My 17 month old Lab has just come into heat for the first time. I'm wondering what the best method of getting her exercise is while she is in heat. Normally our routine consists of a walk in the mornings, playtime in the evenings combined with another walk.

The neighborhood I live in has a lot of dogs that basically roam free. And, obviously, since my dog is in heat, I have been having 5 or 6 six dogs hanging around my house all the time. I have been unable to do our daily routine because of all the dogs hanging around. Normally my dog is well behaved and will ignore the other dogs unless they come into our yard. However, since she has been in heat she has, for lack of a better expression, "lost her mind". As soon as we go outside she immediately starts looking for the male dogs that are out there and won't listen to me. The only thing she is interested in is the other dogs.

My question is, do I just give up on doing anything with her until she is no longer in heat, and just take her outside to go to the bathroom, or should I continue to try to exercise her despite the distractions.

I'm just wondering what other people do to exercise their dogs when they come into heat.

I don't have much experience with female dogs in heat. And just to answer the question that I know will be asked, I haven't had her spayed because I want a litter of puppies from her. I plan to breed her once, probably next summer. I'll get her spayed after that.

I normally just do my normal stuff but then I've never come out and had 5 or 6 dogs hanging around either...

If you can control her and feel comforable with not having an accidental mating I would do you normal routine. If not, better safe then sorry, in my book.

I have a Golden/Doodle of the same age that is currently in her first heat also. I am not walking her while she is in heat but I do use my treadmill for her. It isn't as much fun for us but at least she gets some exercise. I use it in bad weather also.

Treadmill? Huh, never thought about that. I don't know that Abby would walk on one.

If I could just get something done about the dogs being loose in the neighborhood it would be better.

The first time I put Reba on it she was totally confused. I began to jog in place next to her, she looked at me, met my pace and was fine. We are having intermittent torrents of rain today, it is another treadmill day.

Taking care of the neighborhood dogs would be the best solution, but it doesn't sound feasible. Have you called animal control?

Just wondering is 17 months a late age for a dog to go into heat. Phoenix had 2 heats by the time she was 1 year old I had her fixed after her 2nd heat do to letting her grow up befor we had her spayed

I'm not real sure, maybe a little late. Two heats by 1-year-old sounds very early to me. Maybe it depends when the dog was born (time of year) and the breed and size of the dog.

I've called them, but there really isn't a whole lot they can do. Most of the dogs are strays, and have become very good at hiding. I've taken to going out before I take Abby out to run them off, but they aren't there. But as soon as I bring Abby out, they appear. They subdivision I live in isn't really a typical subdivision. It is kinda out in the country. it is surrounded by a large wooded area. Lots of strays hang out there.

I was wondering if 17 months was late for a first heat too. But, I read online, that some larger dogs sometimes don't have their first heat until as late as 2 years. It just depends on the dog. I'm sure it could have to do with the time of year she was born, November 2, 2006 by the way. She weighs around 70#s

Heat cycles seem to have a strong genetic component to them. If you call the breeder he/she will be able to tell you what the norm is for those lines.

One of my papillon bitches went into her heat at 18 months. That was amazingly late and she seems to go long spells between them at about 9 months between heats. So far no issues with this though.

On the flip of that her sister from the same litter goes into heat every six months like clockwork and was on her second heat by 12 months.

There are alot of components that can effect heat cycles so I wouldn't worry much.