Hi Shannon

I have 2 small Dachshunds... Bella is a bitch aged 7 months and JoJo (my boy) is 2 years old. Both are very well trained and I have kept a very strict routine with both of them. I walk them every day and sometimes twice if I feel they have to much energy.

Bella has just come into season and I was wondering if you could answer a few questions:

a) Will she suffer menstrual systoms like humans. In other words will she feel out of sorts and grumpy (that would explain her bad moods)?
b) Would it be too early for Bella to have a litter of pups and if so, what can I do to stop it for now?.
c) Why has JoJo become so territorial about his space? He picks fights with her whenever she wants to get in his bed or play.

Regards

HOT DOG

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Hi Hot Dog,

Thanks for your submission. Let me address your queries one by one:

a) Behavioural changes in bitches in season:

The short answer to your question is "yes". Prior to and during a heat cycle (which lasts an average of 21 days) there are hormones surging through the dog's body to prepare the body and mind for the possibility of conception and pregnancy. These hormones have a profound effect. Some dogs become very playful, while others can become quite withdrawn. This can change from day to day and behaviours such as house training could also regress. Your bitch would have no control over these emotions. It is impossible for me to say exactly how she would feel, but I would assume that she would probably feel "different" and thus perhaps unsettled and out of sorts. Some bitches also experience phantom pregnancies about two months after their season, which can be very disruptive from a behavioural view as well as presenting added health risks.

b) Having a litter of pups:

Seven months is far too young for a bitch to conceive and whelp, although she is certainly capable of this. She is not yet fully mature either physically or emotionally. Man has selectively bred dogs for early reproductive maturity whereas wild canines will only show reproductive maturity at about two years of age. This coincides with emotional maturity and would be the youngest age for a bitch to be able to bear the physical and behavioural demands of pregnancy and raising a litter of pups.

It goes without saying that should you wish to breed your bitch it should be done in an ethical and responsible manner. Many breeds suffer from genetic disorders that may not be obvious to the novice. Unless you are certain you would be improving the breed, don't do it.

In terms of stopping the bitch from having puppies the most obvious solution is to keep her away from all males during her heat. She may protest at this, so be prepared! There is no totally safe or effective method of canine family planning apart from abstinence or sterilisation.

c) Aggression from the older dog:

The bitch has got to the point where her "puppy licence" has expired. Older dogs will often tolerate enormous breaches of canine etiquette from young pups, but once the pups reach 5 - 7 months this licence expires. The male is now setting boundaries with the bitch. We often see this with humans. We would tolerate a 6-month-old baby pulling our hair, but would hardly show the same restraint if a 3-year-old toddler did the same. Perhaps it is an ingrained mammalian instinct to give immature young the opportunity to experiment with social interactions thereby better equipping them with social skills as they mature?

From what you say, the male appears to be the alpha dog and he is perfectly within his rights to be possessive over resources such as beds, food, attention etc. It is also his prerogative to ignore invitations to play and to put a stop to "nagging". Do not interfere with this stage and they will more than likely soon find a happy medium.

Shannon