Coming into season... advice please

Takara's coming into season, I have been told so by a husky and a black lab.

Thing is, she's not actually in season yet, and as I've never done this before would like some advice.

I've been told that dogs will usually alert you to your bitches season before she starts bleeding, but is this actually before her season? Is she already in season just not bleeding yet? I don't think she's majorly swelled up compared to normal.

She always, without fail, tells dogs off for trying it on, but only while they're trying to mount her, a husky mounted her (we got him off) and so did Alfie, the black lab in the park today (although I don't think he knows how to do it by the looks of it ) but once they were on her, she stood there and was happy for anything to happen, but she snapped while they were trying to get to the right place if you know what I mean

What do I do? Do I stop walking her now and just carry her to the tennis courts down our road and let her off securely there? Do I keep walking her and letting her offlead in the park until she starts to bleed?
Can I walk her onlead, but not off? I know that when she's in season I'll have to carry her to the tennis courts so that she doesn't leave a trail but what about right now?

Also, can I use bitch spray until she starts to bleed as well as when she's coming out of her season? If so does that mean I can let her off in the park until she gets to her really obvious part of her season?

Basically, I've never had a bitch, and an unspayed one at that so don't really know what I'm doing!

Also, has anyone tried the strange doggy pant things for when they're bleeding?
I'm seriously thinking about putting a pair of trousers on her so that we can still go out without the risk of puppies!

The following is based upon my experience :- Bleeding isn't always obvious because of licking. Press a piece of white kitchen paper against her and look for the evidence there. Bitches are at their most fertile when the bleeding stops. The sprays that I have used are foul and smell all over the house. The only way to be sure of avoiding trouble is to keep her in and well away from dogs. Its only for a few days and is a great deal less trouble than dealing with an unwanted litter.

meg....Keeps Cleaning her Parts but i cant see anything.., She is 8month in to wks Do you think its a Bit early yet?

my girls were all over the place
one came on just at 8 months but she was cleaning herself alot more about a week or so before

one came on around 9 months and one didnt come on until after she was 1 years old

just keep an eye on her.

is there any other change in her? some become very clingy or go off food etc...

hope this helps
take care
steph

or a white old towel in her bed to sleep on ......most girls are ready to mate whilst bleeding or not bleeding when the vulva becomes soft ( almost marshmellow like to the touch )

I think that 8 months is about as early as it gets. Try the kitchen paper, press gently for several moments.

Some bitches seem to let off signals for a while before they come in. From about 6 1/2 months I got told by all dog owners I met that my girl must be going into season as the boys were extremely interested in her but this remained and she didnt start until her first birthday. The other thing you need to watch out for is silent seasons which is more common in their first season and if she was having one of those then she could end up in trouble especially if dogs have been mounting her. It might be worth a quick check over by the vet just to make sure she's not in. The swelling isnt always noticable untill about a week or more into it . It's better to keep your bitch in the garden a long as it's secure and only lead walk them at quiet times when nothings about. Bitches at the fertile point of there season will try and seek out a mate so it's a bit dangerous to allow them off lead playing, also watch where you take them as they are at risk for Pyo which is a serious infection which can be picked up during or after seasons when they are most open.
Hope this helps.

Thanks guys...

I have done the tissue, but no blood. Silent season were something that worried me, I thought she was coming into season for the last couple of months! She's not cleaning herself much but this lab has never attempted to mount her before, so it struck me that he did this time.

I am still walking her and letting her off at the moment and she's not actually tormenting any of the boys, but I'm taking her at much quieter times, it's handy that I live next door to the park so go there all the time and know which dogs are entire and which aren't, when they're about and when they're not.

We're having the garden done at the moment, it should be done by now but we've had set backs so she can't go out in there yet, but we have two sets of tennis courts nearby so can let her wear herself out in there.

I'm so paranoid as I've never had a bitch and neither have my parents so it's all a learning curve!

My girls give off a scent for around 6 weeks before actually coming in season, so if there isn't anything obvious ie. bleeding or swelling, then maybe it's just that she's heading in that direction.

Keep a close watch on her and keep her well away from the boys

Some can come in as early as 6 or 7 months and I was going to mention silent seasons, but seems you already know about these.