# Dog in heat at dog park?



## ILuvLucy (May 3, 2008)

I've just started bringing my dog (7 months) to a dog park nearby. So far, it's been great fun for her. 
We were there last night, and there was a GSD in heat. One person seemed quite annoyed that the owner would bring her to the dog park in this condition, as he was worried his dog might try to mate with her. Though, I have to say, his dog was not too bad with this.
Are there any "unwritten" rules as far as this is concerned? I think the owner of the GSD was somewhat irresponsible, but, he said that she needed her exercise. It all seemed to work out in the end.


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

ILuvLucy said:


> I've just started bringing my dog (7 months) to a dog park nearby. So far, it's been great fun for her.
> We were there last night, and there was a GSD in heat. One person seemed quite annoyed that the owner would bring her to the dog park in this condition, as he was worried his dog might try to mate with her. Though, I have to say, his dog was not too bad with this.
> Are there any "unwritten" rules as far as this is concerned? I think the owner of the GSD was somewhat irresponsible, but, he said that she needed her exercise. It all seemed to work out in the end.


I think there are unwritten rules about bringing dogs in season to the dog park or anywhere else for that matter.... while it turned out ok.... having a dog in season adds a whole other dynamic to a dog park.... not to mention that if an intact male had been at the park a tie could have happened before any of the owners could have prevented it.... 

it is irresponsible for the owner to bring an intact in season girl to a dog park where she has no control over the situation.... and what other dogs are there..... 

unbelieveable
s


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well the owner of the gsd was just lazy, her dog could have gotten her exercise by the owner taking it for walks and playing with it. At our dog park there is a rule that states that you are not to bring your dog to the park if its in heat.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

In many dog parks it is a WRITTEN rule that you are not allowed to bring in heat dogs to the park and can result in a fine just as bringing dog aggressive dogs can. 

Yes, it IS very irresponsible for the owner of the female to bring her dog to a public place while she's in heat.


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## ILuvLucy (May 3, 2008)

I did feel bad for the one dog owner with an intact 7 month old male.

The owner of the GSD in heat was a young guy - maybe in his 20's. Probably needs more education. Someone asked him if he's going to breed her, and he said he'd like to. Hopefully he will get smarter before he does this.


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## Kotone (Apr 20, 2008)

I agree, not only unwritten, but written as well. At all the dog parks I've been to, there are always rules, and one of them is that dogs in heat are not permitted. Someone at a dog park near me had a small dog at a mostly large dog park that was in heat. She was the center of attention for the males...I wanted to say something but I was too sheepish. But...definitely not a good idea.


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## Zoom (Jul 22, 2008)

Yeah I think it is kinda rude to take a dog in heat to a dog park.


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## Criosphynx (May 15, 2008)

hah! was is at MY dog park? 

This happend to me about 2 years ago.. The guy had a black GSD. He stood in the dog park to talk to som'one he knew and kept her on a short leash.

My dog (who is altered) was obsessing over her like i've never seen before and i couldn't get him to stop.

The guy _swatted my dog in the face with a newspaper_ (not hard,but still) to get him to go away. 

In the ensuing arguement he admitted his dog was in heat. I about ripped his face off with words. What an idiot.


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## DobManiac (Aug 12, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> Well the owner of the gsd was just lazy, her dog could have gotten her exercise by the owner taking it for walks and playing with it. At our dog park there is a rule that states that you are not to bring your dog to the park if its in heat.


It's not even safe to walk a dog that in heat. When Dawn had her first heat a dog run a half a block to find her during our walk. I didn't even know at that time she was in heat. She was spayed shortly after, so now it's not an issue. But I have no idea how I'm going to excersice Ollie for a full month without being able to walk her. She is going to be one really hyper dog for four weeks.


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

DobManiac said:


> It's not even safe to walk a dog that in heat. When Dawn had her first heat a dog run a half a block to find her during our walk. I didn't even know at that time she was in heat. She was spayed shortly after, so now it's not an issue. But I have no idea how I'm going to excersice Ollie for a full month without being able to walk her. She is going to be one really hyper dog for four weeks.


normally I ask all my puppy people to wait one heat cycle before spaying and in my time as a breeder I have made two exceptions.... one was for a puppy that had a umbilical hernia that the vet said was no problem but I wanted repaired and they had young children that I was concerned about .... but the second was for a couple that lived in NYC and they had taken their dog to the kennel/spa for a bath and all that and the dogs on the street would not leave her along.... because sometimes males are confused by the smell of certain shampoos.... they couldn't imagine how they were goign to walk her (her only exercise) if she was in season.... 

I told them they could spay early..... its really hard in a big city like that..... 

s


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## Lorina (Jul 1, 2006)

Bringing a dog in heat to a park is about as inconsiderate and foolish as sending a kid in full fledged chicken pox to school. It's just going to mess things up for everyone else.


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## DobManiac (Aug 12, 2007)

Shalva said:


> normally I ask all my puppy people to wait one heat cycle before spaying and in my time as a breeder I have made two exceptions.... one was for a puppy that had a umbilical hernia that the vet said was no problem but I wanted repaired and they had young children that I was concerned about .... but the second was for a couple that lived in NYC and they had taken their dog to the kennel/spa for a bath and all that and the dogs on the street would not leave her along.... because sometimes males are confused by the smell of certain shampoos.... they couldn't imagine how they were goign to walk her (her only exercise) if she was in season....
> 
> I told them they could spay early..... its really hard in a big city like that.....
> 
> s


I have good size back yard, but it has several levels so the dogs aren't able to run like they want too. But I take them to a field at least once most days twice to play fetch and run around. Ollie lives for this, so it's really gonna be hard on her not to go. I have also started road working her two or three times a week. Just a steady trot for a little over a mile. But I'll be too nervous to do that either.

I'm starting to wonder how people breed without living on at least five acres. I plan to move in a year, but for right now I will probably just stick to mental stimulation.


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

DobManiac said:


> I have good size back yard, but it has several levels so the dogs aren't able to run like they want too. But I take them to a field at least once most days twice to play fetch and run around. Ollie lives for this, so it's really gonna be hard on her not to go. I have also started road working her two or three times a week. Just a steady trot for a little over a mile. But I'll be too nervous to do that either.
> 
> I'm starting to wonder how people breed without living on at least five acres. I plan to move in a year, but for right now I will probably just stick to mental stimulation.


I have six acres here but only two are fenced and it is a challenge....w e have a two door rule so there must be two closed locked doors in between boys and girls at all time
and yes it ca nbe a challenge to rotate dogs in and out.... 

s


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## DobManiac (Aug 12, 2007)

Shalva said:


> I have six acres here but only two are fenced and it is a challenge....w e have a two door rule so there must be two closed locked doors in between boys and girls at all time
> and yes it ca nbe a challenge to rotate dogs in and out....
> 
> s


I have my eye on a place that's 2.75 acres. But I need about one more year to get myself ready to buy it. But either way I should have something way before I decide about breeding Ollie. She's only 9 months and I wouldn't breed her before she was around 3. That will give me time to get her an obedience and hopefully an agilty title. She's got a lot of drive so I also want to do some schutzhund training with her.


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