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My pups first heat - HELP ME PLEASE


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I have no idea if i am posting in the right place but heres hoping. My border collie is one year old this month and for the last couple weeks she has been very smelly and constantly licking down below and today she has started bleeding! Shes in heat! Freaking out a little as this is my first dog of my own and also dealing with first heat if thats what you even call it. Can anyone give me tips, opinions, advice please? How long does it last? When could she get caught? Should i buy her nappies etc? Keep her in the home? Can i trust her to leave her outside on her own? Even in the garden? What can i expect? Again, this is my first bitch and freaking out a bit as i have no idea what to expect. Will her moods change etc? I have no idea and i dont want to go googling! Thanks in advance xx

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Unless inside or in a crate she shouldn't be left alone. Usually about 3 weeks. Only accepting(willing to mate) for a short period but smells the same to males the whole time.

If she'd a tidy dog I wouldn't worry, otherwise they make a diaper like contraption. All my girls keep them selves cleaned up so that's one tiny thing I don't have to worry about.

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Never alone outside. Even walking her outside, on leash, will be a pain in the ass if it's in places where there might be other dogs. My Tess just finished her first heat and we did take 2 long walks dayly as usual, but we went by car to the beach early in the morning or to the woods in the late afternoon, where I knew the probability of meeting a dog where diminute.

 

The dogs on the neigbourhood will do everything in their power to get to a female in heat, that's why you can't leave her in the garden. No dogs have ever entered your garden before, probably, but now they have the incentive and they will.

 

The heat will last about 3 weeks average (although Tess's lasted only 15 days). She will bleed for the first 10 to 15 days, and then the discharge will turn more yellowish in colour. That's the more dangerous period for her to get pregnant, and it's very dangerous for her to get pregnant on her first couple heats, she's far too young.

 

None of my female dogs ever changed their mood during heat, but some do. I never used diapers on any of them, just moped the floor now and then. They where all quite clean anyway.

 

Relax, going through heat is a pretty normal ocurrence, just make sure she is never alone outside and everything will go well.

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Added to the above, don't even trust her alone in a fenced yard (garden). I've known of a couple oops litters that were the results of mating through fences.

 

Keep her on a leash at all times if you're outside, and at least be prepared for suitors to show up and know what to do to keep them away. It may not happen, but best to have a plan.

 

Thank doG it only happens twice a year (on average) and it doesn't last all that long.

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Long ago before border collies I had a male terrier and lived in the city. Of course DH was mr. macho and wouldn't let me neuter the mutt terrier we had. I had to replace a neighbors screen door. My sweet (NOT) studly male went right through their screen door to get to their female.

Yes I did win and he was neutered and I think that is a bit over the top but living in the country we don't see many males even during heats and still I never let them out unattended. Only takes once!

 

And for the record. My young dog just came out of heat. She looks so much better on the field working today compared to during her heat.....Yes I certainly do see a difference. She's sweet and almost the same in the house but a ditz on the field in the last few weeks. Nice to see such a drastic change in her yesterday and today!

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