Seeking helpful hints and info about the heat cycle

[Kebasmom]

I've had female basenjis before but this is the first time I have also have an intact male in the house so I have some questions.

First what are the initial signs of inpending heat. I have noticed extra interest in the rear end there from both male and female but no desperation or attempts to mate or anything just some sniffing around. I also noticed some bleeding from my little girl yesterday. Since I noticed the extra interest a couple of weeks ago the dogs have been kept separate.

Is there usually snarkiness between the two sexes when the heat cycle begins?

My girl is only 5 and a half months old. How long should this last?

How do you know when it's over and safe to let the dogs hang out together again and how the heck do you know when it all really started?

How do most of you keep your dogs separated? I currently have the girl in the kitchen with a four foot high ex-pen stretched across the entry way and when we are gone she is in the crate.

Should I keep one of them upstairs?

Both of the dogs are show dogs and at least the girl will be bred later on down the road depending on what her breeder/co-owner want to do so spay/neuter is not an option right now.

Finally - not that I plan on doing this, but what are the rules about showing a female that is in heat?

I know this encompasses a lot of questions an I really appreciate answers to any of the above question.

Thanks.

[tanza]

Extra interest is a good indication that your bitch may be coming in season.. and while typically they come in during the Fall, puppies sometimes will have a puppy season… NOTE however they can get breed...
Season is 30 days (and it is the longest 30 days of your life).... and you need to watch the bitch for blood.. and/or excessive cleaning of herself. Basenji bitches are very clean and you can miss when they come in because they will keep themselves clean... once you see the blood you need to separate them TOTALLY.... no contact... they should be in crates... a four foot xpen will NOT keep a boy from the bitch...

And yes there is snarkiness.. as the bitch is having hormonal changes and the dog is just "horny"... period... as in the brain cells have moved to the tail end of the boy...

Note that your boy will be worse the last week.. it is like they figured out they have "missed" the prime time.... And yes the males will howl, scream, cry, whine, quit eating, you name it....

[Kebasmom]

Thanks for the info Pat. I've been keeping her on a leash hooked to my waist lately. When we leave the house my girl has always been crated and my boy has the run of the house (he is not destructive).

As for howling and screaming - glad I live in the sticks on four and a half acres!!

Karen

[tanza]

You may want to rethink having him loose and her crated when you are not there… I have heard of more then one Basenji either getting the crate open or breeding through the wire....

and you will wish you lived "four" acres away...ggg

Oh and by the way there is nothing wrong with showing a bitch in season in the show ring... you just warn off the others, especially that have males and tell the judge before they start going over her on the table...

[renaultf1]

Definitely listen to Pat…Ruby let Brando out of his crate once. She escaped from her ex-pen and then went and let Brando out so she'd have a playmate. :eek:

[tanza]

My mentors in the breed, years ago has an "opps" breeding when their one bitch Korii let one of the bitches in season out and one of the boys… Marilyn came home to ... you guess it... and Korii watching!!!!

[Kebasmom]

Are you telling me that our basenjis are not only sneaky but kinky too?!?

[agilebasenji]

Here's my advice (in addition to all of the above):

Get a DAP. Use it. Replace on schedule.
http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/behavior/a/dogbehaviorprob.htm

[Kebasmom]

Funny you should mention the DAP thing. Just this past week I bought not only the plug in but the collar too. I couldn't believe it was actually cheaper at the vet!!

[agilebasenji]

last fall was my first time with intact males and an in season girl. i'd plugged it in when z first started maybe/possibly coming in. i had no idea if it worked. until it expired. oh my! the whining all night long. i looked at the calendar, sure enough, no more DAP. there was still liquid in the container, so i thought it was still working - nope. so, replace on schedule.