Walking a bitch on heat

willhegofirst

willhegofirst

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Our pup has just started her first heat, how do people cope with walking their bitches in heat, in the passed we have had a private bit of land to walk our bitches when needed, but not now, does something like oil of citronella help?
Also I hate extending leads but am thinking of getting one for her while she is on heat, which are the best, have seen someone with one that was all lead, no cord, anyone know where to get one like this?
Thanks
 
Personally, it would be a case of her staying at home; it's not for ever, just a few weeks but I'd rather that than have a trail of Romeos trying to get in to her. I don't think it's fair on other dog walkers either to take a bitch in season out at all although I know a lot of people don't see it that way.
 
I don't think I'd want to risk an extending lead, I'd want to keep her close. Although I think the previous two posters are quite right really, it would be better to spay her or keep her in. My lad is neutered, but I still would rather not meet a bitch in heat out walking - I feel recall might go out of the window, balls or no balls!

Can you not keep her exercised in the garden, and use mental stimulation like tricks, hunting for toys and treats and so on indoors to keep her happy?
 
mine are in at the moment, its a nightmare I know, I had forgotten how hard it is without your own land too. I couldnt even contemplate keeping mine in for weeks so I walk at night and this morning I took them out on leads in pairs (so walked twice myself) and kept changing direction whenever I saw another dog in the distance. It was hard today as its the weekend and was sunny so I kept to a fairly local route and tried to avoid areas where dogs were likely to be. In the week I walk my normal route in the middle of the day because its very unlikely to see anyone and just keep them on lead.
 
Well she can't spay her now as she is already in season I think. My bitch isn't spayed either and I walk her at the yard. If i take her out locally I take her when it is quiet and keep her on the lead unless i can see a fair distance around and no other dogs in sight. Most males are neutered around here and in 5 years I haven't had a problem.
Before anyone jumps on me, she wasn't spayed because show dogs aren't allowed to be.
 
I wasn't saying spay her this week!

I was under the impression that it's not possible to tell if a bitch is spayed or not unless an internal is carried out?

I'd be a bit amazed if most male dogs round your way are neutered: there is overwhelming medical evidence that neutering actually causes more health problems than it solves.

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf
 
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Thanks Vizslak, its not easy is it! she has only just started her heat, I managed to walk them today without meeting any other dogs, I really don't think I could keep her in for the whole heat, so trying to keep walking her for now.
Being a large breed I was advised not to get her spayed untill at least a year old as it can effect their development, she is just 13 months
Both our other two bitches are spayed.
 
my youngest is having her first season also atm..i dont spay unless i have problems
i have a 6 year old unspayed..my 8 year old was also unspayed

i walk mine as usual but alot more vigilent,kept on leads or lead beside the bike

my two would go mental if stayed in for 3 weeks..

my 6 year old has silent seasons so i wouldnt know what day shes on..as long as your sensible and dont let them out of your sight or mixing with males

why dont the owners of males get them neutered..alot easier than getting bitches done
this just my opinion..owners have their preference getting their dogs done or not
 
Yeah Cara has a silent season too,also she was 8 months when she first had a season and now just has them every 8 month so it isn't too much of a hassle really.
Yep, most males around here that we encounter seem to be neutered. Maybe it is because quite a lot of them were a pain in the butt when entire, i don't know really. There is one lab we meet though who is entire and tries to hump her every time he sees her and he has never even seen her in season. The man insists that he is trying to steal her ball, ermm no, he is a horny little so and so who needs them cut off :D
 
I walk my lurcher bitch at night, early morning,keep away from other people and dogs when she's in season.The only entire male that ever came our way at night ignored my bitch and tried it on with my staffy x lab neutered male who promptly saw him off!
Other than that we have never had any problems,Oz
 
haycroft said:
my youngest is having her first season also atm..i dont spay unless i have problems

why dont the owners of males get them neutered..alot easier than getting bitches done
this just my opinion..owners have their preference getting their dogs done or not
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Like pyometra which can kill? (Someone on here lost her bitch to it recently)Or an unwanted pregnancy?

I refuse to neuter my 3 dogs: please read the link I posted. There are more health risks with neutered than whole dogs. :)
 
cinammontoast said:
I refuse to neuter my 3 dogs: please read the link I posted. There are more health risks with neutered than whole dogs. :)
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You reading one thing. If you fully research you will find there is just as many risks both ways.

If you refuse to get your males done i don't think you can really expect people to take your advice to get their bitches done.
 
we have 8 entire bitchesand 1 neutered dog who was done at 6mths, tries it on with bitches, but keep bitches up more and walked on own farm fields when on heat more problem with entire dogs straying onto our land to see bitches, think balls on some breeds look horrable
 
I would get her some nappies, stick them on and either extendy lead or, if her recall is good and you're prepared to have eyes on her the whole time (I'm thinking of our local walk where its a field..so I'd see any lovers coming!) I wouldn't hesitate to let her off, but only if she's the sort of dog who has 100% recall and sticks with you which as a pup, probably not!

I would expect others to only take their entire dogs out off lead if they were fully controllable, otherwise they too should be on a lead. But that's not always realistic. I am not a believer in the dog having to not be walked for several weeks, not possiblee in my house anyway!
 
we take our bitch out as normal when she is on heat.

She doesn't go off the lead anyway and it is very rural where we live so rarely ever even see another dog.

I do find it quite hypocritical of some people who won't neuter their own dog but want people to either spay their bitches or keep them inside for a week at a time.
 
Evie has just finished a season, over her height I didn't walk her on the roads, I live in a rural area but there are a couple of entire farm dogs and I didn't want them turning up on my drive at all hours.
Re spaying,I am considering having a litter from her as I would like to keep a daughter, but whether that happens or not she will be spayed in the future. I think it was probably me CT was referring to, I lost Saffi last September to a pyometra, I can never forget that if she had been spayed it wouldn't have happened.:(
 
I neuter everything (except hubby:o). My young collie dog is booked in to get done on friday and then we will be back to a testicle free household.

If I had a bitch in season I would go out very very early and walk her before there was anyone around. Even neutered dogs can get a bit uppity with the smell of a bitch in heat.

While those of you with bitches worry about pyometra, I worry about testicular cancer with my boys. The only 2 unneutered dogs in my family both died of testicular cancer and its a risk I am not willing to take.
 
flamehead said:
I cannot understand why anyone would not have their bitch spayed. It just amazes me.
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you can say the same for male dogs
theres risks either way

i would like to put my bitch into pup if she proves herself..also if you work/race etc bitches having them spayed 'can' effect their performance, but this depends on the breed of dog

even if i decide to spay a bitch i would def wait for her to have at least two season...vets encourage to spay too early imo

im not aganist spaying/neutering but some owners decide not to for personal reasons..showing etc
 
millitiger said:
we take our bitch out as normal when she is on heat.

She doesn't go off the lead anyway and it is very rural where we live so rarely ever even see another dog.

I do find it quite hypocritical of some people who won't neuter their own dog but want people to either spay their bitches or keep them inside for a week at a time.
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This^^^
 
The trick is to drive to your dog walk, then if any dog gets a whiff it will end back at the car,not your gate! My goodness,the vets have really got you lot brainwashed and nervous have`nt they?My girls are usually spayed once their breeding life is over..around six,and the boys are left alone.Pyo is easy to spot if you know what to look for and are observant...and only once many years ago did an old dog get a testicular cancer.They really have hyped it up.Neutering pets started with cats,and if you have tried to live with an entire male cat the reason is obvious and unpleasant. Dogs however ,are nice creatures and do nothing to neccessitate neutering.
 
Just to note vets recommend a bitch is spayed two months from the first day of her season. Personally, I would suggest you dont have Rotti's etc as pound for pound they are the most expensive to have spayed :(
 
EK, I don't imagine your comment was aimed at me, but would just say that yes I know pyo is easy to spot, but still necessitates major emergency surgery. Saffi wasn't even showing all the signs when I took her to vet, and we were both confident we had caught it early enough, sadly she didn't recover from the op as we had hoped, probably due to her age, and the decision was made to pts. Like you I used to spay after a bitch had a couple of litters, but as I had so few dogs latterly I never got round to it with her.:(
 
Tassy is spayed but, as far as I am aware show dogs male/female do they not have to be 'entire' so to speak? Also I was told durning my works experience at a vets (in the middle of surgery :) ) that the vet did not reccommend spaying or neautering untill at least 12 months due to development reasons- he also said big dogs are better of after 18 months as they grow more slowly? Our pup will be neautered as a big malamute hounding someones beloved pet would not be fair!
 
We had chlo done at bang on 6months with no ill effects. I had done a large amount of research and spoken to numerous vets. There is no proof that waiting for a first season is beneficial to anyone. Xxxx
 
IMO if you choose to not spay then fair enough BUT dogs need a walk, lets face it, most dogs live for their walks! Even on heat bitches need to go for a walk, I dont agree with keeping them in while they have a season. Get out and road walk them on a lead a 6am if needs be!
 
found this
which on another forum a member has experianced

'Stump pyometra' is a serious health condition that may occur in female dogs that underwent Ovariohysterectomy (spaying). In this condition, the remaining stump of the resected Uterus becomes infected and filled with a purulent fluid. The symptoms are similar to those of true pyometra. The risk of this condition is significantly reduced if no uterine or ovarian tissue remains from the original ovariohysterectomy. Diagnosis of a stump pyometra may be challenging as pyometra is often discounted as a possibility if the dog has been previously spayed

ive just taken my in season bitch out for a walk(ok shes only 4/5 days in season) and she had as free run..no mixing with other dogs but they were around further away
each bitch is different some cant cope with seasons and is miserable

then they are dogs that will pester any thing with two or four legs

im all for unwanted pregnanies and fashionable breed mixing..
 
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