Ok my puppy Ruby is 9 months old, and has just had her first season/on heat. She finished about a week ago.
Since starting her season (so for the past month) her behaviour in one aspect has changed over night.
If anyone interacts with another family member she gets all excited, starts barking and jumping up.
It can start with either my son play fighting with his dad, or seeing me kiss Pat. Anything that involves interaction gets her worked up.
When she jumps up it really hurts! And I hate her barking, so she's been trained to speak only on command.

My first thoughts is because she is now sexually mature, perhaps this is "turning her on" (to want of another word)
Can anyone give me ideas on how to stop this behaviour please? I realise having her spayed would calm her down, but money is tight right now so that will have to wait for now (need to catch up with the bills first! )

Firstly she isn't over the season yet ! At least two weeks after physical signs go away she is still in the grip of hormones which is sounds like she doesn't know what to do with.

You need to wait about 3 months after her season before she can be neutered which is the best idea for her IMO.

All dogs react differently Mollie was so depressed she couldn't even chase a ball when she had her season and Katie was a very angry dogs, Rosie was a complete tart and would go with anyone ! All caused by the same hormones....

So you think she is still in season, do you think this behaviour will calm down when it finishes? This now is the 11 day since she stopped any bleeding, so another week to be safe?

How much exercise and socialisation has she been getting during her season?

My bitch had a 5 week season last year and by the end of it she was climbing the walls with boredom and frustration, once back in routine, she settled down. Raging hormones and only boring lead walks, can leave them irritable and insecure, often seeking comfort.

How do you react to the behaviour described?

If you are 'flapping' and pushing her away, she may be finding it an amusing game.

After the bleeding stops, she is now ready and receptive to male attention. This is the danger time !

It is probably best to continue with the confinement for another week, or 15 days after the bleeding stops, just to be on the safe side.

We have been walking her when its quiet here- Mid morning then about 7pm when its dark. She has always been a dog where the 3/4 hour (ish) walk each time is not enough. All that has changed is the timing - changing it to evening rather than middle of afternoon when she would normally go. (so mid morning,and then evening rather than mid afternoon)

When she jumps up personally I speak harshly out of instinct and tell her "ow" and "no jump" - maybe she does see that as a game. My youngest son usually cries out in pain and tries to push her off him- she's half rottie and very powerful lady!
Its just not her character to react like this to humans interacting. Hoping she will calm down when she has finished this.
As far as I am concerned no dogs have showed interest to her, but the dogs that live around here have been done so maybe they are not that interested in her. She has always been a friendly dog and plays with the neighbours dogs every day.

I think I shall leave it till next weekend before I analyse this again. That will be almost 6 weeks from the start of her bleeding then- long enough to think about things if she is still doing this.

Thanks for the answers so far- appreciated

My puppy is in her first season too. We have 2 other dogs, a dog that has been done and shows no interest, and a little JRT who is female and the puppy keeps bothering her. lol
We are still in the middle stage, cant wait for it to be over. We probably will have her done beginning of May. The vet told us at least 12 weeks after the start of the season.

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When she jumps up personally I speak harshly out of instinct and tell her "ow" and "no jump" - maybe she does see that as a game. My youngest son usually cries out in pain and tries to push her off him- she's half rottie and very powerful lady!

From your tone, you know what I'm going to say,and yes easier said than done but...ignore her, turn the other way and don't say a word, even under her breath. She wants a reaction, any type of reaction, so you're inadvertently rewarding and reinforcing. I know it's going to be especially tough for your youngest but consistency is key and it then won't take long for her to get the message.

Forgive - but you are actually answering your own question. You have an animal that is now sexually mature - and that quite frankly, needs a mate. The only alternative is to have her neutered. Why should any animal live in sexual frustration when there is an alternative?

I know neutering can be a financial outlay - but as an owner - you are responsible for her welfare. Phone around. If you got her from Dogs Trust - they may neuture free. If not - try other dog charities. I do really sympathise with financial problems -but when you took on a young dog - then you also took on responsibility for its financial expense. Yearly check ups, inoculations, illness and also neutering.

Phone around and see whether you can get her neutered cheaply or for free.

This. If you can't afford to properly care for an animal, you should not of bought her. It's always best to get them checked at the vets around thier first season time, if you've not spayed, to ensure everything is ok, so take her, have checked out and ask the vet about her behaviour, and then ask him about spaying.

Yes we plan on having her neutered in 2 months time, 3 months after she started.
And whilst I do agree with what you said about not having a dog when there isn't the money to get her neutered this wasn't the case when we had the dog. Its not as though it was planned for the job to go just as she was due to have her first season. We took her to the vets just to be sure (we have a wellness plan for her ) and the vet verified what we had told her, and as she also had a temperature sorted that out as well for her.Vet gave her a nice examination- she was not impressed at being handled and injected(pain killer) hehe! And we have agreed in principle to book her in April for spaying
We will do it, just paying the gas and electricity while unemployed (partner), and long term sick (myself) was a little more of a priority than having her spayed. It wasn't his fault he lost the job, and has found another after a month so we just behind a little. I wish I could go back to work and help, but my doctor won't sign me back till I am well enough sadly. I have a operation booked end of April.

She seems to be back to normal (if being a puppy is classed as normal) and not reacting to others in that way. We tried the ignoring and it did help alot- thanks for the tip vladivarvixen, and others help. Most appreciated!

The dogs trust does vouchers for getting dogs spayed. Give them a call

Thank you - will look on their website now

I know the easipet vet near me is doing an offer on spays and neauters this month so its worth seeing if theres one in your area thats doing it too....just a word of caution my mums dog came into season before she could be spayed and was given an injection and pills by the vet which im guessing were the equivalent of the contraceptive pill....she had 4 puppies, this was a good few years ago so im not sure if they still do it but if they do it may not work!