A Not Very Happy Poppy

[BabyElephant]

Poppy came in to season on Wednesday evening (her first one, my first one - LOL) and she's not very happy. She looks all sad and forlorn and she's really off her food. She's looking at me as if to say "what have I done wrong mummy?" I'm hand feeding food as "treats" when we're on our walks but I'm worrying about her. She's also scooting her bottom on the grass.

I'm also putting down Tuesday night's training disaster to her coming in to season, she must be all over the place and the leash biting on that day was particularly bad.

Anybody got any ideas, advice or experience on what to do, how to help her, how long it's going to last????

BTW, she is also the proud owner <not> of a rather sexy pair of doggy pants, some bitch spray and some bitch tablets...

[GretaJack]

A usual heat cycle last about 21 days but can depend on the dog. Poor poor Poppy. She doesn't want to be a woman, not yet at least. Hum, I bet she is going to be having the boys be knocking at the door since she is quite a looker.

[erdog3]

First answer....the scooting on the ground, is not actually her bottom but her vulva, it will feel very funny and tingly to her, it will be engorged, also if you have pants on her she will find the material a bit strange till she gets used to wearing them.
If she was scooting before the heat though I would check her **** glands.

Now the eating, she is raging with hormones, getting ready for the intended pregnancy, whether or not you mate. Many females go funny while on heat, they can even get a bit aggressive. I would keep her home from your obedience stuff till her cycle is finished, in Oz if a female is on heat you are not allowed to attend anyway.

This part will last for 2 weeks. If you are lucky and she sticks to a normal heat cycle, but every dog is different. Could go to 2 1/2 weeks.
Once the bleeding has stopped you will notice a change in her behaviour yet again.
She may even flirt with you. Something akin to the hyland fling, and noticeably pointing her rear end in your direction. Also a need to want OUT!! Don't be fooled into that one, no it is not extra pees and poops, it's looking for a mate.

Just put down her normal feed, if she eats, then well and good, if she doesn't you will just have to go along with it for the couple of weeks, that is why I advise that a dog intended for breeding should be in excellent health before the heat, to allow for all these ups and downs.

She will be fine Baby, just go along with her, allow for her emotions, habits, odd behaviour, all will return to normal at the end of heat, which can last all up a month.

[erdog3]

Just wanted to say too, the pants, soooo funny, when I get Ellie's out she looks at them as if to say...oh!! NO, not this again...hee hee.

[BabyElephant]

Greta - thanks, I'm sure that she would find a suitable (or possibly even unsuitable) mate in no time if I let her - LOL.

Ellierat - I am not allowed to take her to training anyway so that's not a problem. She isn't agressive yet, more anxious. She'd have to be pretty amazing to get out of our garden - LOL

Dog pants - I went to get them from the pet shop the other night and I couldn't find any. I looked for a female assistan but could only find young male ones so I had to ask one of them. The conversation went like this:

BE - "Do you sell dog pants?" Young male assistant "Yes, of course, did you see those gold ones as you came in the door?"
BE "Nope, I have to say I didn't" Young male assistant "Well we have gold and sliver ones" - he takes me to where they are and points to the top of the very high racking.
BE - "I'm sorry, it must be my accent, I'm looking for dog pants not pens. Do you do dog pants for ******* in season?" Young male assistant looks embarrassed "Umm, yes, here they are" - runs off.... It was sooo funny! I thought he at least might have helped me with the sizing....

[erdog3]

lmao....it is embarassing isn't it, chicken here got hers online..hee hee.

But just wait till you have visitors and they see them on Poppy, then the real jibing begins...poor Ellie, the embarassment she has gone through over these pants.
You will find they are a godsend though, your carpet and furniture will thank you in the end, not to mention Poppy, gone are the days when females on heat are banished to the outside for 2 weeks.

The pads to go in them, I found that ordinary ladies thin panty liners go in just nicely and do the job very well. Only need to change them about twice a day.

[erdog3]

Hey what color are yours??? At least Ellie's are black and you can't notice them from a distance...black pants on a yellow lab...lmao..lmao...POOR POPPY, what is your mum doing to you..

[BabyElephant]

Yep, they are black, the only colour they do. But check these ones out - I'm kind of inspired to make my own...

[erdog3]

What the???? are they pants!!!! LMAO LAMO, can you see Poppy and Ellie in those...triple embarassment to the max!!!

[BabyElephant]

Yep, they are pants, the hole you can see is the tail hole... they do matching jackets as well - whatever next. I could see hubby walking Poppy down the street in a pair of those - LOL.

You are right, she looks bad enough with the black ones... next you'll be asking for pictures!