Massive Behavioural Changes after 2nd season. - Page 2

The key here is the 7-8 wks after heat. This girl thinks she should be having puppies, she's being very hormonal. A couple of my girls have been like this to some degree every cycle. They also get very "nesty" scratch together everything, area rugs, beds etc., they walk around whining. They pick a toy as their baby and lay there and lick it pushing up against them to "nurse". I don't let them get too obsessed with the toy because they would be protective. I put it away when they r out and then do something fun to distract them. Can't put any pressure on them in training during this time. It always passes and they get back to normal but it is not something you want if this is a competition dog. I've never had a girl with pyo but I keep a close eye out. I'm fortunate that my girls have been every 7-8 month between heats. My repo vet did say that it is a good sign if you plan on breeding, it indicates her hormones are rising and falling at appropriate times.

The hormones are not supposed to rise unless the bitch is bred. None of my. GSD bitches have had a false preg, but they've all been super mothers.

I agree joanro, I'm sure that is more the norm. I was trying to re-assure the OP that there r other dogs that do go through similar changes. I only have 1 girl right now and she is 7 and never been bred and goes through this to some degree every cycle. I will say that her mother never went through it again after she had her first litter. Maybe it's just her lines

My GSD pup is going through something similar. She went into estrus on March 2nd and is still not behaving like she was before she went into heat. Her mammary glands swelled up and at one point recently she was nesting. This has resolved. Her energy level has been up and down, but is real good now. Her focus was awful, but back to normal now.  Her appetite has been all over the place, but right now it is off. She is still more reactive than she was in the past and seems to be more protective. My vet said the hormones in some females really go out of wack and sometimes spaying is the best option. He said that phantom pregnancies aren't unusual. This is the first female pup I've had in decades, so I too am trying to figure all of this out.  I'm going to give it some more time and if things don't normalize completely I may look into doing a thyroid panel through Dr. Dodds. 

gsd39, got it. I hope the op's female is not having more than just hormonal swings.

and what vaccinations may have coincided with this behavioral swing?

 

 

My females in heat can get very sensitive to correction, clingy to me, whiney, soft with the helper, alert more to the environment, more territorial around the yard, and want alone time away from the pack. Progesterone stays high for 60 days even if there is not a pregnancy, so I give my girls a break for acting hormonal. If not bred, they can even show some nesting behaviors. Sometimes I wonder what normal hormonal behavior during this 60 day period becomes labeled false pregnancy.

I would wait to see how your girl rebounds after this heat and settles down. She is adelescent and this is probably her first strong heat. Have you talked with her breeder about her mother and aunts and their cycles?