Season help

[Peter7917]

Somebody please tell me my bitch will go back to normal

She's been in season now 22 days (from when I first noticed bleeding) and she's so moody. She's taken a real disliking to one of my other females, growls at her regularly, no fighting (touch wood!!) but has a real snarl whenever she's close. The female she's decided she doesn't like is the most submissive, the other females she has no problem with (4 bitches love together) she used to love the submissive bitch and they would play everyday, im concerned it won't return to that and she will remain spiteful towards her?

She's a relatively young bitch, only about 8 months and this is her first season. She will be spayed later in the year.

I've had some issues with her. As a young puppy she would wet herself whenever she met someone new, that has progressed to growling at new people that approach us or just shutting down, averting eyes, ears pinning back etc. I've tried insanely hard to socialise her. She's been literally everywhere with me including some really busy environments, on a boat, busy beaches, to local shows etc which she's fine so long as people leave us alone. She's been to quiet places for walks with friends to try and get her used to people. I've tried DAP collars, herbal calming supplements and even a short course of diazepam to try around new people.

As a rule she's not a real issue, she comes out riding with me for hours, she's great with the horse, great with new dogs, recall is perfect, won't approach anybody just keeps her distance. She's the most loveable creature in the world, towards me anyway :/ she's just unstable and I don't know how to resolve it!!!

My other issue is she growls at my stepdad. She's lived with him since we got her at 11 weeks. She will take food from his hand, sometimes she will even come and have a sit with him and have a stroke but she's so inconsistent, the next day she will show real fear aggression and will growl at him and make it clear she wants nothing to do with him, it's not outright aggression, I can see it's fear based and normally displays when he's stood up, I guess because he looks so big :/ she's about 8 months now so I'm hoping that if the growling were to progress any further it would likely have happened by now....

She's only a small dog, whippet staffy mix.

So my main questions
1.will she become more tolerant to the submissive bitch when this season finishes?
2.will a spay help her fear aggression or hinder it?
3.anything else I can try to help with new people? Or do I just accept her 'issues' and work around them?

 

[planete]

It is nearly impossible to answer your questions without observing your bitch in her normal environment. Her season has probably have changed her behaviour towards your other bitch but it sounds as though you have a naturally timid bitch and for some reason she has never developed, or has lost, her trust in anybody but yourself.

Spaying her should stop her being moody but if she is suffering from fear aggression it could make her worse. I would be inclined to try and build up her confidence before deciding to have her spayed.

To build up her confidence, you need to desensitise her to her fear triggers. This needs an experienced person who will pinpoint the triggers which could be as insignificant to you as a small hand movement, then systematic desensitisation to this and any others. Just taking her out and about and hoping she will cope with strangers approaching her could actually be reinforcing her fears.

I am speaking from experience and know it can be done but the help of a very experienced dog person is needed. See if you have any IMDT trained people near you. http://www.imdt.uk.com/find-a-qualified-imdt-trainer.html

Sorry I seem to have forgotten how to put up a link properly!

 

[Bellasophia]

Hi peter..
I've had females for over fifty years,and may advice is to let her have another season before she is spayed...she needs those hormones as she is a timid girl and spaying may well leave her in limbo,before she has had time to get over her fears and become more balanced....the problem with females is if they really do take a dislike to each other it often isn't resolved,unlike the males,where dominance is recognised( but will fluctuate with aging and change of status ).
.I also had one female who bled for four weeks at a time,attracted males a month before and after season...when she was spayed it was caused by polycystic ovaries...

My last dog was an import from Sweden...he arrived at four months...was well trained on lead,good with people etc...but very quirky at times...we flooded him with the markets,school exodus,the mall,children ,men in hats...etc...you get the drift....
Nowadays he is much more calm,but he was the most sensitive soul I've had to date.
I would not pander to her fearful side,but take her out as much as possible..sometimes with a second dog,sometimes on her own....lots of praise when she does well and calm on your part when she balks...just walk her through things and praise when she does well.....it's a phase,but maybe her temperament needs a bit more work than the the boisterous pup who attacks life full on.
....for now I'd tell yr step dad to ignore her,and occasionally toss her a biscuit..that's it...he will become part of the furniture.
....you could consider a yellow lead and collar..the "give me space ones.."it may help to give her the space she needs.
Keep at it..she is young enough to turn things around,but may never be the dog you hoped for as she has her sensitive side and may need a lot of work to make her a " good citizen" .

 

[Peter7917]

Thanks, have booked in with someone from the webpage (£45 an hour eek!!) will update you once he has seen her, waiting until after her season so may be a week or a little more but fingers crossed he can give me some pointers.

I love her, the little freak