How Often Are Dogs in Heat ?
How often are dogs in heat?
The answer depends on a number of factors. However, female dogs go into heat once they reach puberty at six months of age. For smaller breeds, their first heat typically begins at six months of age, while large breeds may not begin to enter heat until they are two years old. Regardless of breed, it’s important to recognize the signs that your dog is entering its heat phase.
When a female dog goes into heat, she is most fertile. Her vaginal discharge becomes watery. The sperm will survive in her reproductive tract for a week, so she can conceive. She can become pregnant at any time during her estrus phase. In fact, she doesn’t even have to be tying up with a male dog to get pregnant! You can learn more about this topic by downloading the free handout below.
Female dogs will go into heat approximately every six months. Generally, large breed dogs go through this cycle only once every year, while small breed dogs can have multiple heat cycles each year. You can detect heat by the enlarged vulva or mild bleeding. A blood spot on the vulva can also be a sign that a female dog is in heat. You can also look for signs of infertility if you notice any of these symptoms in your dog.
The symptoms of a dog in heat are fairly obvious, including vaginal swelling and a bloody discharge. While the time between proestrus and estrus is variable, both phases can last up to a week. The duration of a dog’s heat can differ, and some breeds are more or less active during their heat cycles. It’s important to recognize the symptoms if you see them in their breeding phase.