# Jack Russell bitch in season?



## herp_derp

My Jack Russell is around 1 year old and hasn't been spayed. The past couple of days she has been leaving little spots of blood around the place. I have hard flooring so easy to clean but I just had a couple of questions.

How often will this occur and for how long?
Would spaying prevent this from happening?

I have no intention of breeding but is this the time she could get pregnant, or is that any time? More concerned about her running off around the field with other dogs who might try to give her one!


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## feorag

Oops, doesn't sound like you did your homework!

Yes, she's in season. As this is her first season, I can't tell you how long it will last as it can last for as long as 30 days, but around about 21 is about average and it usually works as 7 days 'coming into heat', 7 days 'in heat', 7 days 'coming out of heat', so the time that she will be receptive to mating will be from about the 7th day, but again this is the average bitch, not necessarily yours. So she should be kept confined and never allowed to run free anywhere until at least 21 days after you noticed the discharge, otherwise you'll end up with puppies.

As this is her first season if you don't intend to spay her afterwards, you should note how this season progresses and how long it lasts so that you know what you're doing when the next one comes along.

For my money - I'd have her spayed.


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## Shell195

Most bitches come in season every 6 months and if you do want to have her spayed she must be done 3 months after she finishes her season


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## pigglywiggly

if you`re not going to breed its probly best to get her speyed - reduces the chance of breast cancer, no worries about womb infections and no worry about unplanned puppies.

best to get it done in 3 months time when her hormones have all levelled out.


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## herp_derp

Thanks everyone, excellent info. My other dog was a boy who was neutered so no experience with bitches, I knew what it was just not about the details. Her behaviour seems to be the same, last night on her walk she got a scent of something and put on a real charge trying to drag me down the pavement but was her usual self again this morning.


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## corny girl

barrow_matt said:


> Thanks everyone, excellent info. My other dog was a boy who was neutered so no experience with bitches, I knew what it was just not about the details. Her behaviour seems to be the same, last night on her walk she got a scent of something and put on a real charge trying to drag me down the pavement but was her usual self again this morning.




Try to walk her very early in the morning or last thing at night when there is less chance of meeting other dogs. Days 9-13 are when they seem to be most receptive to males advances. Might be an idea to keep her in at this time to stop any unwanted males coming over to her (& they will smell a bitch in season from quite a distance). I've just had my 3 entire bitches in season, so long as you are careful there isn't too much to worry about.


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## Kare

Feorag is completely correct as per normal.

Please do listen to what she said, the season is NOT over when the bleeding stops and you should wait at least a week to 10 days after the bleeding has stopped before you even consider that she maybe safe to walk normally at all. 

If you cannot keep her in (one of my dogs can be exercised well in the house by just teaching her tricks, the other before she was spayed needed a good walk, even if not every day) then drive somewhere, walk on lead around the streets and then drive home to make sure you do not have her scent trail leading right to your door. Do not go anywhere others have a right to feel safe walking their dogs off lead, as even after you have left, a male dog (unneutered and some neutered are the same) could follow her scent trail and be lead into the path of danger.

In the mean time do not allow her anywhere she can escape from, and do not let her off lead. They maybe painted as innocent but the girls are just as eager for sex as the males and she can well run off to get it.


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## Kaida

Totally agree with the others, but would add not to rely 100% on counting days for knowing when she's safe to go out, as it's entirely possible you missed a day or two at the beginning - they sometimes keep themselves very clean. Also before you take her out after her season's finished give her a good bath to get rid of any lingering smell. Watch her in the garden too - dogs and in-season bitches have been known to scale high fences (or mate _through_ chainlink), vault over hedges etc to get to each other.


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