Molly started her 1st (and to be only) season about 10 days ago. Wow, not having owned a bitch for very many years, I'd forgotten the problems this brings - assuming pups are to be avoided! We are fortunate to have a pretty large, mainly secure garden which Molly has almost full access to; there is a small area of fenced off vegetable garden. Unfortunately we do not have anywhere close by we could drive to where she could exercise off lead safely, even allowing a 10 mile radius. Also there are at least 2 entire dogs who walk locally - off lead. We really don't want to risk an accidental mating so have decided to keep Molly in the garden for the 3 weeks of her season. So far, so good. We have lots of ball chasing/fetching play which she loves, particularly now the heat wave is over. I've also started a schedule of further training and 'things' to do to keep her interested. However, we can't train/play ball all day and I'm rapidly running out wizzo ideas to keep her occupied and we've got another 12 or so days to go before she can safely go out in public again. Molly is not much of a day sleeper, she only sleeps for around 2 hours during the day, 1 after breakfast and 1 after lunch, otherwise its full on until bed-time. I've got to the stage of wondering why no-one's come up with a gadget similar to the old chastity belt type things the feudal sorts used to lock their wives into when they went off to war in the dark ages. Updated of course so they are gentle and infused with 'anti-season' scent to deter dogs ......... well you can see where I'm up to stress-wise now - phew. Another 12 days, oh boy. Roll on 4th July.
Seasons are really stressful in managing. One of my friends who has shar-pei's brought digging pants for her girl because there were a lot of local un-neutered males. I thought she was mad, but it did the job. When my girl was in season I took advantage of re-doing lead walking and also done lots of short training sessions. If she pestered and wouldn't settle I ignored her. I found it really good to use this time to teach 'settle'. It's certainly helped me. Good luck for the next 12 days
Thanks for your reply Naya. What are digging pants and where can I get them? I've never heard of them.
Goes on forever doesn't it ! Like Naya I found it useful to reinforce training in general, I've no specific advice. I was lucky I think , as it being March/April when Cass was on heat, and she will ly by the woodburner all day Dig deep, it will be over soon,
How is Molly getting on now @FayRose ? I've been away for a few weeks and come back just in time for Jess's first season.... My husband took her to the vet a few days ago for something minor and they said she was in season - and now it's quite clear. I only got back yesterday but she's very unlike herself - subdued and flat but with intermittent bouts of agitation and barking or whining. I drove her to the university campus, which I thought would give her a nice walk free from other dogs, but she was really worked up and agitated - panting and stressed and whining and pulling really hard on the lead. She seems really stressed, though I'm not entirely sure what I should attribute to her season and what is due to training regression while I've been away.... Do you have any tips from managing Molly while in season? I think we probably have at least another fortnight to go.
Ah, right, another fortnight, you have my sympathy. Having said that, Molly was absolutely fine during her season, no changes in behaviour or signs that she was distressed in any way. Our difficulty was being unable to take her out and having to devise extra entertainment for her. Molly is a dog who needs company and involvement in all her games, be they just fun or training games. We didn't take her out as we weren't prepared to take any risk at all. There are entire dogs who walk off lead in this area and we aren't within easy reach of deserted, or dog free areas. Needless to say, once the season was over she was mighty pleased to get out again. The only problem we had with Molly was that she developed an infection at the end of the season (yellowish discharge) that required abs. That's now cleared and she's fine again - all ready for her spay in September. I certainly wouldn't like to go through the season thing again I'm sorry Jess is having a difficult time, are you sure its the season that's causing it? I hope you can find out what's worrying her and she is able to settle.
I know, I'm very anxious about this too. The difficulty is that in this house the garden is really tiny and Jess won't toilet in it. She'll occasionally pee there but won't poop, so it makes it very difficult to manage without leaving the house - she clearly needs to go to the toilet but won't use the garden. But there are a lot of dogs in my area, and most of them are off-lead in a park just behind my house. So I'm a bit stuck. Tomorrow we're going over to Norwich, where my husband works. The house there has a bigger garden - but it also has an aggressive male dog (I am guessing entire) next door, so has its own problems! I'm not sure... .I'm assuming it's the season but can't be sure. She is either sad-looking (even when she's asleep she looks depressed, all curled up tightly) or she's barking at me insistently. She just seems off-key altogether, poor little dog. But it's also quite difficult for me, as I had a lot I needed to do today and haven't managed to get it done and now feeling quite stressed.....
Don't beat yourself up about having a busy, demanding time, don't feel guilty and try not to stress. When you have the time, just be with Jess, bit of a play or cuddle, any time when your attention is on her. This is how we coped with Molly, we also work so have a lot of other stuff to do. Take it a day at a time x
Yes, poor little Jess, it's rotten when they are like that. I don't really have any helpful advice, but just to say hope you can get through it! It will pass of course - but in the meantime she needs to poo I know. At least you will have the bigger garden, hopefully proofed against the dog next door.
Thanks@fayrose and @selina27 . Some comforting words helped! I'm just tired after a long trip back (a 24 hour journey all-in) and worried about the next few days, and worried about Jess. She's not behaving like my little dog and I'm not sure whether it's due to being in season, due to my husband letting her pull like mad and ignore him when out for a walk, or due to something else and more worrying (could she have eaten something poisonous in the garden maybe?) And I can't even have a glass of wine because I have to go and pick M up from the train station later! But I'll go and have a cup of tea and calm down about it. Jess will just have to learn to toilet in the garden, it's too stressful walking her outside.
