[VomBlack]

I'm not sure if this is quite the right part of the forum but I figure breeders would know best on this subject.

I would like to premise this whole question by saying I am NOT, I repeat NOT breeding my two dogs together. Odin isn't old enough and Noire is too old, etc. etc.

Noire went into heat a few days ago, so the two have been kept separated and I have been very diligent in keeping them that way. She was due to be spayed next month, we ran a bunch of senior tests and everything to make sure she didn't have any major health issues and of course now she's in heat.

But to get to my question.. Odin really has no interest at all in her. Maybe a sniff here or there when I walk her through to take her outside but he really could care less. He either goes back to sleep or grabs a bone and wanders off. I'm really curious, I thought all **** was going to break loose if she happened to go in heat here and it's business as usual as far as Odin is concerned.

Are there any interesting behavioral or physical reasons for this?

 

[selzer]

Odin is 21 months old or is my headache messing with me.

He is definitely old enough to be interested, BUT, she may not be at the right stage for him to get pushy about it. Usually that only lasts a couple of days.

No, it is a fallacy about all dogs being insane when there is a female in heat.

Some dogs get crazy, some get more vocal, whiney, etc. Some really do not do much different. The only irritating thing my boys would do is lick at wherever the female urinated.

 

[VomBlack]

Yep he's 21 months old. Being a bit of a behavior nut I was wondering if there was some strange reason for it, i've never had an intact female or male in the same house so I didn't know what to expect. :crazy:

 

[vdsauk]

Sounds like she is early. However I've had males also who when an older female goes into heat, if they don't actually ovulate any 'eggs' down they won't show the desire. Has to do with hormone levels / progesterone.

But, when it's my show male he ONLY breeds on 2-3 days, often only TWO days. Regardless of what you insist he do. He's never missed a female.

My working males, when told to DO IT will breed early or later, but their behavior shows when they are really ready.

Just fair warning if he does decide she smells yummy, I've had males go through crates, walls, doors etc. I've also had a house full of in heat females of mine and others and my boys all know unless I take them out for a breeding they might as well relax.

I hope for your sake, he doesn't start to howl!

 

[Zoeys mom]

Give it till the end of next week....thats when all **** will break lose and she'll want to get to him as much as he wants to get to her. It's not a fun time at all, but temporary

 

[AgileGSD]

Some male dogs take quite a while to "catch on" to girls in season. My friend has a male and female littermate who are 23 months old and the male shows no interest at all when around girls in season, including the ones he lives with. They are still separated for obvious reasons.

Many males aren't interested until the girls are "ready", which is usually not until the second week. And the idea that males become crazy about girls in season are generally not accurate. Most just get sad, whiny and lose their appetite for a week or so.

 

[bocron]

The males differ in their reaction as well. My male Lancashire Heeler has the nickname "early indicator". He starts getting interested a few days before the bitch actually starts active heat (bleeding), whereas my daughter's male GSD pays absolutely NO attention until the female is ready to breed and will stand for the male (day 12-18 approximately, varies). A very forward female can flirt shamelessly with him and he will walk away, totally unaffected until the "magic" day and then whammo he's all flirty back. Meanwhile the male LH is practically throwing himself off cliffs just to get the girl to notice him. Pretty amusing to watch, what can I say we're a simple family LOL.

 

[lhczth]

Donovan does want to go out and smell and lick the pee spots. When Deja came into heat he was fine except for 2 days and 1 night where he would moan. That was about it. He is 20 months old. When his mother was in heat back in Sept he barely noticed.

I have also seen males (owned by other people) that can't think when a female is in heat. One of our club member's male stops eating, has diarrhea and can't function for almost 3 weeks.

I have had a couple of other males around for a short time and never had problems other than the pee sniffing and maybe a little moaning. Nothing major.

 

[VomBlack]

Thanks for the different insights, I was beginning to worry that something might be wrong.. lol. I guess i'll see what the next week or so brings but fingers crossed that it stays as peaceful as it is now.

 

[trudy]

days 10-15 non stop whining, crying, trying to get through the crate door, jumping to go over the kennel top, and not eating. Then it just stopped and even though she was still flirty he didn't care. And they also will never breed, full siblings, and she can't be fixed until she is a Ch. and next heat she will be boarded at a very trustworthy GS kennel. I can't stand it

 

[Smithie86]

Our males have to learn to deal with it, as our competition males and females live with us.

 

[JKlatsky]

Not a breeder, but when our girl goes into heat we have varying levels of interest here. Although NO ONE goes off their food, or does non stop whining. And as soon as she goes into heat, she goes into solitary confinement in her own room with a door.

My oldest male who has been a breeding dog, gets a little more snarky with the other males in their crates and whines a little more when she goes by on her way out to potty.

My 3.5 year old licks whereever she has been when he's out but not much beyond that. Gets a little amorous with DH, who handles her when she goes out. Poor Baby is confused but other than that- nothing.

My 18 month old shows the most interest. He'll go for her door when he's out in the house and he's usually the first one to indicate when she's about to go into heat.

The puppy is well, a puppy. Although the last time she was in heat he also started the licking/sniffing stuff. When she's in heat, she is always the last one out, otherwise they'd all spend the morning sniffing pee and they forget why they are out in the first place.

Since they all compete, they all have to learn to work around it.

 

[VomBlack]

Oh good grief, we have hit the whiny stage.

 

[BlackPuppy]

I see your female is almost 9 years old. Do you really want to get her spayed at that age? You've gone this long already.

 

[VomBlack]

To be honest i'm a bit apprehensive about it. I've only had her for 3 months. I've had senior bloodwork done as well as an ultrasound and nothing unusual was found, on one hand I was advised not to update her vaccines other than rabies for fear of upsetting anything.. but then i'm told we can go ahead and spay next month.

I'm thinking of seeking a second opinion, I want to do what's best for her health, and not what "looks good" to other people, if that makes sense. I don't want someone to think my hesitation on spaying her is because I have other motives, I don't mind keeping them separated and supervised during heat cycles, and I can even tolerate Odin being a whiny dope over the next few weeks if it means less health risks for my senior female.

 

[BlackGSD]

I have also seen males (owned by other people) that can't think when a female is in heat.

My friends Mal is like that. He just goes TOTALLY stupid and can't function at all. He turns into a totally different dog.

 

[BlackGSD]

I would hesitate just going off of a vets recommendation on wether you should spay her at her age or not. As we all know, most of them are all about spaying and neutering EVERYTHING no matter what. Many are also all about making as much money as they can! (Which means they will do all kinds of procedures that may not be "necessary".) I would be more inclined to talk to breeder you respect and get THEIR opinions.

 

[VomBlack]

I would hesitate just going off of a vets recommendation on wether you should spay her at her age or not. As we all know, most of them are all about spaying and neutering EVERYTHING no matter what. Many are also all about making as much money as they can! (Which means they will do all kinds of procedures that may not be "necessary".) I would be more inclined to talk to breeder you respect and get THEIR opinions.

Yeah I think i'll ask around more. This is the same vet that when my aunt took Odin in for a physical (she works there) I got a note back in capital letters that said "NEUTER HIM", lol. The vets I worked for previously were awesome but when I stopped working there I transferred my files and I feel awkward going back now. I recently started working at another local hospital and I don't know any of the doctors there well enough yet so I think i'll ask a few good breeders, or I may even ask Noire's breeder since she would obviously know the lines better.

It's just frustrating when people have such a strong preference toward spaying/neutering that they assume everyone who keeps intact dogs is irresponsible.

 

[BlackGSD]

You just need to get to the point where you DON'T CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK!!!!! LOL

Not everyone that has intact dogs in an idiot that can't keep them from reproducing!

I have had intact dogs of both sexes over the years(I've also had some that WERE spayed/neutered.) and NONE of my dogs have been bred. (Neither intentionally, NOR accidentally.)

Even my vets office has never said anything. Which is actually quite surprising since usually when you take in an 8 week old new puppy, one of the first things they ask or talk aobut is when you are going to spay/neuter it!

You need to do what is best for you AND YOUR dog. Don't worry about "everyone else"!