Hi all, I need some advice. Cleo went into heat June 25th (first day of bleeding). So we are over 4 weeks out from that. Her bleeding stopped mostly around day 18. Some clear discharge day 23 and 24. And then some brownish discharge this past Friday. Nothing since and her lady bits are much less swollen and less red. I was planning on trying day care this coming Wednesday. Today though we went to visit a friend with an intact 8 month old Rottweiler. Well he was very happy to see her if you know what I mean. Lots of smelling her and then he was trying to mount her. She wasn't encouraging it but he was bigger than her so it was hard to tell really. His owner was able to get him to sit and stay but he would still try to come closer to Cleo after a bit. So is she still in heat and I need to avoid day care? The day care place knows she was just in heat and said if her scent drives the boys crazy I'll have to pick her up. But what if a dog manages to mount poor Cleo while she's there? I'm only doing the day care now because the place I want to board her a few days he first week of August requires the day care trial. I. Planning on board her August 3-5 so I'm running out of time for the trial!! Should I reconsider sending her on Wednesday? Any advice is welcome!
People with intact girls will be better able to answer your concerns about "is she still on heat". But I can answer you about intact boys being interested. Snowie, who is intact, behaves just like the Rottie you described even a couple of months after a bitch has been on heat. Somehow, they still have remnants of a scent that drive him crazy. The castrated boys don't seem to behave in the same way. So, if the day care only has castrated males, it might be okay. But if there are intact males, your girl might have a lot more attention than she is happy dealing with.
Thanks MF. My poor girl is so passive I don't know that she would do anything ab out the extra attention. As long as she doesn't get hurt and at this point can't get pregnant I think I'm ok. That's my biggest concern is just her getting pregnant...but since the bleeding has stopped for so long I don't think that can happen at this point! I'm hoping most if not all the males at the day care are fixed. But the day care place can't guarantee that! Thankfully once we get Cleo spayed we won't have to deal with this anymore!
I'd be inclined not to send her to daycare yet. No matter how good the daycare is it will be a new and therefore somewhat stressful experience for her. On top of that, unwanted attention from male dogs will be an added stress. I don't think that physical harassment is the only issue - the emotional challenges of the situation are important too. If they can't guarantee that there are only desexed males there then I'd wait till she's no longer of interest to them.
You could give her a gentle wash in the vulva area (or take her for a swim ) to help get rid of the lingering smell.
