Asked about Dogs in Heat

1. What is heat?

Heat is more properly called the estrous cycle. During this cycle, female dogs may get pregnant. It's equivalent to human menstruation.

2. What are the symptoms?

Females bleed from the vagina sometimes with swelling of the vulva and increased urination. Don't expect bleeding comparable to a human female.

For small dogs, it's usually not much and you may need to pay close attention to your puppy to identify her first cycle. Other than the bleeding, the most noticeable symptom may be 

male dogs hanging around your house.

Estrus Cycles in Dogs

When does a female dog have her first estrus cycle?

Dogs will have their first estrus cycle when they reach puberty. Estrus is the stage of the reproductive cycle in which the dog can become pregnant; sometimes a dog that is in estrus is said to be "in heat" or "in season". On average, puberty or sexual maturity is reached at about 6 months of age, but this can vary by breed. The smaller breeds of dogs tend to have their first estrus cycle at an earlier age, while the large and giant breeds of dogs may not come into heat for the first time until they reach eighteen months to two years of age.

Estrus is the stage of the reproductive cycle in which the dog can become pregnant.

How often does a female dog come into heat?

Most dogs come into heat twice per year, or about every six months, although the interval can vary between breeds, and from dog to dog. Small breed dogs may cycle three times per year, while giant breed dogs may only cycle once every 12-18 months. When young dogs first begin to cycle, it is normal for their cycles to be somewhat irregular. It can take up to 2 years for a female dog to develop regular cycles. There is no season of the year which corresponds to a breeding season for domesticated dogs.

How long does estrus last?

Pic dog with short hair

Pic dog with short hair

Random a pic of dogs

dog with cute hat

dog wool scarf photo so cute

In winter, my dog still so cute

How Does a Dog Become Pregnant?

Heat Cycles

Dogs cannot become pregnant at any time. Female dogs come into season, or into their heat cycle, anywhere between two and three times a year, depending on the breed. Larger dogs might go into season more often, but for the most part, female dogs come into season twice a year. Male dogs are always ready to reproduce, but a female dog will not let a male dog mount her until she is ready to conceive.

A female's heat cycle is anywhere from seven to fourteen days. The first part of the cycle consists of a reddish discharge from the female and of increased attention paid to her reproductive area. During the first seven or eight days, male dogs will show an increase in the attention that they pay to her. As she approaches the time in which she will be able to conceive, she will begin to reciprocate the attention. When the female is ready, she will let the male know.

Mounting Process

At what age can a dog get pregnant?

Once you have decided to bring a puppy home you have lot of things to consider is to ensure that your dog has a happy and comfortable life. One such thing that you need to ponder upon is whether you would want your dog to have puppies of her own.

Ideally speaking, dogs should be spayed as early as possible to reduce the risk of certain cancers and uterine infections later in life. So, the decision of whether you would want your dog to be allowed to breed or not should be taken as early as possible.

Some basics while thinking of breeding

Uncontrolled breeding can lead to birth of puppies that you may not be able to find homes to accommodate. This can lead to them ending up as strays increasing the population of such dogs on the streets or you will have humanely euthanize the puppies. Which really is not a pleasent feeling. Would you want the litter from your dogs to end up like that? Make certain that all the puppies have good homes to go to before breeding takes place.

People Food for Puppies

We love our puppies so much, it’s fun to indulge them with puppy treats but is people food for puppies a good idea? This year as the scent of roast turkey, baked ham, chocolate brownies and all manner of goodies fill the air, beware of “treating” them with dangerous tidbits. Take steps to prevent them from treating themselves!

Some midnight marauders countertop surf to reach forbidden goodies, or figure out how to pry open the refrigerator when the temptation becomes too much to ignore. Take steps now to puppy proof the kitchen paying special attention to garbage containers and access to counters.

Why Puppies Love Treats

For dogs, eating can be a communal event. And hand feeding your puppy helps reinforce the bond of love you share. Puppies often beg for attention and get rewarded with treats, so the two become inseparable. There’s nothing wrong with treating puppies in a healthy way, but it’s easy to go too far. A fat puppy may be cute but isn’t healthy, and can lead to obese adults that live shorter lives. Keeping your puppy lean as he grows into an adult dog can actually add up to two years of longer life!

Basic Feeding Guide: Puppies and Adult Dogs

The first ingredient in your dog's food should be a specified meat. Not a meat by-product, but the real thing. Puppies and adult dogs were not meant to eat corn and wheat. If the first ingredient in your dog food is a corn, wheat, meat by-product, bone meal or anything but a real specified type of meat, steer clear. By-products are the leftovers, such as the eyes, hooves, skin, feathers and feet, that are not good for human consumption (unless the dog food specifically states otherwise.) Beware of ingredients that do not list exactly what it is, such as words like "animal" and "meat" as opposed to "chicken," "beef," "duck," etc. See 

The first ingredient on the label should represent what the dog food is most made out of, but beware, as this is not always the case...

Using chicken as an example, when a dog food lists a meat in the ingredients such as "chicken" it is going by the weight in the meat’s raw state, before it was cooked.

Feeding Puppies: What, When, How

Puppyhood is a time of rapid growth and development. Puppies require different levels of nutrients than do older dogs. Because of their special nutritional needs, your puppy should only receive puppy food for the first year (giant breeds, several months longer). Many dog food manufacturers offer a special formula for puppies and sometimes, large breed puppies, for whom the protein, calcium, and phosphorus levels may be more critical.

Feeding the first few days

For the first few days you have your new puppy home, it is a good idea to continue feeding the same type and brand of puppy food and use the same feeding schedule the puppy was on before he came to you. Then you can slowly start using the food you have chosen based on information you received from the breeder and veterinarian. A pet needs to be switched to a new food slowly to prevent intestinal upset. By 'slowly' we mean over the course of 7-10 days go from feeding 100% of the previous food to 100% of the new food. For example, make a mixture that contains 25% of the new food and 75% of the old food and feed that for several days. Then make it 50-50 for several days, then 75% new food to 25% old food for several days. Then you can start feeding 100% new food. If at any time your puppy starts vomiting, or has loose stools or appears constipated, slow the rate at which you are switching him over.