08/08/2026
**EDIT/UPDATE** because I think the comments have accidentally highlighted the point of this post 😅
A little context that wasn't in my original post. We were out for breakfast, sitting outside at the furthest table away from everyone else, with around six other tables occupied. Nellie was on lead, settled on her own mat and wasn't actively bleeding. There was one other dog there, a male, who was completely unfazed by her. The person who tutted at us didn't actually have a dog with them.
We knew where Nellie was in her season, were observing her behaviour and had considered the environment before deciding this was appropriate for her on that particular morning.
What's been interesting is how many comments have done exactly what that original tut did - filled in the information that wasn't there and then judged me and my dog on the scenario they've imagined.
Nellie wasn't bleeding around a pub, loose amongst entire males or sitting inside a busy venue. And I was never suggesting that every dog in season should be taken everywhere. The whole point was that dogs are individuals. Their behaviour, the stage of their season, the environment, management and the dogs around them all matter. We can consider the needs of other dogs while also considering the needs of the dog in front of us.
We see such a tiny snapshot of other people's dogs and the choices they're making. We don't know the dog, their behaviour, their history, their management or the thought that's gone into that decision.
There absolutely needs to be consideration for other dogs, just as there needs to be consideration for the dog in front of us. For me, good management sits somewhere in that middle ground - observation, individual assessment, sensible risk management and being prepared to change the plan when the dog or environment tells us we need to.
Maybe we could all do with a little less tutting - online and offline. 🤎
----‐------------------------------------------------------------
I got tutted at today for taking Nellie to the pub while she’s in season 🙃
So… can we talk about dogs in season?
Being in season doesn’t automatically mean three weeks of house arrest. Nellie is still Nellie. She still wants to sniff, explore, have little adventures, spend time with us and be part of everyday life. Her needs haven’t disappeared just because her hormones have changed. Of course, it does mean we manage things differently.
She stays on lead. We give other dogs plenty of space. We’re particularly mindful of entire males. We choose where we go carefully, keep an eye on how she is feeling, and if something isn’t working for her, we change the plan. And that’s really the important bit. Not every dog in season is going to want a pub trip. Some will feel tired, uncomfortable, overwhelmed or just want to stay home. Others will be perfectly happy pottering out for a little adventure.
As always, it’s about observing the dog in front of you and adapting accordingly. A season changes how we manage our dogs. It doesn’t mean they suddenly stop having needs.
She has hormones, not a contagious disease.
And Nellie, for the record, thoroughly enjoyed her pub trip 😂.
