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by UschiRun on 19 July 2013 - 08:07
Hey all,
I've been perusing some info online about females in heat and the different behaviors/ actions they might do before and during their cycle. Could anyone share what happened with their females and the methods used to keep the dog as happy and safe as possible? Since Shelby's my first dog, I'm hoping to try to get a little clued in so something doesn't happen that I really really don't want to happen. Also, the only dogs that she plays with are all males, all of them intact so far (a mutt terrier, a Weimaraner, and another GSD). There are also 2 ridgeback males across the street (also intact), and they're normally off lead, so I want to be careful.
I do know that I have several months before I have to be concerned about it- I just don't want to be caught off guard.
Thanks!!
I've been perusing some info online about females in heat and the different behaviors/ actions they might do before and during their cycle. Could anyone share what happened with their females and the methods used to keep the dog as happy and safe as possible? Since Shelby's my first dog, I'm hoping to try to get a little clued in so something doesn't happen that I really really don't want to happen. Also, the only dogs that she plays with are all males, all of them intact so far (a mutt terrier, a Weimaraner, and another GSD). There are also 2 ridgeback males across the street (also intact), and they're normally off lead, so I want to be careful.
I do know that I have several months before I have to be concerned about it- I just don't want to be caught off guard.
Thanks!!
by Sunsilver on 19 July 2013 - 10:07
Before you see the first show of blood, you will likely notice her vulva getting swollen. Her nipples may swell, too.
Male dogs will often start to show interest even before the first sign of blood, and lick and sniff her rear end. It depends on the dog, though. I've heard mature, experience breeding males may ignore the female until she's nearing her fertile period, which will happen around day 12 of her cycle.
With the three females I've had that have been in heat, I didn't really notice much of a change in their behaviour, just the physical signs (until they were nearing ovulation). Some say their females become more playful and flirtatious just before their heat.
With that many intact males in the area, prepare yourself for trouble. They will do ANYTHING to get to a female in season. DO NOT let her outside for ONE SECOND unattended once she nears her fertile period! Expect those males that are allowed to roam loose to be camping on your doorstep for pretty much the entire heat. They will even try to get into your house the second you open the door.
Seriously, I've been there!
Don't assume a fence will stop them, either. They will dig under it or climb over it. I've even heard of litters being conceived through a chain link fence!
Some people actually will take their females in the car to an area away from their house to let them relieve themselves, so there is no tell-tale scent around the house for males to pick up on. I'm not sure this will work, but it might be worth a try!
With Star, her first heat was not a full heat, and she likely did not ovulate, as Ranger showed very little interest in her. With Tasha, the girl in my sig, the first heat (at 10 months) was full-blown, quite messy in terms of discharge, and had a neighbour's intact mutt camping out on my doorstep for 3 weeks! (I sent him off to the Humane Society twice!)
Male dogs will often start to show interest even before the first sign of blood, and lick and sniff her rear end. It depends on the dog, though. I've heard mature, experience breeding males may ignore the female until she's nearing her fertile period, which will happen around day 12 of her cycle.
With the three females I've had that have been in heat, I didn't really notice much of a change in their behaviour, just the physical signs (until they were nearing ovulation). Some say their females become more playful and flirtatious just before their heat.
With that many intact males in the area, prepare yourself for trouble. They will do ANYTHING to get to a female in season. DO NOT let her outside for ONE SECOND unattended once she nears her fertile period! Expect those males that are allowed to roam loose to be camping on your doorstep for pretty much the entire heat. They will even try to get into your house the second you open the door.
Seriously, I've been there!
Don't assume a fence will stop them, either. They will dig under it or climb over it. I've even heard of litters being conceived through a chain link fence!
Some people actually will take their females in the car to an area away from their house to let them relieve themselves, so there is no tell-tale scent around the house for males to pick up on. I'm not sure this will work, but it might be worth a try!
With Star, her first heat was not a full heat, and she likely did not ovulate, as Ranger showed very little interest in her. With Tasha, the girl in my sig, the first heat (at 10 months) was full-blown, quite messy in terms of discharge, and had a neighbour's intact mutt camping out on my doorstep for 3 weeks! (I sent him off to the Humane Society twice!)
by RLHAR on 19 July 2013 - 10:07
It is individual dog to dog but from my own experience, it's not just the males who will be relentless about wanting to breed.
When my female was intact, when she came into her heat cycle I could not let her out in our fenced back yard off leash because she immediately shot to the far corner and began to try to dig her way out of the yard. She was absolutely determined to get out and flirt with any suitors she could find.
I had way more trouble with her trying to get OUT than any males trying to get IN.
When my female was intact, when she came into her heat cycle I could not let her out in our fenced back yard off leash because she immediately shot to the far corner and began to try to dig her way out of the yard. She was absolutely determined to get out and flirt with any suitors she could find.
I had way more trouble with her trying to get OUT than any males trying to get IN.
by dragonfry on 19 July 2013 - 11:07
I currently have an intact female and she's had 3 heats so far. First at 9 months, again at 12 months and her 3rd at 1.2 years old. All 3 times her skin around her vulva became soft and puffy looking and her vulva got some swelling, but not huge like a lot of females i've seen. Also the skin turned dark pink. She did have some discharge of bright red blood. Then it went to dark red blood. And she bleeds pretty much the whole heat.
I use sanitary female in heat panties on her for when she is loose in the house. But when i'm not home she is kenneled in my room. I did take her to training for the first 2 weeks of her heat and she trained with her pants on. But once the flagging started i reframed from going to classes. Only once have i had a male show up for the big event. My Dad let Payne out to go to the bathroom and instead of her walking out ahead of him to the back yard. (Which is fenced) she stayed next to him until he could see the big black rottie mix in the dark of our back yard. Well he ran her back into the house and came to get me from the office. I have seen this old rottie mix running loose around my neighborhood for years. No clue where he lives. But when i tried to go open the back gate to send him out. He just climbed the fence to get away from us.
He also tried whining at the front door but that got him a few pops with the BB gun to his hiney.
You have to be hyper vigilant if you have loose males around and no dog gets near her for at leas a whole month! Use the doggie hot pants in the house and don't by the crummy "panty liners" that come with the pants. Just get the cheap panty liners from the grocery store because the store ones have a stick on backing to keep the liner from slipping off. And don't leave the pants on the dog unattended as she may eat the pants to shreds or eat the panty liner like my dog did. I had to give her peroxide to puke up the pad. :p
Good luck keeping your girl a virgin!
Fry
I use sanitary female in heat panties on her for when she is loose in the house. But when i'm not home she is kenneled in my room. I did take her to training for the first 2 weeks of her heat and she trained with her pants on. But once the flagging started i reframed from going to classes. Only once have i had a male show up for the big event. My Dad let Payne out to go to the bathroom and instead of her walking out ahead of him to the back yard. (Which is fenced) she stayed next to him until he could see the big black rottie mix in the dark of our back yard. Well he ran her back into the house and came to get me from the office. I have seen this old rottie mix running loose around my neighborhood for years. No clue where he lives. But when i tried to go open the back gate to send him out. He just climbed the fence to get away from us.
He also tried whining at the front door but that got him a few pops with the BB gun to his hiney.
You have to be hyper vigilant if you have loose males around and no dog gets near her for at leas a whole month! Use the doggie hot pants in the house and don't by the crummy "panty liners" that come with the pants. Just get the cheap panty liners from the grocery store because the store ones have a stick on backing to keep the liner from slipping off. And don't leave the pants on the dog unattended as she may eat the pants to shreds or eat the panty liner like my dog did. I had to give her peroxide to puke up the pad. :p
Good luck keeping your girl a virgin!
Fry
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