My 3 year old lab has gone off his food and is whinning a lot. He is full of life and eager to go out but doesn't want to settle and keeps going to the back fence nose in the air. Could it be a ***** in season- he has eaten hardly anything for 5 days now and is fretting yet full of life?

b*tch in season would be my first guess, especially from the sniffing the air comment.

Is he neutered?

I would agree too. B**** in season would make the most sense. But if he isn't neutered it could just be a new pet in the area as well peeking his interest outside. As for the not eating some dogs at this age go through a finiky eating stage as well.

Are you planning to neuter your dog? This will "calm" him down so to speak, and will help with roaming issues should they arise.

I agree, if he's not neutered he needs to breed twice a year or you'll have more problems. Neutering will save you and him lots of difficult times.

I have never heard of having to breed a dog in order to keep him sane.. Well behaved dogs are controllable around females in heat.

You need to neuter your dog. Although, sometimes even neutering won't cure the need or want to pro-create. This phase will pass. Intake males will lose weight during this time, but he will get over it.

There is also the implant you can get done if you prefer not the neuter (or if he is already neutered). Have seen dogs ignore b*tches in full season with the implant in... of course they still produce sperm and are capable of mating, it just helps curb their interest in it.

Lucky, it isn't necessarily the breeding, but rather the hopes of it that drives most of them a little wacky. There are some guys like that, too.

Lucky, it isn't necessarily the breeding, but rather the hopes of it that drives most of them a little wacky. There are some guys like that, too.

I know that! But stating that you have to breed a dog min. 2 times a year to calm him down? Never heard of that except for in ferrets... on the females end of it, too.. and to prevent female issues...

I think it was me who said twice per year and I did not word it very well. If the b**** lives in the immediate area and your dog is picking up on it then it will likely happen twice a year as the b**** goes through her cycle.

Nor have I. A male getting that much experience, like one of the kennel stud dogs, would soon learn to space himself and just go for the most effective time for a 'take'. There is a change in hormones at that time, so probably they can detect the smell.. So, maybe that is what is meant... the old trooper knows when it's time to get excited and when to not look foolish getting all worked up for nothing.

The smell of a female in estrus carries for a LONG distance... witness the hoard of strange dogs that the unspayed female will attract to her yard when she comes in.

Often dogs that have never had a mating will get excited by the faintest scent of a female.
Stud dogs that have had multiple matings tend to understand when the right time is. My mum had a dog that would only mate a b*tch within a 2-3 day window, he knew exactly when she was ready.