What do I need to know?

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RichK
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What do I need to know?

Post by RichK » Wed Apr 09, 2014 3:53 pm

I've never owned a female dog before but have a new pup arriving next week.

What do I need to know that is specific to owning a female in terms of just about everything?

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Sharon
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by Sharon » Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:30 pm

Usually ? no difference. You can't assume they will be less aggressive or more dependent than a male. Only a difference when she has her first heat. :)

RichK
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RichK » Wed Apr 09, 2014 5:37 pm

Sharon wrote:Usually ? no difference. You can't assume they will be less aggressive or more dependent than a male. Only a difference when she has her first heat. :)
What do I need to know about heat cycles?

I also have a male with his junk intact. During the day when I'm away and when they aren't within my direct line of sight they will be in their kennels separated but do I have to worry about him getting her pregnant when she is older 24/7 or just during her heat cycle?

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Sharon
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by Sharon » Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:29 pm

sex ed. for dogs 101 :)

( Pregnancy can only occur during the heat cycle, but the cycle has several stages and you must very observant or.................

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-he ... -dogs/5778

On average, a healthy female dog comes into season every six months. However, this can vary, and some female dogs only cycle once a year while others come into season on a quarterly basis

Many people think when the bitch stops bleeding, they are out of heat, but in a dog, it means they ovulated. So...many unplanned breedings happen. There are very few good reasons to breed your dog so ................

Having an intact female and intact male living in the house is playing with fire imo , but to each their own. :)

RichK
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RichK » Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:39 pm

Sharon wrote:sex ed. for dogs 101

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/breedingheat.htm

Many people think when the bitch stops bleeding, they are out of heat, but in a dog, it means they ovulated. So...many unplanned breedings happen.

Having an intact female and intact male living in the house is playing with fire imo but to each their own. :)

Thanks for the link. Obviously the plan is to keep my male off the female all of the time but when the female is not in heat, is there any risk of her becoming pregnant?

How many heat cycles per year does a female have?

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ezzy333
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by ezzy333 » Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:44 pm

No chance until she is in season and the male won't try till she is. Normally they will have 2 cycles a year and many times they will be a little over every six months but they all can vary a little.

Ezzy

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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RichK » Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:51 pm

ezzy333 wrote:No chance until she is in season and the male won't try till she is. Normally they will have 2 cycles a year and many times they will be a little over every six months but they all can vary a little.

Ezzy
Okay, so if I keep them completely separated while she is fertile there is no chance of her getting pregnant then. Correct?

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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by KwikIrish » Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:20 pm

Correct. Each heat generally lasts 3-ish weeks.

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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RayGubernat » Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:07 pm

Depending on how athletic(or horny) your male dog becomes, or any other male in the neighborhood for that matter, it might be advisable to put a dog proof top on the female's kennel. If you count 24 days from the day of first bleed, you should be pretty safe as far as unwanted pregnancies are concerned.

RayG

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Sharon
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by Sharon » Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:56 pm

On average, a healthy female dog comes into season every six months. However, this can vary, and some female dogs only cycle once a year while others come into season on a quarterly basis

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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RoostersMom » Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:21 pm

Back in my college days, I owned a red heeler. She was impregnated by the neighbor's dog through the chain link fence. Not a cool deal at all. Prolly part of the reason I'm an advocate of spaying females. Dogs can smell females in heat from a very long distance away - they will find your home, they will climb fences, they will do their best to breed her when she's in heat. Be extra vigilant!

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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by Trekmoor » Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:18 am

I know of a terrier that managed to mate a lab bitch through a fence . One other thing to consider is that your dogs may become noisy during the bitch's season. Males and females are sometimes noisy when feeling frustrated and adjoining kennel runs would certainly keep the dogs on their toes.

Bill T.

RichK
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by RichK » Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:08 am

I have to build the kennel and runs this spring, if the snow ever goes away. Any recommendations for a material to separate the two runs?

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birddog1968
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Post by birddog1968 » Thu Apr 10, 2014 2:53 pm

Sheet aluminum.

RichK
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Re:

Post by RichK » Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:05 pm

birddog1968 wrote:Sheet aluminum.
I'm guessing use treated plywood as the divider and cover in aluminum?

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birddog1968
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Post by birddog1968 » Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:32 pm

Or just aluminum thick enough to have some stiffness....wood will get nasty eventually with pee and wash down water

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tfbirddog2
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Re: What do I need to know?

Post by tfbirddog2 » Sat Apr 12, 2014 7:49 am

All I own is females, I have 4 of them 2 cycle together, and the other 2 cycle together, kinda odd figured that many females together would cycle all at same time but haven't, when the female stops bleeding and " drying up" she is prime for breeding! about a 3 to 4 day window for her to be stuck by a male.
YES they can be bred thru a fence!
63 days is the gestation period of a dog if you didn't know....
Just a tip watch the moon phases with cycles, start counting the second time you know the dogs have locked up it usually will give you the due date.
Every litter that my dogs have had also have given birth when a weather change has happen a cold snap or weather system is moving in some how every litter at my kennels has brought a cool snap and rain...... Been funny 5 litters 3 days of rain with each litter....IDK just happened that way

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