasts for a few minutes then stops. Btw female only household and now the pup is hormonal too haha. Merry blooming xmas
Not a silly question --- interestingly my Cassie, who had her second season in Sept /Oct this year, had a couple of days towards the end of the second week when she whined and yelped for a second or two and then bit her flank/lumbar region. I found a dog anatomy picture on google, and it is roughly where the ovaries are so I guess she was ovulating. But nothing that required pain relief. Agree with others that it can be a good training opportunity -- especially for loose lead walking etc, and maybe you could look at the forum challenges for some ideas? I did the cross paws challenge last time, it was something we could do in the house to occupy us. It will soon be over, bless her!
