first heat, wish me luck

So Callie just started spotting today...you should see her in her little denim doggie diaper, I'm probably projecting, but she's looking up at me like "Really?" I really do think she is moody--very clingy and not as playful.

Wish me luck as this is our first time.

(And yes, don't worry, we do plan to have her spayed, but our breeder wants to show her for a bit first, we're not going to breed her.)

She'll be fine. The first 10 days aren't actually so bad, it's the rest where you'll have to watch other dogs cause she'll be an absolute tart!

Personally I don't neuter, but if you're going to then at least wait until she's mature - much better for her.

It'll be fine Having said that I had an utter mare with an in tact male when Moo had her first season ><

Oh my. Looking forward to the tart part (not). We have tons of dogs on our street including a sweet intact male schnauzer about her age across the street, they are playmates (not for a few weeks now I guess!)

That's what our breeder says about timing too--even if you're not going to show or breed, she asks you to agree to wait until at least a year. I know it's controversial but I really trust her.

Love your new pic of Dempsey BTW.

Caryll wrote:She'll be fine. The first 10 days aren't actually so bad, it's the rest where you'll have to watch other dogs cause she'll be an absolute tart!

I can't even tell you how much this made me laugh . Well, good luck with it, I hope it goes fine

When I had bitches (haven't had one for over 20 years!) I used to walk them at less busy times, often before dawn, after dark etc & always on lead - no off lead walking at all. Then after about day 10 or 11 I'd not take them out for a week, just garden with plenty of running & jumping games with some brain work thrown in. Once they got to about 17 or 18 days I'd take them out on lead again, but again at less busy times. After 21 days it was all back to normal.

that's helpful. I was thinking of walking her in a park a short drive away where there aren't many dogs (mostly horse trails), our usual walk is quite social.

And I can't let her off lead yet anyway. She still sees recall as an optional activity

Best of luck

Yes, keeping on the lead is the best way to avoid unwanted babies and/or a fight.

Boadicea gets incredibly grumpy with EVERY dog when she's in season and a few weeks before (poor me).

She had her first at 7 months and has had 3 since then (last one was 1 and a half months early). The first two she was not interested in any male, the 3rd she was the biggest tart ever!

But yes, I agree they go into this sad and crying mode, as a girl I'm sure you can sympathize.

Boadicea ups her cries and talks a lot more when in season. Quite bizarre.

Also careful of phantom pregnancies... Had one of those, not a happy girl. Might be good to look up a few signs if you're not keyed up already, just in case.

Best of luck, none of the doggy pants I found fit Boo properly so she ended up wearing toddler nappies with a hole cut in the back for her tail.

Entertaining when she went for a wee!

Oh good luck im sure it will be over before you know it the first season is sometimes the most heavy it was with my girl.
Good luck with the showing too

So day 2...she is so mopey. Just comes and nests, preferably on my lap, and whines. Doesn't trot around following me and the kids around the house as she normally does, much more still. I feel so badly for her!

My first bitch was a terrible moper! She would mooch around with a really sad look on her face & sigh all the time. But then she also used to get phantom pregnancies.

The others weren't quite as bad, although the Terveuren used to get grumpy right at the start for about a week.

Lots of fuss and cuddles are in order!! xx

Agree with above, lots of fuss, just let her know you are there for her. Good luck with it all.

and she won't eat much. Only things she really likes like peanut butter in her Kong and cheese sticks. Always crawling in my lap, you should have seen her whining and trying to get out of her car harness and get to me today when we were driving to the park.

I am never going to make it through weeks of this...oh, here she comes...snuggling on my feet.

whine whine whine

You'll get through it - it'll be over before you know it.

You might also get a bit of extra exercise running from an intact male..........

You'll be fine lol, she's milking it lmao

micheled wrote:whine whine whine

You'll do fine! Just pretend she is a teenage daughter. Jk

And I do have one of those lol

bbimson wrote:

micheled wrote:whine whine whine

You'll do fine! Just pretend she is a teenage daughter. Jk

micheled wrote:And I do have one of those lol

I can level with that comment 100%

Awww Callie has become a lady ><

Dave wrote:

bbimson wrote:

micheled wrote:whine whine whine

You'll do fine! Just pretend she is a teenage daughter. Jk

micheled wrote:And I do have one of those lol

I can level with that comment 100%

Same here.

Yay, I have dogs instead of kids!

One week down. God bless our wonderful breeder who took her for a few days since she can't go to doggy day care while I work.

She is curled up with her head on my feet...only time she really seems happy is on her walks...and guys she IS whinier than my 13 yo daughter (but less messy with her toys:)

Tummy not right either...not eating great and poop a little runny...is this normal? Or maybe she got some new dog snacks during her sleepover?

Sounds pretty normal! Could be snacks but shouldn't be too worried about it.

Well Michele, we're not too far behind... gabbi is finally coming into season, he first, at just over 9 months. At least, I'm 99% sure she is...i've never done this before!... in the last week or so she has been urinating more frequently, has been molting more and today I have spotted a couple of drops of blood on the carpet - presumably I am right to assume this is it??

Can anyone advise on exercise during heat cycle - my quick google research suggests we are ok for the next 7 days or so but then she needs to spend 14+ days in fenced areas only.

Any advice/confirmation much appreciated please...

As I haven't a garden Moo was exersized as per normal but a change of routine, she was walked when we new it would be quiet and always kept onlead. Sometimes I would just road walk her as I new we wouldn't meet others. In the house overnight she had hygiene pants to save my covers! We only had 1 issue with a male, other wise everything is fine and nothing to worry about Xx

I agree, I think you're there too.

My understanding is that during the first week when they're spotting, they aren't fertile, and ok to take them out in an area where unlikely to meet other dogs. The second week when the discharge is less and clearer is when they ovulate. That's where Callie is, and I haven't taken her out this week except up and down our dead end street. Our breeder said no doggy day care till 3rd week done.

And yes the molting! Everything covered in short little Staffy hairs.

Well i'm 100% now as I have seen a blood spot on the sofa, exactly where her 'ladybits' are pressed against! I plan to walk her as normal, on lead, for the next week and then restrict her to the garden for the 2 weeks after, or until the discharge turns back to red. Google is a wonderful thing, without it i'd be clueless

The discharge shouldn't turn back to red, it will just go away.

Oh!

Where i read it said red, then 'straw/pink', then back to red, then nothing...

"The Diestrus Stage of the Dog Heat Cycle usually begins around day 24. This stage can last from 60-90 days. Your dog is no longer fertile at this point. Her discharge will change from straw colored to red and then stop completely."

http://www.askabreeder.com/Dog_Heat_Signs_and_Symptoms

Well, I can only go by the 4 bitches I've had. Their discharge went from red to straw coloured & then gradually stopped.

Thanks, i'll be prepared for both

Been googling & some sites say it goes red again & some say it doesn't. So, I phoned my friend (EBT breeder) who said that most will go from red to straw & then disappear, but some will go red again but only for 24 hours or so!

Aww, I feel so bad for them when they are in season.Bella gets really clingy and whiney. She's on her second season now, came a bit early. With both of mine the spotting has just gradually faded until it stops. I've only had one experience of an over enthusiastic male and that was with Millie.
And they really do act like tarts, Bella tries that with Millie who isn't amused by it at all

I'm hoping for "stop" not red...

We are on day 14. Minimal clear to pinkish discharge, I don't have her wearing a diaper anymore. Much more herself now, back to normal personality. Zooming and chewing

I didn't enjoy this!

You'll still need to take care, though, for another week!

yes, thanks for pointing that out. She's going to our breeders for a few days early in the week and then I have a dog walker coming. I think next Tuesday (9 days from now) OK to go back to day care...do you think so?

Girl parts quite a bit smaller now I might add.

When I had bitches I used to go back to normal routine after 21 days, but still taking a little extra care for a week.