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So tell me about Bitches. ( the canine kind )


fenboy
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So I will at sometime over the next few monts be adding another dog to my family .

 

I have always had dogs in the past but this time I am going for a bitch ( Labrador ) for no other reason than my present dog has been a pain in the backside almost from day one and its put me off having another , he is almost 2 1/2 now and still has a puppy mentality as well as a stuborn streak even greater than mine !.

 

So my questions are really around the bitches season .

 

At what sort of age can I expect the first one ?

 

How long do they last ?

 

How long is the bitch able to concieve before during and after its season ?

 

Anything else I need to bear in mind with a bitch .

 

My dog is intact ( that may change ) and I do not want any accidents !

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The nature, breeding and training of the dog are far more to do with the end product than the sex. I don't know why anyone with a small number of dogs would want a mixed kennel.

 

The hardest headed pain in the neck dog I have is a bitch, the males have been much easier to work with.

 

Bank on losing a bitch for two months of the year if she's on a six month cycle, it's not just her ability to conceive you need to consider, it's her mindset pre-season (some go loopy and won't do a damn thing they're told) and the effect she will have on other working dogs immediately before and after her season, as well as during it.

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First one between 6 and 12 months then roughly 6-8 monthly after that.

Season lasts for roughly 3 weeks

Can only conceive during a season - I usually mate them on days 12 & 14

 

Actually, see here: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/breedingheat.htm. That should answer a lot of your questions...

 

Remember you might be unlucky and she decides to come in season right at the height of the game season. My cocker did and had to sit a good few weeks out.

 

Don't forget that if you're keeping your dog intact he will probably whinge a lot to try and get at your bitch in season and he may go off his food too. My viz used to howl through the night and barely ate for a fortnight, so in the end I had him de-plummed. Even though he has been 'done', but he'll still mate - I came home from work to find him tied with our German Shepherd in the middle of the drive!

 

I now have a young cocker pup (dog), but that might mean I get his mum and the Shepherd spayed in the next few weeks. Unless you're seriously planning on breeding I seriously consider the implications on keeping mixed 'entire' animals.

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OK my own experience is I only had bitches in my kennels for many years the advice given was they have a more submissive nature = easy to train.

Two years ago I was left with a dog pup out of the litter I bred thinking I would get the basics into him and sell him on.

A real eye opener with this dog he is very willing to please and up to now does not challenge the pecking order of the kennel, none of the three bitches have been spayed and all have been in season several times I only separate him at these times when I am not with the dogs he feeds and exercises with them and yes I do have to be vigilant and stop him if he starts to bother any of them in season .They are kept in outdoor boxes separated by panels of bars within a run so although they can't get at each other the can still see and smell each other.He is always kenneled with a bitch who is not in season and if he gets a bit frisky with her she puts him in his place and this works for me as he never barks or plays up.

Sum up bitches (in e.s.s. line weather this is from breading for work I don't know) can be hard headed .

Dog/Bitch mix takes some working out but can be done.

Don't like to spay bitches I had two done the first one was my first ever bitch and I took the vets advice that it was the best for the dogs health if I did not intend to breed from her.The second was after she contracted pyrometera (can't spell at the best of times)at 11yrs old even though she did have a litter in her youth.

Both these bitches became incontinent put on weight and there coats became very poor .

Must say this is only what has happened up to now for me it all could change LOL.

Edited by scutt
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We have a mixture of dogs and bitches, roughly half and half.

The only problem we have found when the girls come into season is that the dogs have a spat or two between them but nothing serious - of course as you only have one dog you should be alright. I have heard of dogs howling their heads off when their neighbour is in season but I guess we've been lucky... So far....

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Don't do it Fenboy. Get another dog. You will appreciate your present dog even less than you do when he is love sick, goes off his food, pees all over the place and is generally unresponsive to instructions from you.

 

Sounds like he is love sick already JDog !!!!

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If he's that bad I'd be getting two new dogs!

 

He certainly has his moments , the plan is to keep him until the next one is trained and then if things have not improved he will either be moved on or kept as a pet.

I really cannot be going another 18 months 2 years without a dog for wildfowling and despite his faults he did pick everything that needed picking on the marsh last season.

 

Its been rather frustrating I have always had spaniels before and was looking forward to having a " easy to train " lab !

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