# 8 month old puppy meets an in-heat bitch



## &RIGGS (Nov 30, 2011)

A friend was in town for Memorial Day weekend and was planning to stay with me on Saturday evening. She has a beautiful 3-year old female GSD named Porsche who my intact boy, Riggs, had not yet met. I get a call on Saturday from my friend telling me that she was on her way to my house and, by the way, Porsche had started her heat cycle a couple of days prior. Imagine my surprise and dismay at the potential issues that would unfold. I was envisioning scenarios of having to take my dog elsewhere or ask her to leave because I imagined that even if I crated mine, her smell might drive him crazy. 

Well, reality was much, much different. When she arrived, she had a diaper on her dog in order to prevent any unwanted tying of the dogs (or to at least give us enough time to stop things before they progressed to that!). Much to my surprise my boy did not even try to mount her. He put his paws up on her once and he got a natural correction from her (a growl and baring of her teeth). After that, he was more interested in playing with her...giving lots of play bows and running around trying to engage her in play. We allowed them to play off leash (but still under close supervision) in our yard for hours and aside from some more than normal sniffing of the ground where she had sat, laid, peed, etc. and a little out-of-the-ordinary "crabbiness" from the bitch, you wouldn't even know she was in heat. 

By the end of the day they were the best of friends...sleeping next to each other on the living room floor:wub:. I couldn't be more pleased with the way the day worked out and I'm so proud of my boy for listening, both to me and the other dog!

Here is a picture of both dogs doing some obedience in the backyard (Riggs on the left of the photo and Porsche the darker female on the right):


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I was dreading out next level of obedience class because we have an in heat female there........Beau at 10 months did not really pay any attention. The instructor said that he really is not old enough for that to kick in yet.

Obviously due diligence is still in order but that was interesting to me. .....


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Around that age my boy didn't pay any attention & there was adult training classes letting out before our class so he was exposed.

Recently at two years, he notices but does seem selective, if that makes any sense? There was a women in class and her female was coming into heat I put a small dab of Viks vapor rub on his nose and it did work...or at least I think it did, he was focused and not drooling.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think obedience control plays a lot. Grim, who does notice females in heat will chatter his teeth, eyes glaze over and drool profusely when he sniffs their urine and is not working, but he has actually done scentwork right next to one in heat ..... his brain was focused on work.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> I think obedience control plays a lot. Grim, who does notice females in heat will chatter his teeth, eyes glaze over and drool profusely when he sniffs their urine and is not working, but he has actually done scentwork right next to one in heat ..... his brain was focused on work.



Good training and a disciplined dog.

I agree, obedience control and the desire to work is shown here.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I think it definitely depends on the situation. Aiden did a mock BH trial with an in heat female and did just fine. If they were left to their own devices, I don't think everything would have went so well, lol.


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## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

What a wonderful and positive outcome for all!!


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