The Effect on Training of a Bitch Being in Season

One of my bitches is in season at the moment. I'm once again reminded of what a frustrating time it is. (Though to be fair, I'm sure it must be equally frustrating for her!)

As with all matters canine it's not cast in stone, but as a general rule once a bitch comes into season she can be a bit 'loopy'. I don't mean that she actually goes mad, just that she can behave erratically, and she will most likely be easily distracted particularly when she is ready to 'stand' for a dog.

You have to understand that for the three weeks of her season a bitch's body is being flooded with hormones telling her she has to find a mate and reproduce. The desire to respond to these primal urges can be absolutely overwhelming.

I'm sure you'll have heard the old chestnut about how every dog for miles around will come and hang around your door when your bitch is in season. But in my experience you're far more likely to find that it's actually the bitch that wants to run off and look for a dog.

All the bitches that I've owned have been the same in this respect. As soon as they come into season they start to flirt terribly, even the ones that normally take not a blind bit of notice of other dogs.

When we're out for a walk they are a lot more attentive than normal to what's going on round and about and if they see another dog at anything up to 200-300 yards away they will almost certainly race over to it if they're running free.

While they're in this heightened state of hormonal overdrive don't expect them to be particularly receptive to your training efforts. Basic commands that they are already familiar with ought not to pose a problem, but I wouldn't recommend trying to practice any more complicated exercises at this time, and I _certainly_ wouldn't attempt to try and teach something completely new.

It's just not worth it. Even the most responsive of bitches will have their minds on other matters, and although a normally very responsive bitch will probably be better behaved in season than many others, even she is likely to be a bit scatty and puppy-like at the very least.

The chances are that this isn't likely to disrupt your training schedule too much however, as most bitches don't come into season for the first time until somewhere around one year old, by which time you will - if you've followed the advice in my book - almost certainly have accomplished all her basic training. (Though some smaller breeds like terriers can come into season as early as six months.)

You also need to be aware that for some time _after_ the bitch has been in season you can continue to run into problems with how she behaves. This time, instead of being up on her toes full of mischief and energy to find herself a mate, she's quite likely to be rather listless and down in the doldrums.

Some bitches don't seem to be affected in this way, but others can get terribly depressed, and can take several weeks before they manage to shake it off and get back to normal. If your bitch tends to be like this don't expect her to be enthusiastic about training sessions during this period.

My take on seasons is that they are a time during which I just forget about training and accept that the bitch is going to behave like a bit of an idiot. It quite often drives me to distraction, but I know that she can't help it!

I console myself with the fact that it'll all be back to normal in a few weeks time, and then I won't have to deal with it again for another seven months. (Many bitches come into season like clockwork every 6 months. Some do it at 7, 8 or 9 monthly intervals, and the occasional one will do it annually. And some are very erratic about it, keeping you guessing until it actually happens.)

If you find your bitch's seasons difficult to cope with, either because of the emotional upset I've mentioned here or because of the physical aspects, have you considered having her spayed?

If you do not intend to breed from her I believe it makes sense. I've recently had it done to my youngest bitch and I have to confess to being extremely relieved that I will never have to go through the aggro of a season with her again!

One final point I'd like to make about seasons is the importance of good hygiene. While a bitch is in season her vulva is gorged with blood and extremely swollen. This makes it much easier than normal for dirt to find its way in, and exposes the bitch to the very real possibility of infection setting in.

Infection of the uterus (referred to by the vet as 'pyometra') is a relatively common complaint and can often be fatal unless treated quickly. From when your bitch first comes into season until when her vulva has shrunk back to its normal size (which could mean 6-8 weeks or more in total) please be extra vigilant about hygiene. Give her bed frequent shakes to get rid of dirt and dust, and keep floors she has access to clean. And if you're in the slightest bit concerned that she seems unwell, don't waste any time in getting her to the vet.

Her life could - quite literally - be at stake.

Recommended reading "Dog Training Blueprint To Success".

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