1st season

Hi everyone. We have decided to wait to spay Gwen until after her 2nd season! She is now 7 months old. Was just curious around what age your females had their first season?

any time now normally between 6 to 8 months old

Average is what Wazza said 6-8 months but some can be up to a year xX

I haven't had a stafford bitch, but both my B.Collies were about 5 months when they had their first, the BSD was around 7 months (I think) and the GSD was about 9 months (again, I think).

Lola and Gwen are bang on same age. Wonder if they will be at the same time????????????  

Thanks everyone. I know its between 6-8 months..but I just feel like Gwen is still such a baby! The last few days she has been humping like crazy (which she's never done before)! Lol. I know they can do this when over excited..but could it be a sign that she's going to go into heat soon?

Matty- I know Gwen and Lola are 1 week apart. Have you noticed anything different in Lola? That would be funny if they both were at the same time!

No difference at all Cara. Same old Lola. Yeah it would be funny that. Be able to compare notes!  

Yes! Keep me updated Matty!

Laska was nearly bang on 6 months for her first but either she had a very light one for her second and i didnt notice or she hasnt had it yet some 8 months later. im waiting for 2nd or 3rd season too before i get her done too.

tbh Cara I think that after the second season is probably a good time to spay a bitch. It depends on how much of a nuisance the seasons are to your dog, and you! And the attention from the local slavering males!

I had my two Dobermann bitches (average age of first season 9/10 months) spayed after their 2nd or 3rd seasons. They both had messy seasons (no hygiene pants in those days  ) and male dogs found them irresistible and were a real pain, but the main reason for spaying them was that they both without fail had phantom pregnancies after their seasons, which was so distressing for them. I understand that this is much less of a problem in Staffies however.

Thanks for the info Lynda! I live in an area with so many dogs. It doesn't matter what time we walk during the day we always see at least 3 or 4 dogs! Ah I can only imagine how messy that would be without the pants they have these days! I plan on taking a trip to the pet store to get her some just so we are prepared as I just got brand new WHITE carpets! I think after her second season will be a good time to get her done but we will see if things change when the time comes! As of now I 100% plan on having her spayed after her 2nd season!

Aargh WHITE carpets Cara! Very brave of you when you have a dog, whether in season or not.

I had very pale carpets fitted throughout my house, one year before our grubby little monkey came to stay. Now they are, well, grubby to say the least - pale black in places! A Vax can only do so much  That's boys for you.

Tbh many bitches manage to keep themselves pretty clean during their seasons. I found with my bitches that the muckiest times were whilst they were asleep. You can't keep hygiene pants on them all the time, so if I had a bitch now I would tend to use them mostly at night.

The only warning I would give is that spayed bitches tend to become unable to fully control their bladders - mostly leaking, but also some urge incontinence, usually at the most inconvenient of times and places! I never did get to solve that problem with my Dobes, but maybe, as with phantom pregnancies, this is not so much a problem with Staffies.

As to meeting male dogs whilst you are walking your in-season bitch, you will have to be very, very careful and certainly keep her on a lead at all times. When my bitches started showing signs of coming into season until a week or two after I was sure the season had finished, I walked them before or after the most popular dog-walking times, not only to avoid bother to my bitch but also because it must be horrible for the poor male dogs to have a succulent, ready willing and able bitch waved under their noses!

Love to you and Gwen!

Koda is 12 months on the 30th and nothing yet with her...