Heat Cycle/Busting Birds

[Gertie]

Just got home from a 4 day chukar hunt and my 3 year old female setter came into season the last day. She was unusually temperamental and stubborn the whole trip (not coming when called, not crating without being shoved in, etc.) and the last day I caught her red-handed busting birds out 300 yards ahead of me. To my knowledge she hasn't done that since she was broke at about 18 months. I reprimanded her with the e-collar and made her stay within 20 yards the rest of the hunt (which was miserable for both of us). Even then, some of the birds were flushing on their own 50+ yards out and she would break and try to chase. In your experience, would you associate this with her heat cycle or have I got a real problem on my hands? As always, I'm very appreciative of your thoughts and advice. Cheers!

[shags]

Sounds just like the intact females I've tried to keep. I call it "going stupid". It lasted from before they came in, while they were in, and for a while after they came out.
My friends with girl dogs mention that their dogs aren't always themselves around estrus, either.

Good luck, and patience

[Chukar12]

Gertie,

My money is on the heat cycle, I have seen it lots...enough that my females see very little competition. It is just too frustrating in the inconsistency, and some you will find are effected much worse than others.

I would not fret that your training is out the window, but just as you described .... don't tolerate the behavior either.

JG

[SCT]

Sounds just like the intact females I've tried to keep. I call it "going stupid". It lasted from before they came in, while they were in, and for a while after they came out.
My friends with girl dogs mention that their dogs aren't always themselves around estrus, either.

Good luck, and patience

Shags. if I didn't know you were a female I might have construed your post as comical;-)

[Munster]

Yeah, I get the same thing with my little bitch. As a bonus, it always seems she is in heat when I have her signed up for a test. Great fun.
On the flip side, when it comes to hunting, she is more aggressive with how she handles birds and I LOVE hunting her in season.

Also, I am a little quirky during that time too...............so says my husband and son. :roll:

[codym]

I have 4 female pointers and two of them can get real different during their cycles. Sometimes they are real loving other times just want to be left alone, they also can be black hearted in the field run off and take out birds etc. Kind of like some mares.

[ncpointers]

Several times a year I hear some version of "She's never done that" or "What's got into her" to be shortly followed by an update that she came in. It happens quite often.