First heat
The first heat can occur at different times. It all depends on the breed and individual factors. As a rule, in small breed dogs (such as dachshunds, Pomeranians), the first signs of estrus begin already at 7–8 months. For bitches of medium breeds (pug, cocker spaniel) - at 8-14 months, and for large breeds (shepherd, mastiff) - at 13-15 months.
To plan mating, you should not rely on the first heat . As a rule, the duration of estrus in dogs at this time is not constant; it can begin earlier or later, be interrupted, and even be invisible to the average owner. In order not to risk causing a false pregnancy, it is better to wait with mating until the third heat, when the female’s body has fully adapted.
The onset of estrus is caused by bloody discharge. To find out the exact time of onset, it is best to contact your veterinarian. He will be able to carefully examine the dog and, taking into account the characteristics of the breed and your bitch, will give a more accurate answer.
Summarize
In this article, we tried to tell everything about what estrus looks like in dogs, whether it happens in sterilized animals, and much more. Estrus is a difficult time for both the female and the owner. However, with proper care and pre-planned actions, even this period can pass calmly and without incident. But if you see serious deviations in behavior or in the nature of discharge, be sure to visit a veterinarian. Then you will find out exactly what the source of your worries is, keep your pet healthy and understand what to do next.
Source: https://lapy-i-hvost.ru/articles/sobaki/techka-u-sobak-simptomy-skolko-dlitsya-i-kogda-nachinaetsya.html
Signs of heat
During estrus, a dog's behavior often changes dramatically. Estrus can be determined by the following signs:
- bloody discharge from the loop;
- unusual activity or aggressiveness for a dog;
- sadness;
- frequent urination;
- increased attention from male dogs;
- molt.
During estrus, large breed dogs may become more aggressive. If your pet has stopped obeying normal commands and is overly excited, it is better to limit your movements around the city with him. Smaller breeds are characterized by excessive activity and playfulness.
When walking with a female dog in heat, you should be on guard. The smell of the discharge attracts males, which often causes unwanted mating. To prevent unwanted consequences, you should protect your pet from other cables.
Duration
The main question that interests all owners of females is how long does estrus last in dogs? Regardless of the breed, all dogs, from the miniature dachshund to the large shepherd, estrus lasts about 20–22 days .
The first eight days the bitch is not ready for fertilization and often avoids any contact with the cables. By the ninth day, the female becomes ready for mating, and within 7–8 days peak sexual activity is observed. Then activity drops, and the female's chances of becoming pregnant decrease.
To better understand how estrus proceeds and when favorable days for mating occur, consider periods of estrus in dogs .
- Proestrus is the first stage during the estrus period. It lasts about eight days from the start. During this period, heavy bleeding is observed. They can be seen everywhere the dog has been. Therefore, it is worth limiting the radius of movement or using special underwear. For the first eight days, the bitch is not ready for mating, so she may be aggressive or, conversely, depressed.
- Estrus is the second stage and lasts about 7–8 days after proestrus. The female begins to peak sexual activity. This can be noticed by certain signs, for example, the bitch begins to move her tail to the side, whine, and lie on her stomach.
- Diestrus - the third and final period of estrus lasts several days. The female ceases to feel interest in males and becomes more and more passive about mating. During this period, you should not breed a female, especially if it is a purebred dog such as a dachshund, cocker spaniel, labrador or shepherd.
The period between estrus is called anestrus . A healthy young dog should come into heat twice a year. Older dogs gradually enter estrus once a year. If this happens more or less frequently, you should contact your veterinarian.
Estrus - features of care and maintenance of the bitch
Every dog breeder, regardless of the gender of his dog, is one way or another faced with the phenomenon of estrus: owners of female dogs - directly, owners of male dogs - let's say, indirectly. Even if you don't intend to breed your dog, it's a good idea to at least have a basic understanding of the physiology of this period and take a few precautions.
What should a dog owner know about estrus?
Puberty in females occurs at the age of 8-10 months, in some large breeds later. It is at this time that the first estrus, or estrus, appears, and the bitch is ready for mating and fertilization, and therefore can become pregnant. However, the physiological maturity of a bitch (the readiness of a fully formed organism to bear and feed offspring) occurs much later - by 1.5-2 years.
The duration of the sexual cycle - the interval from the beginning of one heat to the beginning of another - for most bitches is 5-8 months, individual and breed variations from 4 to 15 months are possible.
In the sexual cycle without fertilization, there are 4 phases: proestrum, estrus, metoestrum and anestrum.
Days 1-9: Proestrum (the period of the beginning of estrus, preparation for hunting) - lasts on average 7-10 days. During this phase, follicles grow and mature in the ovaries, which produce estrogen hormones. Under the influence of estrogens, characteristic changes occur in the dog’s genital organs: swelling, enlargement and tension of the external genitalia (loops), bloody discharge from it, scanty at first, then more abundant, frequent urination. Behavior also changes
(in a wide range from aggressive to lethargic), the bitch becomes disobedient, excitable, and at times loses her appetite. Males are already paying attention to the dog, but the dog itself does not let them in and may even show aggression. Gradually, the dog begins to flirt with male dogs, but does not allow them to mount, she herself mounts familiar bitches.
Days 10-16: Estrus (actual estrus, sexual heat) - lasts an average of 7 (5-10) days. During this period (usually 1-3 days from the start of the hunt), ovulation occurs - the release of eggs from the follicles. The eggs are released within 12-24 hours, immature, and only after 3 days they acquire the ability to fertilize. The bitch's loop is still enlarged, but softened, and the discharge from it becomes light or yellow-pink or colorless, slimy and "odorous." When pressing with your hand on the sacrum and touching the loop or perineum, the bitch pulls the loop up and moves the tail to the side.
She reacts the same way at the sight of male dogs: she takes a mating position, moves her tail to the side and raises the loop, allows male dogs to mount her. On average, the duration of ovulation (the period during which a female dog can be fertilized) is 3-5 days. This is the most favorable time for mating... - and the most dangerous if you do not plan to breed your pet!
Metoestrum (quiet period after hunting) - lasts on average 30-60 days, is characterized by the production of progesterone, which stimulates the preparation processes of the endometrium, creating favorable conditions for the implantation of fertilized eggs and the development of pregnancy. Secretion of progesterone occurs regardless of whether pregnancy has occurred or not. With the beginning of this period, the bitch ceases to allow male dogs for mating, gradually her vulva becomes smaller, the discharge stops, and the likelihood of conception decreases.
Anestrum (rest period) is a stage of relative absence of sexual desire. The duration varies greatly, with an average of 90 to 130 days.
What surprises await you during your first heat?
The onset of the first heat is possible by six months. Consequently, a dog can become pregnant from six months. Therefore, carefully monitor your beloved dog at this time and remember that pregnancy and childbirth before one year are considered harmful to the animal’s body, negatively affecting the development and formation of the body, as well as the offspring.
Many consider swelling of the genital loop to be the beginning of estrus. But most often, the signal for the owner of a bitch is the first drops of blood that are found on the dog bed or on the floor. Write down the date you saw them - this will help you calculate the days on which your dog might breed (and anticipate the possibility of unwanted matings!), as well as find out the most favorable days for subsequent planned matings.
To prevent your dog from getting dirty in the house, you can purchase special “dog” panties, but many experts recommend teaching the bitch to lick herself from the very first heat. In any case, during the empty space, it is better to remove the carpets in the house, and cover the armchairs and sofas with washable covers made of thick fabric.
Young males from 6 to 10 months are most interested in females during the pre-estrus period. Experienced stud dogs usually don't pay much attention to a bitch until they feel they can breed her.
There may be some deviations from the above terms and standards, which is an individual feature of each individual dog.
Physiological disorders should be considered
the onset of the first estrus is earlier than 6 and later than 15 months, the interval between estrus is less than 4 and more than 9 months, the duration of estrus is less than 12 and more than 30 days. The absence of estrus in a dog or its occurrence more often than twice a year indicates hormonal imbalances and requires the attention of a doctor.
It happens that not all signs are equally expressed during the hunting period. Sometimes the discharge only slightly brightens at the time of ovulation, or, conversely, throughout the entire estrus it is not abundant and bright enough. It is extremely rare, but there are bitches with the so-called “bloodless” estrus, when the discharge is so scarce that it is simply impossible to see it, especially if the bitch is clean. There are females whose loop remains rigid throughout the entire estrus and practically does not increase in size. Some bitches even during the period of ovulation show aggression towards the male. All these deviations can have a wide variety of causes, but they do not in any way affect the health of the bitch and do not at all prevent such bitches from giving birth to normal, healthy puppies.
Rules of conduct for the owner of a female dog in heat
The average duration of estrus is 18-22 days, sometimes up to a month. If you are not interested in getting puppies from your dog, at all times adhere to the following rules: • Walk your dog during heat ONLY on a leash: even the most obedient individual these days can simply run away from you, not paying attention to commands, and you will surely you will find your favorite in the castle with some male dog. • When walking, literally DO NOT take your eyes off the female dog in heat, even stopping to talk to a friend or buy bread in a tent. • Do not leave the current bitch alone with the male dog, even for a second. • Eliminate or minimize contact with male dogs, do not allow them to mount your bitch: once sexual intercourse begins, it is almost impossible to separate the dogs. • You should not rely on drugs to terminate pregnancy in dogs: they do exist, but have many contraindications and side effects. • Keep the male and the female during heat in the same apartment, separated only by closed
doors, cruel and bad for both the dog and the bitch. • Try to follow the rules of “dog etiquette” when walking. Think about other people's dogs, if possible, refrain from long walks in your usual “public” place of company at your usual time.
There are special Dog Stop preparations (sprays) that make the smell of a female dog in heat less attractive to males.
You can prepare it yourself. To do this, take an ordinary dry bay leaf (20 pieces), add 2 glasses of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes over low heat. We spray the bitch under the tail and hind legs before a walk.
False pregnancy in a dog - what to do?
Hygiene and care
During estrus, the dog owner must follow some simple rules. To begin with, it is best to note when the heat began and ended. This is necessary to approximately know the beginning of the next estrus and the periods most favorable for mating.
If mating with a male is undesirable, you should not let the female off the leash during estrus. Even with a good knowledge of commands, the bitch’s behavior changes, and she may behave completely differently than expected. It is worth carefully ensuring that the male does not come too close, since in the event of mating it will not be easy to pull him away.
During estrus, the dog should be restricted from exhibitions and competitions. The character of a bitch changes greatly, and it is impossible to predict her behavior. In addition, the risk of unplanned mating increases. Also, you should not allow your pet to go to bodies of water or other places where she can easily catch an infection.
In addition, special underpants . Whether the dog wears them or not is up to the owner to decide. Veterinarians advise against using them, since the bitch must lick herself during this period. But if spotting causes severe discomfort, you should use it.
When choosing panties, you should know a few simple rules. Panties must be made of natural fabric, with a special hole for the tail. They should be sewn without seams so as not to irritate the pet. The size must be completely appropriate for the dog so that they do not cause discomfort. Various options are available with Velcro, fasteners, etc.
Mating
If the owner is going to breed his pet, he needs to carefully monitor each heat. Record its beginning, duration and record all changes in the dog’s behavior. For each bitch, the peak of sexual activity is individual. On average, it occurs 10–16 days after the onset of estrus. During this period it is worth doing knitting.
When mating, the female must come to the male, and not vice versa. The room where this process will take place should not be noisy or crowded. Over time, dogs must succumb to their instincts and understand for themselves what is required of them. Otherwise, specialist help may be required.
Stages of heat
Estrus has several stages. For the first time, all the symptoms may be blurry or, conversely, too bright.
Proestrus
Hormonal changes in the body last 7-10 days. At this time, the egg matures and a layer of mucus appears on the uterus.
Externally, proestrus is manifested by frequent urge to go to the toilet, redness of the loop, and the appearance of blood discharge. During walks, the dog marks its territory, shows interest in male dogs, but does not allow them to approach itself.
Estrus
Sexual heat or estrus occurs 9-10 days after the first discharge appears. The stage is characterized by the release of the egg from the ovaries and the movement of the cell to the uterus through the fallopian tube. Now the dog is allowed to approach the male dogs, and stands in a characteristic pose with a raised pelvis and a tail set to the side.
Metaestrus
At the third stage, the discharge stops and the loop decreases to its normal size.
Even without mating, hormones partially enter the dog’s blood to preserve the fetus. Because of this, the bitch’s mammary glands swell, her appetite increases, and her movements become slow.
This condition lasts 10-12 days. Then the pet’s behavior and well-being return to normal.
Anestrus
The resting stage lasts 4-5 months. At this time, the dog’s reproductive system rests and gains strength for a new heat. Bitches again obey their owner and show indifference or friendliness towards male dogs.
Warning symptoms include:
- increased body temperature;
- diarrhea, vomiting;
- refusal of food;
- change in the color of urine and feces;
- sluggish, apathetic state.
Estrus after childbirth
After the birth of puppies, you should not let your guard down. Despite childbirth and subsequent feeding with milk, six months later the dog’s estrus resumes. Its signs are no different from the estrus of an ordinary, nulliparous dog.
The appearance of estrus after childbirth does not mean that the female is ready for sexual activity. You should not immediately start the next mating, as the dog is quite weak and is not ready for a subsequent pregnancy. An unwanted pregnancy can have a negative impact on the health of the female and her offspring.
Estrus after childbirth has the same duration as before. As before pregnancy, estrus will occur twice a year. Any changes may indicate hormonal imbalance.
Sterilization during heat
Sterilization is the surgical removal of the ovaries. After it is carried out, dogs not only do not become pregnant, but also do not go into estrus. This operation is a preventive measure against diseases of the genitourinary system that develop due to hormonal imbalances. In addition, it can be difficult for an owner to keep a large Staffordshire Terrier or Alabai on a leash during restless or aggressive behavior characteristic of proestrus.
Castration is best done at a young age during anestrus. During heat, dogs tolerate anesthesia worse and have a harder time recovering from surgery. And doctors note difficulties in stopping internal bleeding.
