No walkies during season?

[ganesh]

My dog has just come on heat (she is a fully grown flat-coated retriever) and I am getting conflicting advice. Some say keep her in except to wee,or she will attract dogs either on the walk or they will follow her scent home.
Others say it's Ok to walk on a lead if you're careful not to let her go. I am worried that I would not be very good at battling another dog (she is quite a handful anyway) but she looks so bored and three weeks without excercise is a gloomy prospect,she has so much energy. Our garden is open so it's not safe to run around in.
I used a spray on my last bitch many years ago which she hated and left her panicky every time you got the pledge can out!!
Any advice?

[Illyria54]

I don't think that those sprays work so I wouldn't waste my money on them. If you have somewhere quiet you could take her then lift her into the car as near as possible to your house, lead walk her for a short while not to far from your car, drive her home and get her out of the car, again as near as possible to your house so that she doesn't leave a scent trail near and up to your home, if you have difficulty controlling her normally then perhaps you would be safer to see if local kennels could take her until she has finished, I have a completely fenced in garden but each time the bitch in question needed to go out she was never ever left on her own, my breed is German Shepherds and they can scale a 6 ft fence with little or no effort and without a run up, thankfully they are now all spayed.
Good luck.

[lankeela]

Agree with taking her away from home in the car. She will need exercise or else will be climbing the walls. Take care to ensure there are no dogs anywhere near, as she will encourage them. Make sure she cannot escape, be careful no-one leaves the front door open even for a second!

[ganesh]

Good idea about the car. A walk along a country lane somewhere might be a good idea. I shall still worry about meeting other dogs though as she is a very big boisterous dog and has nearly pulled me over on occasions,as she loves to play with other dogs when she meets them,but if I can get someone to come with me it might work.
Surely a kennel wouldn't want her in her condition?
I am being careful about doors and keeping her on the lead when I take her in the garden.

[Illyria54]

Most boarding kennels have facilities to accommodate bitches in season, but it looks as if you are being as careful as you can be, when you take her out take an umbrella with you, if it looks as if a male dog may get a bit close then open the umbrella in front of him, don't poke his eye out with spoke though,lol. also if you are able to walk earlyish in the morning then hopefully there won't be too many dogs about.