Bramble is 8.5 months and I guess according to the law of averages, we should expect her first season within the next few months. I was wondering, are there any subtle signs that the ladies are about to come into season? Bramble I don't think is full grown yet, she is just starting to fill out slightly, and very much into adolescence, so much so I am up scaling her training sessions (the little madam) after disappearing off the other day...at a rate of knots for about half a mile. We could barely see this dot that was Bramble..nearly gave me a heart attack! She stopped, look puzzled..(like I can run at that speed...) and shot back just as fast. Any clues grateful received..I am just a teeny bit worried as it looks like Benson's superlorin is wearing off a bit earlier than his first implant.
Can't help....but just saying I'll be worried too in a few months. Also would love to know the very first signs of a bitch coming into season as my plan is to separate Betsy and Charlie by either myself or OH going to Cornwall. And it's inconvenient to not be able to plan this! That's life....
More peeing than normal, and the vulva swelling a bit, as well as male dogs being a bit more interested. But it seems that with a first-time season, the very first sign is often blood spots on the floor or bedding - certainly was with us! No big worries, as they aren't actually fertile right at the start of the season, so it gives you a few days to sort your plans for the boys (Bones was shipped off to a friend for the duration, poor love). Nowadays, when I think Poppy might be getting ready to come into season, I put a white towel over her bedding. The very first smears are a very light pink colour, and easily missed on darker bedding. I reckon I notice that she has come into season a couple of days earlier that way, and it makes guessing when the actual fertile period is much easier.
Moo became a bit clingy and went off her food about a week before she started to bleed she was not her normal shelf. She couldn't eat and seemed very down during the whole season
Thank you @Karen that towel tip is very useful! We have got contingencies in place, just have a feeling it is going to be at the most inconvenient time!
Thank you @SwampDonkey, I have heard that before, regarding going off food. Bramble is very clingy naturally, she will sit on your lap, paws either side of your neck..and just smother your face with her tongue...if you laugh, she bites your nose!
Bet they do ! Moo really worried me see was just a skinny tiny thing and she really could not face any thing to eat I think she felt sick. She would try a little and just stop. Just the thought of food seemed to repulse her
Not Poppy - apart from the bleeding and a little bit of hormonal moodiness, you really wouldnt notice the difference. She eats like a horse all the time! Well, like a labrador, actually...
Yep a Labrador off her food thats bad. The weird part was the clinginess shes not in the least bit like that normally .She had a terrible time so I had her spayed as long didn't want her to have to go through that again
Spoke to the breeder, and Brambles mum didn't have her first season until she was about one. None of Brambles sisters have had their first season either, so....err...could be Christmas....oh eck!
If you want her to come into season earlier, then it's worth spending time with another bitch in season. Anecdotally, that can encourage them to start their season... I don't know if it was just coincidence, but one of Poppy's seasons came on just after she'd been spending time with another dog on heat.
Harley was a bit more tired the few days leading up to her season starting. Apart from that there weren't any other signs. We used a white sheet on her bed and on the bottom of ours (she sleeps there) which helped us see when she started. She kept herself really clean so only found out after she had slept and there were a few blood spots.
You see, that's the thing...if Betsy comes into season at Christmas, the girls (me and Betsy) will be stuck in an empty London suburban street, while the boys (OH and Charlie) get to romp around on empty Cornish beaches, stuff their faces full of roast duck, dry off in front of the aga and real fires, and get drunk with all our friends that go to Cornwall for Christmas....
