How old was your bitch when had first season?

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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Our springer will be 2 next month. She has yet to have a season.
Plan was to have her speyed after her season, but with 'no show' I'm not sure what to do! I know some breeds are a bit slow, but almost all say it is unusual in a small springer.
Thoughts/ideas?
 
That would be unusual, no disrespect is it possible she had one and you didnt notice, I say this as some bitches keep themselves scrupulously clean so you wouldnt see any spotting.

My Lancashire Heeler had her first season at 9month, smaller breeds mature earlier than larger breeds.
 
I have not heard of a bitch reaching two without a season. All mine had one before they were a year, mostly around the nine to ten months mark. Bitches can have one at about six months I believe.
 
Sounds highly unusual. I would pop her along to the vet for a check up to ensure that there are not any problems preventing the season from occurring.
 
Ok silly question alert...how can you tell when they're having their season? I vaguely remember the westie having a little blood but are there other signs?
 
Tiny bit of blood generally on a first season, and a swollen wan. Lots of licking and some generally air headed PMT behaviour!
 
One cocker bitch at 9 months - she's now 2. The other (tiny) cocker bitch at 2.5 years, last month.

We also have 2 cocker dogs, so it's very easy to tell when they're in season! Also, they can get very whizzy and hot as they are coming "in", and you will get swelling of her girly bits.
 
I had a GSD bitch who was 3 years old before she had her first season. I did not miss a short/silent season as this was a bitch I wanted to breed from so was checking constantly, she was also checked at the vets. When she eventually did come in , she was mated, with vets agreement and had a healthy litter and then settled down into a normal pattern of seasons until she was spayed a couple of years later
 
MurphysMinder said:
I had a GSD bitch who was 3 years old before she had her first season. I did not miss a short/silent season as this was a bitch I wanted to breed from so was checking constantly, she was also checked at the vets. When she eventually did come in , she was mated, with vets agreement and had a healthy litter and then settled down into a normal pattern of seasons until she was spayed a couple of years later
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3? Ok, so not too panic too much then? Did you take her to the vets prior to this for check ups?
 
Yes, I did get her checked up, her bloods were all fine and although a couple of people suggested hormone treatment my vet and I decided to just see what happened. It was a gamble mating her on her first season as this was before pre mate blood tests and we just had to go the old fashioned way . However she took on just one mating, and had a litter of 7. I kept a daughter who had a normal first season at around a year old, which is not unusual for a GSD.
 
Mrs Spaniel was 11 months old with her first one, she was very clean - She seemed almost embarrassed about it and making a mess!
 
I don't want the OP to worry about this as it's extremely rare but I thought it interesting enough to share - we once had a dog in for spaying that hadn't yet had a season and it became apparent on opening it up that it had some form of intersex condition. Externally there was a normal looking vulva but this led to a dead end, no uterus, along with a pair of fully formed internal testes. Really interesting case, the dog was a celebrity for the day as everyone wanted to have a look!
 
My bitches have been 7 months, 12.5 months, 15 months and 16 months, a friend of mine had a bitch that had their 1st season at 22 months. I would wait until you're bitch is 2 years old and if no sign of a season by then get them checked by a vet.
 
blackcob said:
I don't want the OP to worry about this as it's extremely rare but I thought it interesting enough to share - we once had a dog in for spaying that hadn't yet had a season and it became apparent on opening it up that it had some form of intersex condition. Externally there was a normal looking vulva but this led to a dead end, no uterus, along with a pair of fully formed internal testes. Really interesting case, the dog was a celebrity for the day as everyone wanted to have a look!
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It's crossed my mind many times! Also to take note... you know when dogs wee... other dogs come over and mark on top of? Well, Rosie's wee patches never attract another dog. No other dog bothers to sniff it. She met another spaniel (whom we'd never seen before) on Saturday morning. He wanted to sniff her back end, but Rosie just spun in circles! Can count on one hand how many times that has happened.
When we meet up with her dam, who is in season (happened twice), Rosie mounts her. Not sure if that is normal or not, but thought I'd put it out there...
Our other rising 13 speyed bitch gets more attention with dogs.

I'm not sure if/when to visit the vet. The dog is happy and seemingly healthy. We were never intending to breed from her. Would a scan not show up 'normal or not' insides??
Also remember, this is the dog, who as a pup took a VERY long time to stay clean and dry in the house. She never really cared as and when she went! We're over that now, but maybe it's linked?
 
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Fools Motto, I and others repeatedly recommended a scan or at least further investigation into her waterworks issues....it will show up abnormalities, which is why it was suggested. Hope you get some answers.
 
Have had bitches with first seasons anywhere from 14 months up to 22 months. In my breed 2 - 2.5 years is not unusual in some lines.
 
One of my GSP bitches didn't have her first season until she was two years old,which is quite late, but they can be a bit slow to mature as a breed. Much after that & i'd have taken her to the vet for checks.
 
Interesting thread! Some friends of ours have a cocker spaniel bitch who has never had a season and she is now 12. I don't know whether she has had any investigations done but there is no obvious behaviour that would make you think she is not 100% female.
 
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