I'll have to see how it goes but so far, it's no big deal to manage. I'm not going to make a mistake, and Charlie is remarkably unbothered providing he is not very close to Betsy. There is - so far - no sign of him turning into a crazed beast that will dig through doors and crate bars to get to Betsy. I have pens, crates, a few spare rooms, lockable doors and a reliable person to help me. I think it'll be fine! My biggest worry now is actually that I've made a mistake, Betsy is not in season at all, and I've committed myself to 3 weeks isolation in Cornwall in January for no reason at all! Well, now work requires me to pop back to London for a day so I'll have a break at least.
Is this a genuine concern or are you fairly confident it's her season? Is there any chance that the discharge could be vaginitis? I remember Ella's (castrated) buddy Hamish was particularly interested in her lady bits when she was suffering from vaginitis.
There are only two signs - a little bit of discharge, and Charlie's interest in her. That's it. So I don't know whether or how I could tell the difference between a first season and vaginitis. Betsy doesn't have a recessed vulva or anything like that, and I've no reason to think anything is wrong with her.... She doesn't seem to be 'suffering' from anything. She is completely her normal self.
I don't envy you! It would be so much easier (and so much harder too) if it was a big gush of blood. At least you'd know for certain! At least at this stage it sounds very manageable for you. I hope it continues
I asked on a Facebook group about managing an entire dog and a bitch in season. A number of people told me it would be impossibly difficult, my boy would be very distressed from day one, and I'd have a pregnant bitch before I knew it. I don't think any of these people actually had managed an entire boy and a bitch in season, but were just sharing what they thought it would be like. A much smaller number of people told me how they coped, that they didn't find it all that difficult to manage safely, and the boy was only really very restless for a few days in the middle. These people had actually managed an entire male and a bitch in season. So, I'm cautiously hopeful....
As I've said before, I know several people who do manage entire males and bitches together. That said, I'm glad I won't be doing it myself!!
It's good to hear that it can be done. Like you, I have the option to separate the dogs by several hours ( ) but if that can be limited to just a few days, rather than for weeks, it will be far more manageable.
Actually of course I did do it once - when Poppy first came into season and we still had Bones. Bones went to stay with a friend for the duration. I did feel guilty sending him away, since he was so elderly, but actually he had a lovely time on his holiday
well fingers crossed it is her season, since you seem ready for it (including 3 mid-winter weeks in Cornwall!) I'm on season watch too now since Jaffa is due on in a week or so ...
I think Betsy is in season - Charlie is honking like crazy every time she is near him now. He can be recalled away from her (obviously she is in a sturdy crate!) and told to settle down, and he will. I've got him settled now in the same room as Betsy (in a crate!). I doubt that will be possible as her season progresses and it's a good job I can have them both in different houses I think. I don't believe anything else but Betsy being in season would cause this reaction in Charlie. But, there is still no swelling, no discharge (even though she spent the night sleeping on a white towel). She is keeping herself clean more than normal though. I got her out tonight for a 30 minute run in a private fenced field I managed to borrow, so the poor baby has had something in the way of exercise at least!
Bad Douglas' human grandmummy and granddaddy for being complete plonkers and not supervising Douglas' canine mummy and daddy properly.
To be fair, unless you had heard of it happening before, would you have believed it were possible? Maybe that reflects my inexperience of multiple dogs and my bitch having been spayed before her first season. The mind boggles......
There were two black labs really going for it on the beach today! Would they hump if the bitch wasn't in season? I thought it quite inappropriate really in such a public area but the owners seemed relaxed.
That's what Stewart Said he wasn't a plonker just a nice man who didn't believe a dogs Willy could go through such a small hole. But then hindsight is a wonderful thing
I got picked of the litter saw Douglas just after his birth. Stewart used to swear at me when he saw him he said he was one if the nicest dogs he'd ever bred. He wished we'd not already agreed on my pick.
