At What Age Does A Dog Get Her Period
Introduction
If you have a new puppy, you may be wondering if she’s old enough to get her first heat soon. It can be difficult to know the average age at which a dog gets her period, but there are some things you can do to help understand when your dog is approaching this stage in life. You may also want to know how long dogs stay in heat—or “in season,” as it’s also called—and what signs of canine menstruation look like. Below I’ll go over all this and more so that you feel prepared for your pup’s upcoming heat cycle.
There are a lot of questions surrounding the first heat cycle in dogs, especially when it comes to determining the average age.
There are a lot of questions surrounding the first heat cycle in dogs, especially when it comes to determining the average age. We decided to look into this question and provide some answers.
The average age for a dog’s first heat cycle is 6 months old. It can be as young as 3 months old or as old as 12 months old, however most dogs will begin their first heat cycle between 6-8 months of age if they are not spayed prior to their first heat cycle (which we strongly encourage you do!).
How Long Do Dogs Stay In Heat
While the exact length of a dog’s heat cycle depends on the breed, there is still some variation among them. The average length of heat cycles in dogs is 3-5 days, 2-3 weeks, 6-8 weeks and 4-6 months.
In some cases, a female dog may not stay in heat for long before she comes back into season again. This can happen when she has multiple litters per year or if her breeding was interrupted by illness or injury during her last cycle. In these cases it’s possible that your pup will be in season all year round!
Sign Of First Heat In Dogs
Signs of Heat in Dogs
A dog’s first heat can be very confusing for you and your dog. In order to tell if your dog is in heat or pregnant, there are some signs that you will see. Here are a few of them:
- The vulva of your female dog will become swollen, red and moist. You may also notice the color change from tan to pink or red.
- You may see discharge from the vagina that has a foul odor; this is normal during this time of estrus (heat). The discharge should not be bloody, but yellowish-white or clear in color with an unpleasant odor similar to ammonia.
- Your dog may pant heavily when she is feeling hot due to increased body temperature during estrus (heat). Her ears will also become hot to touch.
It’s important that you don’t try giving birth control pills or hormone shots unless instructed by a vet because they could cause serious side effects like bleeding disorders.
It’s hard to be precise about heat cycles, but if you know when your pup is approaching six months and has been spayed, you can plan ahead for her first heat cycle.
A female dog is considered intact until her first heat cycle. The average age of a dog’s first heat cycle is between 6 and 12 months old, with some dogs going into heat as early as 4 months old.
The ideal time to spay your pup depends on her breed, size and temperament. If you are considering breeding your dog, we recommend waiting until she has had her second heat cycle before spaying her so that she can cycle naturally during at least one season. Some female dogs have problems cycling if they are spayed before their first heat — this is called “estrus suppression.” If you suspect something like this may be happening with your pup, call us for an appointment so we can help figure out what’s going on!
Conclusion
So, while you may not be able to plan perfectly for your dog’s first heat cycle, there are plenty of ways to protect her and help her through it. Distracting your pup with exercise or petting sessions during this time can help make the experience less stressful for both of you. Purchasing a belly band for your dog is also an easy way to keep her from bleeding all over the house and creating a mess that neither of you want to deal with later on. Remember that this is also a good time to get some quality one-on-one time with your dog, so use it as an opportunity to bond even more!