When will my working cocker bitch have her first season?

[greeno]

Hi All,

My lovely working cocker bitch Josie is approaching her first birthday - but still no sign of her first season.  Is this normal and when should I expect her to come on heat?

Many thanks for any guidance.

[lolajays]

I know other cockers who have been over a year before their first season and also Cockers who have had a season but it went completely unnoticed! Every one is different so it is impossible to say really. 

[Colin]

There's no difference between show and working Cockers as to when they come into season, it can happen anytime from 6 months... some even go past their 2nd birthday before having their first one. It is likely to be soon though so just keep an eye on her. Signs can be increased urination, swelling of the vulva, leaving spots of blood and increased attention from male dogs. If you are worrried about missing the signs you could try dabbing her bits with a tissue each day to check for any discharge.  

[Potter]

Daisy has just had her first birthday and not yet had her first season.  I was told that Cockers have their first season later than some other breeds of dogs; anything between 12 - 24 months.  Having said that, a friend has a Cocker exactly the same age as Daisy, and she had her first season at 10 months!  Who knows?!!

Kay and Daisy

[Claire83]

Roxy is 1 in 2.5 weeks time and she is currently showing the very early signs of coming in to season. I wasn't worried because after reading on here the advise from fellow COLers i realised that it can be anything between 6 months and 24months until the first season.
The only way i have found out was by us attending a COL meet on Sunday and the boys were going crazy for her.....I felt awful because i hadn't noticed any difference in her beforehand and because the dogs we encounter on our daily walks are female, so haven't been given any warning signs........ The poor dogs were going potty for her.......She hasn't shown any discharge yet only a slightly odd smell coming from her lady bits/area. Last night i noticed that her Vulva looked slightly swollen, no blood but she was licking quite a bit yesterday. 

[jarbaha]

every bitch is differnet, they say from 6 months, to check/ keep an eye on them.
but some can go to 18 months before a 1st season.
as colin had said
signs to watch for,
increased urination, swelling of her lady bits, spotting of blood,licking of her lady bits, some become more clingy, so start doing a daily wipe with a white tissue so you can watch for any change, blood streaks, ect.
my bitches have all been differnet, strating at 6months, 71/2 months,8 months, one went to a year, all normal, they now all seem to come in heat together  .
try not to worry, she will come into season, when she is ready, there is no right or wrong time to have a 1st season.
just keep an eye on her.

[september]

Roxy's first birthday is saturday and she is just coming to the end of her first season. so she was 11 1/2 months!

Although the advice I had was that cockers are clean I found she dripped everywhere!! we had to stop her going upstairs 'cos of the cream carpets and bedding and the kitchen regularly looked like a crime scence when we had left her!!

OH was not impressed eveytime she got up for a cuddle and bled on him!!!!   

[MegandMolly]

OH was not impressed eveytime she got up for a cuddle and bled on him!!!!   

Typical man!! We had the same issue her, Meg and Molly's daddy had to have a picnic blanket over him



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