After another nightmare walk, I feel the need to vent my frustration at people walking their dogs in season. I have a male lab who is for the most part a well behaved and obedient dog but he is also a true "lad" of a dog. If he was human, he would be down the pub every night followed by a curry, a fight at the taxi rank and a bit of porn when he got home!

There has been an influx of bitches in our village, with all the owners walking them in season. For those that are none dog people, bitches in season lay a trail of pheromone which is irresistible to male dogs. It is akin to a woman walking into a nightclub wearing a t shirt with "first bloke to get to me can me". I appreciate dogs have to be walked but our friends keep their dogs in or walk them either late at night or in remote areas where they are unlikely to come in contact with other dogs. Why can't everyone be so considerate?

As soon as our lab was neutered, he lost all interest in that sort of thing and generally calmed right down.

It means we can walk him whenever we choose without the need to think about things like this.

I presume your lab isn't neutered?

Our boxer has been confined to the garden for the last 3 weeks due to being in season. Without her 4 mile walk a day she has been an absolute nightmare ! But I agree , they shouldn't be walked in season. Not where there's likely to be other dogs anyway.

Looking forward to taking her out again , for my sake as well. I've put on 6lbs due to no exercise !

^^^^^ I wish everyone was like that the sprays don't work the only solution is keeping your bitch in your house and garden when in season.

Good to see that sexism is alive and well in the dog world too. It is the responsibility of ALL dog owners, regardless of the dog's gender, to have it neutered if it is not going to be used for breeding.

I take your point Metropolis but having a non-castrated dog under control doesn't cause problems for other dog owners-a bitch laying a trail of scent does. Nothing sexist about it just a statement of fact and animal behaviour. A male dog will track scent for miles and male dogs have been killed on roads doing exactly that. Personally, if I had a female dog it would be either spayed or kept away from well used dog walking areas.

Metropolis wrote:

Good to see that sexism is alive and well in the dog world too. It is the responsibility of ALL dog owners, regardless of the dog's gender, to have it neutered if it is not going to be used for breeding.

Not being a dog owner I didn't realise there was a season for walking dogs. They walk them all the year round up here. is that a problem?

My bitch (no not the Mrs !! ) was neutered at 6 months old. I was never going to breed from her and I didn't want the hassle of her being in season.

My mums neighbour is a great bloke, but an absolute when it comes to being responsible for his dog. He has never had her speyed, and walks her freely when she is in season and off the lead. He then moans about other ''irresponsible'' dog owners allowing their dogs to get the pink mist and chase after his dog trying to mount her. Tried to talk to him about it but he just comes out with the same excuses all the time.

Owners of female dogs should not be walking them at peak times when they are in season and they should keep them on the lead.

i walk by dog during the summer season and make sure he has plenty of water and maybe a swim to cool down, during the winter season i walk him as normal, but i wear welly boots and make sure he doesn't get iced up fur balls on his paws Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

RogB wrote:

My bitch (no not the Mrs !! ) was neutered at 6 months old. I was never going to breed from her and I didn't want the hassle of her being in season.

Was going to get mine neutered at that age but done some research and the best age for boxers is 18 months when they stop growing , sadly that means i have to go through 2 seasons

going through 1 season with mine was more than enough. for the sake of £130 - £150 your better off having them speyed than having all the hassles year on year.

I briefly had a lab bitch and part of the agreement with the breeder was that she could not be neutered until she was 18-24 months old. This was because large breed dogs benefit massively from being left to develop properly before their hormone supply is cut off. This was confirmed by my vet.

I can see the issues caused by walking a bitch in season, but it is a bit double standards to say you don't need to get yours done but I'd need to get mine dome. If yours was done he wouldn't be interested and if mine was done she wouldn't be a target.

Not that it is an issue for me now as I no longer have her, but really everyone should have their dog/bitch neutered/speyed but from my understanding you should wait for a lab, which does mean there is a lengthy period where thisncould be an issue. Learned to drive in 2011.
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I thought you could walk your dog whatever the season???
My last springer would go for another walk 5 minutes after his last walk no matter what the season ....  Wales
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