No, I don't walk my bitch when in season, I think it's only fair to owners of other dogs, and not just dogs but bitches, I have a bitch who will scent mark over the top of others, including cock her leg when necessary.

If you own an entire bitch, your duty of care is to her, but you must also be considerate to other dog owners, although you may walk her at 'unsociable' hours, how can you be sure you won't come across someone with another dog?? Or that a dog may try to follow her scent markings??

This topic is also a hot debate on another forum atm, and as I posted there, it's my decision to have bitches, it is my problem when they are in season, and I choose not to make my problem someone else's by taking them out. There have been documented cases of dogs following the scent of a bitch in season being run over, so it isn't just the dogs you may happen to meet.

I am lucky, I admit, to live rurally and have several fields adjacent where I can keep my girl confined when she's in season, but I wouldn't dream of taking her anywhere other dogs are walked, it is just unfair to them and their owners. It is much fairer to keep your girl confined if you have no other options, don't try to humanise their feelings by thinking they will miss their walks.

i know mine will miss her walks if she doesnt get them, they know what times they walk at and at about 5 minutes before that time they will come and find us to make sure we are gettin ready, and if they dont get their walks they get bored and get destructive , i would rather walk my bitch whilst in season then have her trash my house , but thats just my opinion

Best thing I have found with an in-season bitch is to take her for a drive, find a remote spot to exercise her. This way, any interested males cannot follow her scent home.

I wish all owners were as considerate as you lot!

Viewing this from the side of the owner of an entire male I have to say I have met a few numpties who bring their in-seasons bitches to the park at the busiest times and then let them off lead! Our local dozy dog-walker did this and we very nearly had Staffie x Affen pups!

Even if the bitch is on-lead I do think it's a bit heartless walking them in parks at the busy times where dogs are off lead. I know I am responsible for my dog but it would take a better dog trainer than me to be able to call an entire male back from a receptive bitch!

I know I could have Gozo neutered but he's such a complete wuss I'm worried it would adversely effect his temperament.

J.

i dont take mine to 'the park' because we dont have 1 lol , my walks are ALL street walks - round the whole block

i dont have a female, but if i did have a bitch in season then i wouldnt walk her, especially not somewhere that other dogs go.

the other week a guy came into the park at the busiest time (around 4pm), with his JRT. he let her off lead, and came over to talk to us (he walks in the park regularly so knows us, the others more than me though). there was a male BC at the other side of the park, who he allowed his dog to run up to. i asked if the BC was neutered (he is another dog who walks in the park a lot but i have never asked if he is neutered), and the guy shrugged and said 'no, but i doubt they could mate' and then laughed! i just told him that i had heard of more unusual mating and certainly wouldnt take the risk!

I have seen owners walking on-season bitches on the heath midday on a Saturday morning! (very busy with dogs then).

One was an elderly man with a Lhasa and he panicked when Parker went over to have a sniff with his dog and he told me she was in season. Fortunately Parker is neutered but you would hope that people would have more sense!

Wonder what Kerry Apsos or Lhasa Blues would look like?

Possibly I was very careful with Siren as I have an entire dog as well.....
I am lucky with Gabe - he does not bother and can be called away from such things....but It amazes me the number of people who walk bitches in season around other dogs.

That does sound very irresponsible, but just out of interest how do you think Jake would react ifyou couldn't walk him for a month?

The thing is, why should you subject your dog to a surgical procedure, that isn't guaranteed to stop him being interested in bitches in season? I completely agree with you keeping him entire, it isn't your problem, it's the people who take their bitches out.

I also agree with the people who take their bitches out in a car, to a remote spot, where they can exercise. But I find it hard to hear about people street walking even, when I also know of people who have lost dogs that were following the scent of an in season bitch and were run over. The scent they leave behind, is spread over a much greater area than it would be, if they are confined to house and garden during their season. I think it's easy to humanise our dogs and feel guilty that they're missing out, when in actual fact, they won't be bothered one way or the other, and after their season they won't be bearing a grudge for the two or three weeks you made them play games in the garden instead, or drove them to a different spot to run around.

At the end of the day, it's the decision of the bitch owner, some are more responsible, some aren't at all, and others have different perceptions about what level of responsibility to adopt, because we're all different.