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Intact male behaves as if spayed female is in heat?

Behavioral Issues
  • Some females with outright or even low grade urinary tract infections can emit an odor that to an inexeperienced male mimics being in heat. Even if there is no overt infection a female with an anatomy (or haircoat) that harbor bacteria or yeast can also emit this similar odor. So while a spayed bitch (assuming no remnants of her ovaries or uterus were left in during the spay) will not be emiting true sexual attracting hormones, she can be emiting mimicing smells and tastes.


    CL125

  • He might just be a horn-dog, too. :D

  • Interesting, Linda- he was also sniffing her urine outside in the snow and clacking his teeth. She isn't showing any signs of a UTI but I may just bring her in to be checked anyhow.

    Could be her anatomy, too….she does have a dense coat and her vulva seems to be small and a bit "tucked up" into her body. Would "wiping" her occasionally with a wet wipe help? Apple cider vinegar?

    And AJ- LOL....yeah, you could be right! He tried to go after my leg a couple times when Chloe kept frustrating him. LOL.

  • Personally, I think Basenji's have a 'thing' for fluffy dogs. My male loves my female Heeler x Am Esk-and even more so when she has a full coat. I don't keep her in coat anymore as she is too old, but, yup he loved her with a passion with that full coat.

  • Two thoughts.

    Has your girl been anywhere where she could have played with another bitch that was in heat? The reason I ask is I went away to a show one time with my pup and nearly every girl around her was in heat. She played with a couple of them after the show. Well when I brought her home, Brando (intact) was right after her - wouldn't take no for an answer (from me or her). I scooped her up, gave her a bath, and then presto, no more mounting "activity" (still some sniffing) from Brando. It was kind of funny because he was going around the room after acting like, "what just happened - where'd my date go?" :D:D:D

    The other thing is maybe there is a bitch in heat near your house. I can instantly tell when there is in my neighborhood (a guy down the street owns a pack of beagles that I know are intact) - Brando does sniff/lick the pee (of both my girls) and click his teeth, even though one of my girls is spayed and the other isn't in heat. And every year he tries to mount Ruby (spayed) during that time.

  • Arlene, too funny!! Jibini used to have a "thing" for yellow Labs. I boarded him at a place in Vegas once called the "Doggy Oasis" (long time B-List members might remember viewing the live camera feed on the 'net). He was so deeply in "love" with a yellow Lab, that they had to seperate the two. And it seemed every time we went to the dog park, he'd pick a yellow lab to "romance".

    Renault- that is interesting…Chloe hasn't been anywhere with other dogs lately though. My landlord does have 3 intact female Labs, but he lives 2 miles away. I'm way out in the country- he's my nearest neighbor and my neighbor on the other side is 3 miles away- but he DOES have a kennel of hunting dogs (he's the guy I work for). I am fairly sure nobody's in heat there- we do a check once a week- otherwise I'd bet it could be MY clothes/shoes that could be setting him off. But my landlord's dogs could be in heat, I'm not sure. Can 'heat' scent travel that far?

  • Woofless, the beagle pack on my street is about 2 miles down the road from where I am. I've always been told they can smell the scent for miles.

  • @sinbaje:

    Some females with outright or even low grade urinary tract infections can emit an odor that to an inexeperienced male mimics being in heat. Even if there is no overt infection a female with an anatomy (or haircoat) that harbor bacteria or yeast can also emit this similar odor. So while a spayed bitch (assuming no remnants of her ovaries or uterus were left in during the spay) will not be emiting true sexual attracting hormones, she can be emiting mimicing smells and tastes.

    I agree this could be a definate possibility. 2 weeks ago my male dobermann was getting VERY interested in my youngest dobe bitch (both her and her urine)- who i knew was nowhere near her season - then noticed a discharge - quick visit to vets and she was taken straight away for an emergency spay - due to pyometra. If i were you i would get her checked out just incase, you cant mess around with things like that.

  • @Elscodobermann:

    I agree this could be a definate possibility. 2 weeks ago my male dobermann was getting VERY interested in my youngest dobe bitch (both her and her urine)- who i knew was nowhere near her season - then noticed a discharge - quick visit to vets and she was taken straight away for an emergency spay - due to pyometra. If i were you i would get her checked out just incase, you cant mess around with things like that.

    +2 - I agree that you should first rule out anything medically.

  • @renaultf1:

    I scooped her up, gave her a bath, and then presto, no more mounting "activity" (still some sniffing) from Brando. It was kind of funny because he was going around the room after acting like, "what just happened - where'd my date go?" :D:D:D

    Thats too funny :D:D:D

11/11

20 Jan 2010, 19:44

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    Getting Smitty neutered should help some. Remember now is the crankiest time of year for basenjis…everyone is in reproduce mode! I agree with separating them at feeding time. At least until you everyone gets used to each other and sorts out their place in the pack. To some extent, I think it is important to let Smitty and Ramsey work it out...but not to the point of drawing blood. Ramsey probably feels threatened by a new guy in the picture. I wouldn't be quick to reprimand one or the other for growling either. It is hard to know exactly what is going on during an interaction, and you wouldn't want to reprimand at the wrong time...kwim? If you step in and reprimand right as Smitty was about to submit, you could keep delaying (or escalating) the situation. If you think things are about to get out of control, separate and crate them both for a few minutes. Often that is enough for them to forget what they were angry about. I also do 'cooperative feeds' with mine when I am having an issue. Both dogs have to sit politely and I take turns feeding out treats to the offenders. But, beware...they need to be trained to do this first before you would want to try it with two animals that might fight over treats. It helps if you have another person to train and treat each dog when you first start. Another technique that sometimes works is to simply get up, and step in between the dogs before things get out of hand. Usually, a stern 'knock it off' will help, if you can deliver it BEFORE they actually start fighting. Good luck, I hope everything settles down soon.