We think Willow has come into her first season.

[maddy74]

We noticed leading up to Christmas Willow seemed a bit red in her lady bits,knowing her first season could be anytime I trimmed her fur a little down there and washing her daily. The redness went and I put it down to the cold mornings perhaps. The reddening started again yesterday and her bits seemed slightly swollen, tonight when I have washed her she is losing blood  Not loads but enough to notice on the wet cotton wool. I am guessing this is her season and cant be anything else? I  am guessing the bleeding will become more?

Just re read the board about bitches seasons and I think I have got it, do most of you confine your bitches to the garden then or walk really early or late. I cant imagine what Willow will be like with 3-4weeks of not exercising off the lead.  We were due to start agility classes on Tuesday, typical.  Never mind there is always another time.  I hope my furry baby sails through her first season.... I feel so worried, I know bitches seasons are only natural. 

[KellyT]

Oh lady willow, all grown up now

It certainly sounds like her first season to me.
With Millie and Jennie we barely got any interest from other dogs - we would exercise them at different times to avoid the 'dog walking rush hour', would only let them off on a biiig open field with good visibility and would change direction if other dogs arrived.
As I say though they never really got very much attention, even if we met another dog and during that time they didn't actually seem to want to interact with other dogs :-/

Could yOu get a long line to exercise her on so you still have hold of her if you're worried abOut losing her off?

x

[maddy74]

Yep deffo her first season more blood this morning, she doesnt seem to be cleaning herself, ive just washed her with warm water and cotton wool. We do have a long line from when she was small might dig that out. She as seems fine in herself at the min, she has been panting a lot and drinking more water over the last two days, is that all a part of it?

[bluegirl]

Some girls do seem a bit different when they come into season and they are also all different about how clean they want to stay. I've had those who always lick and those who let it all hang out. You'll also find some bleed much heavier than others. Two of mine at the moment have very dark blood and lots of it whilst another before she was spayed would have small spots of what I'd call diluted blood and was always fairly light.
I do still walk my girls when they are in season I'm just more cautious and tend to go to more isolated areas where I'm not likely to meet other dog owners. If I do I always put my girl back on her lead and let the other owner I have a girl in season.

[maddy74]

Thanks blue girl. She does seems a little out of sorts today, she is lying next to me and she hasnt pestered me for her breakfast yet, most unlike her. 

[LottieLu]

Also, if Willow is not licking too much to clean herself at the moment, she might be better at it next time or as the season progresses Maisie didn't get the hang of cleaning herself at all during her first season. She became a bit messy  so we helped a bit. All subsequent seasons she has been fastidious about it. Gentle hug for Willow from us 

[Sheryl]

All my girls went off their food before and during their seasons.  Kali didn't bleed much but Lyla bled like a stuck pig!  I just got her the little pants in the end lol.  Cannot help with subsequent seasons as all my girls were spayed after the first one.

[HeatherandBenjy]

Amber was very clingy during her season.

I walked her very early (on lead) and then in the afternoon took her to isolated places to walk, but like bluegirl, always put her back on the lead if we met anyone else and let them know that she was in season.

We did have to be very vigilant, on a couple of occasions I went out into the garden (I always check that our gate is shut before letting the dogs out) and found entire males sat on our doorstep 

[maddy74]

Thanks for the advise, she seems fine and very little blood at the min, expecting my cream carpet to be messed up soon though I guess  We will get Willow spayed after her first season although I have to say the anxiety around that is dreadful and ive already got knots in my tummy..... It was the first thing I thought of when i noticed the blood yesterday. Ive been putting it to the back of my mind  for the last 11 months.....

I took her on the lead on the green by us this morning, I couldnt spot any other dogs and then I saw a a male dog at the other end of the green with his nose in the air, maybe me being paranoid but i rushed to get her home.

Heatherandbenjy  re the entire dogs on your doorstep. We live opposite a spinny where the whole of the estate go to walk there dogs so I have a feeling this isnt going to be plain sailing.... 

Thank you

Maddy

[jo.ebony]

When Ebony had her first season in December she went off her food & me 
She would stay in her crate most of the day or behind the couch in her little den when at my boyfriends house.
She wasn't as playful either and slept a lot.
She's completly back to normal now 

[Countrygirl]

When our last cocker, Sophie, had her first season, it was like she had a third leg and there were dogs sitting outside our gate I had never seen before.

Ellie, very obligingly, started her first season the week before we were going to a holiday cottage in the Lake District that had cream carpets.  I put the doggy knickers on her when we were in the cottage and they worked brilliantly.  I didn't put them on her when we went out as I was not going to have people laughing at her and she had to have some street cred.  There was no need anyway, we met several male dogs who didn't even bother to sniff around her, they just ignored her.  I was a bit miffed actually, as I thing she is really pretty!

[karen488]

I tried walking Darcey at quiet times but got pestered by a couple of labs so gave up and kept her home. TBH she didn't seem to feel like walks anyway. Hugs for willow.

[Choc-Chip]

Ahh bless. Little Willow is all grow'd up Maddy! I've not experienced a bitches season as I've only ever had dogs so no advice for you but give Willow a kiss and a cuddle from Woody and gang x

[maddy74]

Thanks for all your advise, Willow seems to be handling her first season really well, she is bleeding a bit heavier than when I started the the other thread but isnt bleeding loads, she still has a healthy appetite and seems her usual happy self with still loads of energy. We are walking her at weird times but only in a loop around the block and then playing with her for ages in the garden. The only thing different is she seems to be drinking more, and she has had a few cries in her crate at night.... Dont know what that is about. OH had to let her out for loo last night, most unlike her. She is being a good girl.