This is Sophie. Isn't she pretty? Isn't she sweet? The answer is Sometimes. Even Usually.
But something is happening to Sophie that she doesn't understand, and it is making her very cranky. She is going through her first "season", to use a euphemism. Having only had male dogs, this was certainly new to us. I sort of had an idea there would be a bit of a mess involved, but I had no notion of the personality change that would be involved. She is so touchy and flies off the handle at the slightest provocation. Sharing toys is out of the question, and she and Ozzie have had some terrible fights.
Friends, please tell me that her crankiness will go away and she will be back to her sweet self. We plan to have her spayed as soon as reasonably possible as soon as this episode is over with. Will that make a difference? Those of you who have female dogs, please advise.
Ozzie is just so confused and sad. He is a very reasonable and patient fellow, but he has his limits. What happened to his friend? Will she be back?
34 responses to “Girl Trouble”
Ah, Soph, bless your heart. They just don’t understand, do they? If one of them calls you a bitch, bite ’em.
Ah, Soph, bless your heart. They just don’t understand, do they? If one of them calls you a bitch, bite ’em.
I sure hope Ozzie is fixed. LOL!
Sophie is a typical woman. Sweet as candy until the old evil one comes to visit. She will be back to normal soon.
I sure hope Ozzie is fixed. LOL!
Sophie is a typical woman. Sweet as candy until the old evil one comes to visit. She will be back to normal soon.
poor ozzieman… i hope things change soon!
poor ozzieman… i hope things change soon!
Sorry to hear you’re having such difficulty with Sophie. It’s been a while since we had a girl dog in the house, but I never noticed a mood swing with our sammies. But each dog has her/his own personality. Do you know they have doggie diapers for girls in heat? You put the sanitary napkin in the diaper and change it just like a human. That will help reduce the mess. Good luck!
Sorry to hear you’re having such difficulty with Sophie. It’s been a while since we had a girl dog in the house, but I never noticed a mood swing with our sammies. But each dog has her/his own personality. Do you know they have doggie diapers for girls in heat? You put the sanitary napkin in the diaper and change it just like a human. That will help reduce the mess. Good luck!
She will get back to the norm soon. “heat” last for 3 weeks, 1 week going into, 1 week of and 1 week going out. My female, who now is in doggie heaven, was the same way when she was in heat. Once you have her fixed she will be back to her sweet self.
She will get back to the norm soon. “heat” last for 3 weeks, 1 week going into, 1 week of and 1 week going out. My female, who now is in doggie heaven, was the same way when she was in heat. Once you have her fixed she will be back to her sweet self.
Nicole,
I have always had female dogs, except one male springer that was a wonderful joyful guy. However, the darling little females, well, they are just like us. PMS, yup, plus, when they are in season, to put it ummm, well, I can’t put it gently…she wants to have a nice fulfilling romp with a some dashing male and I don’t think they realize exactly what it is they want or need and that doesn’t help the moodiness. Though if this is her first season, she is certainly too young yet. As far as the mess, with my smaller dogs, there has been no mess at all, they take very good care of themselves. With larger dogs its a little different. I had a beautiful Great Dane years ago and I finally resorted to strapping a sanitary napkin to her bottom. She got used to it quickly and it solved the problem. Now back to the ‘bitchy’ issue, my own experience is that after about 2 weeks, as they start to finish up their season, they start to return to their normal lovable self. With the exception that if they have puppies, it sometimes changes their personality a little. But I’ve got over wanting to do the puppy thing long, long ago. I always have my spade just before their first season. There are a couple of schools of thought on the timing of that. Some vets say if you are going to spay them, having it done prior to their first season reduces their risk of mammory cancer, but others say it doesn’t matter.
I don’t know if I have helped but I’m sure that if Sophie is anything like my little people in fur have been, she will bounce back to her old self. She is just feeling a bit ‘out of sorts’ and should be just fine.
I hope all is back to normal for all of you soon because it hurts our hearts to watch our pets go through tough times. It also tests our tempers and puts us a little ‘out of sorts’ too.
Keep us posted.
Nancy
Nicole,
I have always had female dogs, except one male springer that was a wonderful joyful guy. However, the darling little females, well, they are just like us. PMS, yup, plus, when they are in season, to put it ummm, well, I can’t put it gently…she wants to have a nice fulfilling romp with a some dashing male and I don’t think they realize exactly what it is they want or need and that doesn’t help the moodiness. Though if this is her first season, she is certainly too young yet. As far as the mess, with my smaller dogs, there has been no mess at all, they take very good care of themselves. With larger dogs its a little different. I had a beautiful Great Dane years ago and I finally resorted to strapping a sanitary napkin to her bottom. She got used to it quickly and it solved the problem. Now back to the ‘bitchy’ issue, my own experience is that after about 2 weeks, as they start to finish up their season, they start to return to their normal lovable self. With the exception that if they have puppies, it sometimes changes their personality a little. But I’ve got over wanting to do the puppy thing long, long ago. I always have my spade just before their first season. There are a couple of schools of thought on the timing of that. Some vets say if you are going to spay them, having it done prior to their first season reduces their risk of mammory cancer, but others say it doesn’t matter.
I don’t know if I have helped but I’m sure that if Sophie is anything like my little people in fur have been, she will bounce back to her old self. She is just feeling a bit ‘out of sorts’ and should be just fine.
I hope all is back to normal for all of you soon because it hurts our hearts to watch our pets go through tough times. It also tests our tempers and puts us a little ‘out of sorts’ too.
Keep us posted.
Nancy
She’ll get back to her happy self again…and when you have her spayed she’ll be happy all the time. Hang in there Ozzie!
She’ll get back to her happy self again…and when you have her spayed she’ll be happy all the time. Hang in there Ozzie!
Poor Ozzie, he looks so forlorn.
Just give Sophie a little chocolate, oh, wait, never mind, dogs can’t eat chocolate. We have a neutered male, sorry I can’t offer any constructive advice.
Poor Ozzie, he looks so forlorn.
Just give Sophie a little chocolate, oh, wait, never mind, dogs can’t eat chocolate. We have a neutered male, sorry I can’t offer any constructive advice.
I’m glad you are going to spay her. I guess I assumed you were going to breed the two of them. I’m glad you aren’t. :o)
I’m glad you are going to spay her. I guess I assumed you were going to breed the two of them. I’m glad you aren’t. :o)
I have several females and know all about heat cycles lol. During their heats they become very loving to humans and constantly need assurance as if they do not know what is going on, but very edgy around other dogs especially male dogs until they go into standing heat. Then they become such a nuisance to the other dogs that you have your hands full. If you do not want puppies, be sure that any day from her 7th day of bleeding right through to the 16th day and even longer, she can conceive and you must keep the dogs apart or bingo. The minute she is happy to reverse into the face of any dog she is ovulating. I have had females in standing heat as early as the second day. The best is to always keep the animals apart during this period or these fights can spoil the relationship between dogs for life. She will become her old self again, but take care that these fights do not become a real problem. The male cannot help himself when he smells the female on heat, and he has one thing in mind and that is too mate. Some females never go into standing heat when they live with males, but they all eventually seek out the male company as nature intended. Be sure that she is not left alone at night with your male dog (or during the day for that matter), as these things have a tendency to happen at night. Does that sound familiar? Even dogs like privacy!!!
Alice
I have several females and know all about heat cycles lol. During their heats they become very loving to humans and constantly need assurance as if they do not know what is going on, but very edgy around other dogs especially male dogs until they go into standing heat. Then they become such a nuisance to the other dogs that you have your hands full. If you do not want puppies, be sure that any day from her 7th day of bleeding right through to the 16th day and even longer, she can conceive and you must keep the dogs apart or bingo. The minute she is happy to reverse into the face of any dog she is ovulating. I have had females in standing heat as early as the second day. The best is to always keep the animals apart during this period or these fights can spoil the relationship between dogs for life. She will become her old self again, but take care that these fights do not become a real problem. The male cannot help himself when he smells the female on heat, and he has one thing in mind and that is too mate. Some females never go into standing heat when they live with males, but they all eventually seek out the male company as nature intended. Be sure that she is not left alone at night with your male dog (or during the day for that matter), as these things have a tendency to happen at night. Does that sound familiar? Even dogs like privacy!!!
Alice
Hi Nicole The photos Of the dogs Cheered me up a bitHope Sophie is back to normal again soon.
Hugs Mary.
Hi Nicole The photos Of the dogs Cheered me up a bitHope Sophie is back to normal again soon.
Hugs Mary.
Can’t you have her spayed during the heat? It seems to me that Gator was just coming into her first heat when we had her fixed. No problems since then–she’s the boss and the rest of us just accept that.
Can’t you have her spayed during the heat? It seems to me that Gator was just coming into her first heat when we had her fixed. No problems since then–she’s the boss and the rest of us just accept that.
Oh, my goodness. Our little Sophie is all grown up and PMS-ing! I can’t get the Neil Diamond song, “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon”, out of my head now! They grow up so fast……
Seriously, I didn’t want to take any chances and had Maggie spayed before her first heat. Because of that her personality hasn’t changed. She’s still my little Maggie the Brat that I love! But a little personality change would be a good thing sometimes. Especially when she’s barkin and digging and not coming when Mommy calls or leaving little “presents” on my carpet. Yea, I know. We wanted a dog……
Oh, my goodness. Our little Sophie is all grown up and PMS-ing! I can’t get the Neil Diamond song, “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon”, out of my head now! They grow up so fast……
Seriously, I didn’t want to take any chances and had Maggie spayed before her first heat. Because of that her personality hasn’t changed. She’s still my little Maggie the Brat that I love! But a little personality change would be a good thing sometimes. Especially when she’s barkin and digging and not coming when Mommy calls or leaving little “presents” on my carpet. Yea, I know. We wanted a dog……
Nicole, boy I hesitate to drop my couple of dimes in here.
Any bitches in heat have always been separated from the dogs because its hard on the males to be around the bitches (as you can see). If she comes into heat again before you get her spayed, definitely tote her to the breeder for an couple weeks.
Its hard on the males, girl. It really is.
Any other problmes between bitches and dogs after that is simply behavioral and can be managed with proper household management. When you get past this remember to LEAVE THEM ALONE TO WORK OUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
Don’t get in the middle of it. You’ll know if its serious. Trust yourself. You will. Getting involved makes it works but wait until you get this spaying handled.
If you decide not to get either one fixed – you’ll need a plan to remove her each time she comes into heat. Its the best way to maintain sanity and fairness.
Look at it from Ozzie’s point of view and please trust me on this.
Dog Mgmt Love, *karendianne.
Nicole, boy I hesitate to drop my couple of dimes in here.
Any bitches in heat have always been separated from the dogs because its hard on the males to be around the bitches (as you can see). If she comes into heat again before you get her spayed, definitely tote her to the breeder for an couple weeks.
Its hard on the males, girl. It really is.
Any other problmes between bitches and dogs after that is simply behavioral and can be managed with proper household management. When you get past this remember to LEAVE THEM ALONE TO WORK OUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
Don’t get in the middle of it. You’ll know if its serious. Trust yourself. You will. Getting involved makes it works but wait until you get this spaying handled.
If you decide not to get either one fixed – you’ll need a plan to remove her each time she comes into heat. Its the best way to maintain sanity and fairness.
Look at it from Ozzie’s point of view and please trust me on this.
Dog Mgmt Love, *karendianne.
Poor Ozzie! Poor Sophie – but I’m sure that soon everything is back to normal ;o)
Poor Ozzie! Poor Sophie – but I’m sure that soon everything is back to normal ;o)
Ugh! Going through the exact same thing here. Yikes!
Ugh! Going through the exact same thing here. Yikes!
I’m so sorry for you! I don’t know whether you’ve visited my blog recently but if you have you will see I’ve aquired a female Staffie (Meg) that is now 9 months old. I had her spayed last Wednesday so I’ve avoided all the problems.
With my previous dog, Jess, I had her booked for spaying, she came into season and got a very nasty infection and had to be spayed during the season. she was absolutely fine afterwards, a really loving dog who lived to 15.
I’m so sorry for you! I don’t know whether you’ve visited my blog recently but if you have you will see I’ve aquired a female Staffie (Meg) that is now 9 months old. I had her spayed last Wednesday so I’ve avoided all the problems.
With my previous dog, Jess, I had her booked for spaying, she came into season and got a very nasty infection and had to be spayed during the season. she was absolutely fine afterwards, a really loving dog who lived to 15.