Chaser Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 My BC-bitch turned 1yr on 15 June. She had a 'flash-in-the-pan' heat about one and a half months ago. I think it lasted all of 2 days. The last 2 weeks she's been doing something very weird. Directly after she had dinner she'll jump my leg - whether I'm sitting or standing - and carry on as though she is a male that is mating with a bitch. She'll do it a couple of times over approx. a 15 minute period and sort of settle down afterwards. I've been wondering whether I should have her fixed? Will it help at all? When exactly is the right time? I never spayed my first BC who I never bred with and she lived to be 11 without any health problems at all. So I thought I'll follow the same route with this madam. But alas..... Anyone out there able to shed light on her behaviour and give suggestions on whether I should have her spayed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esox Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I would definitely have her spayed. It greatly reduces the chance that a bitch will get any of the female cancers. A trainer told me that the "humping" is a dominance behavior. Alex still occasionally does this to her 2 Lab brothers. Esox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Number 1 - I'd get her spayed, period. While you had a previous dog that lived well unspayed, why take chances with increased likelihood of mammary tumors, pyometra, and unplanned pregnancy? As long as she is not in active heat, I would assume she could be spayed but your vet could give you the better advice there. I would guess that spaying may help with hormonal issues and, as I haven't had problems like yours in any intact bitch I've owned in the past (not Border Collies, in general), I can't comment on them but I am sure there are people here who can give useful advice. Your experience is another reason while I am all in favor of spaying bitches (ones that are not suitably proven for stockwork and breed-worthiness) - while there are generalities of the heat cycle, there are bitches who have very irregular, hard-to-detect, or otherwise unpredictable heat cycles, and swings in behavior and mood that may accompany them. Best wishes, and I hope people will chime in with better thoughts and advice than I have given you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 My sister had two female dogs for years. They were both fixed as puppies. The smaller one would hump the bigger one, several times a day. The bigger one didn't seem to mind at all. Seemed like just a habit that the little dog thought was fun. My dog won't hump any dogs, and Will Not Allow Humping of Himself. He gets all snarly and reactive if a dog moves in the most slight humping manner. I've never seen him make even the tiniest attempt to hump another dog. However, if I get on the ground and hold a blankie or pillow, he'll try to hump THAT. (Early on, he actually tried to hump ME if I got on the ground! The noive!) Seems to be something he'd like to do, but something he's scared to do unless he feels really safe. I think humping is something we really don't have a handle on. I suspect it probably has as many "purposes" in dog society as rough physical contact has in human society. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 there are bitches who have very irregular, hard-to-detect, or otherwise unpredictable heat cycles, and swings in behavior and mood that may accompany them. Oooph. Are you talking about the middle school where I teach? Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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