Need Advice! Rosie coming into Season. Panicking!

Finally Rosie appears to be coming into season. She is now 15 months old. I noticed today that Dash was sniffing her butt whereas normally it's Rosie that does all the sniffing and when I looked her vulva is a noticably swollen.
When is she at risk? I have never owned a bitch before having always had dogs and cannot farm Dash out or afford to kennel him while Rosie is in season.


What is the danger period and when do I know she is safe again?

I'll have to manage as best I can crating one of them upstairs in the bedroom during the risky period.

I think I would separate them straight away, some dogs are ready earlier than others, there is no 'definite' fertile time. One of my girls has caught on day 8, whereas another on day 21.......she needs a good 4 weeks from start to finish to be safe.

A friend of mine, her bitch was mated day 5 of her season and had a lovely litter of 6 pups.

Yes , I am crating Rosie upstairs today and will give her 4 weeks, this is going to be a nitemare but at least it's only this once as she will be spayed in about 3 months time.

Does anyone want to look after my other dog for a few weeks?lol

I knew I should have stuck with dogs...

I agree, seperate them from day one. Are you sure you can't let someone else look after your male while the bitch is in season? 4 weeks is a long time to crate and swap about but that's how long it normally is to be safe. Even then, I've known one bitch have 5 week seasons although this isn't normal.

Please don't allow yourself or other family members to become complacent during the next four weeks - all it takes is a split second and lack of concentration.

Good luck!

Debs

I wish I did know someone that could look after Dash but sadly I don't know of anyone suitable that I would want to impose upon like that. Friends from training club all have their hands full with their own dogs. My parents and brother all work full time so that is out.
I was planning to kennel him for a week or two but Rosie has timed her first season to coincide with me being totally skint. (There was a 70% that would happen lol)

Totally agree, and don't forget it's not just dogs looking for her, she will most probably go looking for males too...given any chance whatsoever.

Well I wish you good luck and this is where I'm thankful my boy and girl are spayed and nuetered.
You will have to keep them apart for 4 weeks as others have said and your girl could well try to get to your boy as well and both will be feeling very frustrated, especially your boy being able to smell her round the house.
Can you not put one of them into boarding kennels for a while to ease the stress on you and them.
Would it not be wiser to get at least your boy nuetered to save you and he having to go through all this again.
I had my boy nuetered when my girl was 4 months old to make sure I wouldn't have this same problem.

The OP has stated that her bitch is being spayed in 3 months time so that's sorted Having her dog castrated now will not ease the problem and please remember that castrated dogs can sire a litter for a time after they've been neutered.

Debs

I now how you feel hun, i have a bitch in season and a male as well i have got the bitch crated and the male is in the same room as i have 6 dogs all together, he is finew thought she gets lots of time in the garden on her own with me so she is happy. I have to say mt male dog as a large stuffed toy which he uses at the mo as he cant mate with her this time round.

i am sure you will do great as long as you are on the ball and all advice everyone has given you is great.

good luck hun

I know I read that and I know castration will not help now. I wasn't being funny in my post and I'm sorry if it came out that way, not intended. I was just trying to point out that I could forsee that I would be in that situation too so acted well in advance as I knew there is no way I could cope with it.