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In season and a menace!
Hi everyone, I've seen some great advice in here so I hope someone come help me. I have googles but haven't found anything specific to my problem.
Now as we know I love my staffy cross to bit but in the past few weeks (her second season) she has turned into a nightmare - disobedient, snarky and snappy, overly boisterous, recall has gone out of the window, barking constantly at anything and everything, destructive and just generally pushing boundaries she wouldn't push before.
I don't know if it's a season thing or a teenage thing she's 15 months but it seems to have for worse since she started displaying season signs.
Can anybody help me or give me tips to survive this? I would never get rid but my patience and sanity are being severely tested!
Now as we know I love my staffy cross to bit but in the past few weeks (her second season) she has turned into a nightmare - disobedient, snarky and snappy, overly boisterous, recall has gone out of the window, barking constantly at anything and everything, destructive and just generally pushing boundaries she wouldn't push before.
I don't know if it's a season thing or a teenage thing she's 15 months but it seems to have for worse since she started displaying season signs.
Can anybody help me or give me tips to survive this? I would never get rid but my patience and sanity are being severely tested!
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The behaviour of an unspayed female dog will sometimes change dramatically when she is in season, and as it is recommended that female dogs are not spayed until after they have had their first season, this is something that all owners of female dogs or puppies will have to deal with at least once!
http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/how-bitches-behave-when-in-heat.html
Far better to get spayed - eliminates the risk of uterine infection (about 25% of unspayed females will get this and it requires an emergency spay) and there are enough staffy and staffy like breeds needing homes as it is without putting even more puppies out there.
I did plan to spay her after her 1st season but money was an issue and then the 2nd season came around quicker than I thought. I have taken all your comments and advice on board and will definitely get it done once this is over.
Thank you
And that only cures it for that season too so unless you plan 2 pregnancies a year for life it is no answer at all.
As I said we did keep one entire luckily she was not a menace just became escaper of the year so we had to double check everything to make sure we didn't accidentally let her out. I wouldn't do it again.
With dogs there is an injection they can have if they get the smell of a bitch to calm them down but I don't know if there is anything similar for girls once it starts. I know you can get meds to supress the seasons but personally I think it's wrong to mess with them like that.
Actually, it is recommended to spay BEFORE the first season to all but eradicate the chances of mammary tumors in later years. Every season they have increases the chances of getting tumors. You also avoid issues like the OP is having and have no risk of 'accidents'. The risks associated with a spay are no greater before or after the first season - indeed after a season you need to wait 3 months for the operation to be safest.
More and more vets are offering early spays - 16 weeks is becoming common - and the evidence is that there is no increased risk.
The spay itself does carry a very small risk of causing incontinence regardless of before or after first season (plus the tiny risks all operations carry) but this is insignificant compared to the benefits of a spay.
Spaying a bitch as soon as possible is a no brainer.
Dogs on the other hand, not so clear cut.:p
OP, friends of mine had a English Bull that they showed and she was the softest thing going - unless she was in season. Then she was unmanageable and quite frankly dangerous. They had to get her spayed (ending her show career and any chance of pups) but she was fine afterwards - her normal, non-hormonal lovely self.:)
Yes I agree, also some dogs get incontinent if spayed before the first season. That is why my Vet suggested waiting until after the first one, because my dog was dribbling when exited. I have a friend who's dog was done before her first season and she was incontinent till the day she died.
I have had all but one spayed and never had a case, my MIL had all hers spayed and had two cases. It really seems a lottery, I wonder what research has gone into it ?
If you are not planning to breed and she is in good health, I would spay asap, there are schemes run by the Mayhew and Dogs Trust that help bullbreed owners on low incomes.
Thank you for your replies
Just to clarify that I don't plan to breed her, I was advised to wait until her first season before getting her spayed which I had planned to do. However due to financial problems at the time I wasn't able to do that and now I have to wait until this season finishes.
She wasn't like this during her first season at all, she was clingy and emotional but not as bat shit crazy as she is this time around.
** when I said recall I meant at home.
In my experience it just gets worse each season and they go on until they die no menopause for dogs.
I don't know why you were told to wait until she'd been in season once.. If you're struggling financial, the Cat Protection might give you a voucher for the vets.
Oh yes I should have made that clearer, one pregnancy wont cure the crazy next season!
I had a feeling it was what you meant but thought it worth making clear.
Hopefully this link will help