• Well, it looks like Zoni just came into season, I just saw some spotting. Hopefully she's just early and isn't going to be a twice-a-year kinda girl. I don't mind so much, but it's just my luck that her first set up shows are this Friday/Saturday and next Saturday. It would have been nice not to have the extra complication. So what do I need to do when I have her there? Do I need to keep her covered until we are in the ring? I guess I would probably have to keep her away from the ring until the bitches are up? Although, I don't think the specialty site is that big, so I'll have to see what is logistically possible. Yippeee, just something else to make me more nervous. :rolleyes:

    Oh, and do I need to keep her and Nemo separated? Is he going to bug her to death now even though he's neutered?

    :eek::eek::eek::eek:


  • It may be she just came in early. I have been chatting with a friend in NC and she thinks her girls are coming in season based on her boys' behavior.

    At the show, just be sure to keep your distance from the boys when you are waiting you turn. Bring your crate keep her there but you will still want to get her out and get her warmed up for going in the ring. Let the judge know so when they go over her they know. And be sure to be patient because in season girls can be a handful.

    At home, I do crate when my girls are in season but when I am home I just keep an eye on everyone. Nicky is only really interested when they are "prime" now that he is neutered and Rally has made it very clear that he will never be allowed near her or her daughters when they are in season so mostly he just pouts.


  • Awww - hang in there! I'm sure Zoni will be beautiful on her show days & you both will be just fine! 🙂


  • I just got an email from her breeder and she said that she has had several girls either come into season at 6 months and then either skip the 1st Fall or come in late in the year. Then the next year is often back to regular basenji time in the 2nd Fall. So hopefully that is the case. I don't think she has had any that are twice-a-year so far.

    Hopefully there will be plenty of room at the specialty for us to keep our distance and stay out most of the time. She needs a little time to get used to her surroundings and she really doesn't like her crate if there is stuff going on. Plus we have to go into the ring at least three times for sweepstakes, regular class and brood bitch, so it will be in-and-out several times.

    At least this is somewhat of blessing in disguise, I don't think she was going to pass her graduate puppy test (mostly because I haven't been practicing with her enough), so at least I will have to to skip it now. We were going to repeat the class anyway. :p


  • @RedVelvetLynx:

    Awww - hang in there! I'm sure Zoni will be beautiful on her show days & you both will be just fine! 🙂

    Thanks, I need the encouragement. She's already a handful, so this is going to be really interesting. :p


  • You will do fine and now you have two excuses for when she acts like a goof in the ring. You can blame it on her puppy brain and her hormones!


  • And also let the other exhibitors at the show know that she just came in season… and just keep an eye on her, keeping her away from the other B's... especially the boys...and yes, when you first put her on the table for the exam, before the judge touches her, let him/her know she is in season.....
    You don't really have to get to stressed out... she has every right to be there, in season or not. If you alerted everyone that she is in season, they need to watch their own dogs too....


  • Yes, if you really do have to take her at the very least make sure you keep an eye on how close you are letting her get to other dogs. The others will naturally be interested in her so make sure the handlers are aware and just be conscious of where Zoni is at all times 😃

    Over here you wouldnt really be able to show in season, its very much frowned upon, some shows put in there schedules you are not allowed to take in-season bitches. But i know things are done differently in America so as long as you show the fellow exhibitors courtesy and let them know the situation im sure all will be fine! I do find that my bitches tend to be somewhat lethargic when in season so you might need to take some tasty treats or toys with you to keep her attention 🙂


  • Hmmm, I wasn't planning on using them but it seems to almost makes sense to get some of the "bitch britches" or the like when you have a dog in season at a show. At least that would be a somewhat obvious sign that she is in season to everyone. Although I don't really have time to get any and I can't imagine that she would wear them. But it seems like it would be more polite particulary at the all breed shows where I really can't inform everyone around me easily. Does anyone else do that?


  • Mine just chew them off when they are in the crate and when they are out of the crate you are getting ready to go in the the ring so they would need to be taken off. So I don't know how useful they would actually be at a show. I do use them at agility class when the girls are in season.

    Though it sounds like alot to keep track of, it really isn't that bad when you actually get to the show.


  • Follow up question…so if they come out of season around 30 days, so does that mean they are basically back to normal or just that they are no longer fertile?


  • @Maya:

    Over here you wouldnt really be able to show in season, its very much frowned upon, some shows put in there schedules you are not allowed to take in-season bitches.

    Interesting, I have never seen that in an open or championship show conformation schedule, only in those for performance shows and in flyers for small companion shows that will probably have obedience in the next door ring. Not that I go to many open shows these days.
    It does tend to be frowned upon (depends on the breed a bit and also whether it's a all-breed or specialty show) but there is no actual KC rule forbidding showing bitches in season at conformation shows.


  • There is no Kennel Club ruling which restricts the showing bitches in season at UK shows. I agree its not the done thing at open shows as mostly the classes are mixed sex, but you can show if you want.

    Working trials/obedience are different and its understandable that they do not want in season bitches there.

    Champ shows are another matter, It is perfectly acceptable to show an in season bitch at a champ show, but common sense dictates that you take measures to ensure as little distruption to dog judging as possible, i.e. use a spray, keep away from dogs at ringside until its your class etc.

    Mind you i havent shown tilly in season as she puts on weight a bit then - but i won my 3rd cc with my dobe bitch when she was in season - she was always on her toes then and showed like a dream.


  • @Borbasuk:

    Interesting, I have never seen that in an open or championship show conformation schedule, only in those for performance shows and in flyers for small companion shows that will probably have obedience in the next door ring. Not that I go to many open shows these days.
    It does tend to be frowned upon (depends on the breed a bit and also whether it's a all-breed or specialty show) but there is no actual KC rule forbidding showing bitches in season at conformation shows.

    Its mostly companion or limit shows that have it, but i have seen it in a couple of open show schedules this year.


  • I can never understand why our breed clubs hold their champ shows when a lot of the bitches are in season, September and October. I have shown Kia in season, but only when the dogs at home are showing little interest in her, but have missed at least two. Also Rufus is high as a kite at these shows (those that know him might not notice the difference!)

    I am hoping that this year Kia will be OK as she surprised us and came into season at Blackpool (June) so she missed East of England instead! Fingers crossed she wont come in again this year.


  • @Elscodobermann:

    Mind you i havent shown tilly in season as she puts on weight a bit then - but i won my 3rd cc with my dobe bitch when she was in season - she was always on her toes then and showed like a dream.

    Indeed; my Ruby was also in when she won her third, and she always looked her best at that time. Kiri, who I was showing at the same time, went the opposite way so once I knew this I never showed her in season. I've got one at the moment I'd happily show in season (and have) and one I'm less sure about; I think with Basenjis you just have to know your own girls and how being in season affects them.
    For myself I don't show them at open shows (except breed club ones) but if they are happy to be shown I take them to the Ch shows for as long as my own stud dog isn't concerned. In my experience most Basenji males aren't that bothered in the early stages, especially when it is out of the normal 'season' time. I showed Bryn and Ezri to win the Brace class at BOBA last year when she was about ten days in (having checked there were no other males entered in the class).


  • @moetmum:

    I can never understand why our breed clubs hold their champ shows when a lot of the bitches are in season, September and October.

    I think it is long custom and practice based on it being a quieter time of year for the general shows, but before the cold and darker evenings set in. BOBA has had its show on the first weekend in October for as long as I can remember and probably long before that (and it is a very busy date for club shows), but BCGB used to have an August date which usually fell on the Sunday after the Welsh KC show on the Friday, and have only moved to September recently.
    As breed clubs we have to indicate the date for our Ch show to the KC nearly 4 years ahead so changing it is like turning a supertanker! Really the only other option, away from the hectic June/August period would be a spring date, probably April, but that then causes timing issues for the Open show and AGM which are normally held then.


  • I agree it would seem to make more sense if Basenji breed shows were held earlier in the year, as i did miss one last year as tilly was in full season and a bit portly. I love breed shows and hate missing them. In my ideal world there would be lots of breed shows and just a handful of all breed ones. (like the GSD folk do)

    I know it is difficult to change dates, and moving one date always impacts on something else.. i was on committee of the Scottish Dobe club for many years, we eventually managed to change our date from October to August, and it is now back-to-back with the SKC champ show - and our entries have significantly grown since we did that, as more people make the long journey when they know they have 2 chances of a ticket!


  • @Nemo:

    Follow up question…so if they come out of season around 30 days, so does that mean they are basically back to normal or just that they are no longer fertile?

    At 30 days they should be out of season and no longer fertile… however, some bitches can have a split season, were they go into season, stop and the come back in again weeks later. But that is not very common.....

    Not sure what you mean by "back to normal"... many bitches have what I have always called the "blue funk" for at least a month to two months after season.. .even puppies... and they can very easily "pack on the pounds"... as in their head they are preparing for whelping.... Each bitch is different... and her breeder might be able to give you an idea as to how the rest of her family acts in season and after....


  • @tanza:

    At 30 days they should be out of season and no longer fertile… however, some bitches can have a split season, were they go into season, stop and the come back in again weeks later. But that is not very common.....

    Not sure what you mean by "back to normal"... many bitches have what I have always called the "blue funk" for at least a month to two months after season.. .even puppies... and they can very easily "pack on the pounds"... as in their head they are preparing for whelping.... Each bitch is different... and her breeder might be able to give you an idea as to how the rest of her family acts in season and after....

    You figured out what I meant to say. :). I was just curious if at that 30 day timeframe if she would be more or less physically and mentally back to her pre-season self. She has packed on a little weight and the shape of her rear has changed some but I don't think she is too bad and I've cut back on her food a little to manage it. But it was enough that her breeder noticed but I didn't get any comments from the judges this weekend. Thanks!

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