heat and you would like to avoid pregnancy, the following advice should be considered.

Leaving her alone outdoors is a bad idea. During this time she will attract male dogs with the pheromones she creates. They may dig under or jump over fences in an attempt to mate with her. Even so, you may find male suitors waiting on your doorstep if they have been attracted by pheromones left in her urine when she eliminates outdoors.

You will want to accompany her outdoors to eliminate, and perhaps carry a can of pepper spray or mace with you if you've noticed large or aggressive male dogs in your area.

Unfortunately, leaving your dog inside can be inconvenient because of the bloody discharge she will secrete. While your female dog is in heat, keep her indoors and confined to an area where her discharge will not be a problem. You can crate her (remember to let her out for exercise and bring her crate into an area where she can spend time with family, so she doesn't get lonely), use baby gates to restrict her to an easy-to-clean kitchen or bathroom, or keep her in another area where a small potential mess will not be a big concern.

If you don't want to confine her while she's indoors, or don't have a suitable confinement area, consider dog panties as an alternative to restriction. Remember that your dog’s heat cycle will last about 3 weeks so you have to be prepared to endure the whole period. Only allow her outside for supervised playtimes and walks. Try to stay near your own home, as she will attract a lot of unwanted attention if she must go to a public park or area where there are unneutered male dogs.

If you are a breeder, it’s good to remember that a female dog can give birth to litters of multiple paternities. This is due to the fact that she can release up to 20 eggs per heat cycle, so remember to keep her confined after she has participated in a planned breeding. By doing this, you will avoid the production of extra, unwanted puppies

At the end of the day, responsible pet ownership is the way to go. As we've heard so many times before, unwanted breeding leads to too much pain and suffering to not care. It's your choice how you look after your pets, but do it without turning a blind eye towards the animal shelters that bear the responsibility of housing all these pets and in the saddest cases, putting them to sleep. Having your pets sterilized can leave them healthier, happier and eliminates ongoing worries for you.