Heat cycles / intact bitches

I’ve had many people ask about this topic, so without further ado let’s talk about heat cycles! Hopefully this can be a good source of information if you’re new to owning intact females or even if you’re just curious how other people do it. A lot can vary between different breeds and even from dog to dog, so I’ll go over things as a general guide and if you have questions, feel free to ask.

There are 4 stages of a bitch’s hormone cycle:

•Proestrus - the start of the heat cycle, coming in. 10-14 days.
•Estrus - the fertile period, standing heat. 3-5 days.
•Diestrus - the period after the heat cycle, going out. ~7 days.
•Anestrus - the period between heat cycles, resting phase.

Girls can have their first heat anywhere from 6 months to 2 years old (with some exceptions starting earlier or later). I have found that most of my dogs go into their first season between 10 and 18 months. The first heat may be a little different than the ones she will experience in the future, but typically it’s about the same. There can be physical and behavioral signs to look for when your girl is getting close. She may become more needy, whiny, and drives may change. She may experience appetite changes. She may become different socially with other dogs. Or, she may not show you any signs at all! They like to keep us on our toes sometimes. Physically, the vulva will swell and she will begin having discharge. You may be surprised just how much it will swell during her heat! It’s significant. Below are some of my general guidelines during heat cycles.

Do:

Continue moderate exercise
Keep away from intact males
Allow rest
​
Don’t:

Allow swimming or submerging in water
Over feed
Attend places with dogs you can’t trust

It’s good to remember when your girl is in heat that she isn’t ill. It’s normal and it shouldn’t be hard on her. But there are precautions to take for her and yourself. For instance, no swimming, which increases the risk of pyometra as water may enter the vaginal canal. Pyometra is the biggest danger to having intact females (risks vary by breed but can be life threatening), but you can watch out for it as a responsible dog owner. If you notice any abnormalities, particularly lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting, abdominal swelling or foul discharge, see your vet immediately! Since pyo is a bacterial uterine infection, you can even monitor your bitch’s temperature during and after a heat cycle to detect any fevers early. The only method to ensure prevention is to remove the uterus, but unfortunately that is not without its own negative side effects.

If I were to spay a non-breeding female, I would wait until well after 2 years old and after a minimum of 2 heat cycles. Girls can definitely gain physical and mental maturity with their first few heat cycles.

Bitch britches/diapers/panties are wonderful for keeping your home free of mess, but don’t wear them constantly. Having a warm moist environment is perfect for bacterial growth so I give my girls far more time without panties than with, even if this means additional crate time during heat. Pants will NOT prevent a tie from happening! They are not a chastity belt. Dogs can and will breed through extreme measures so it’s important to have a foolproof plan for preventing unplanned pregnancies.

To expand on the behavioral and social differences with females in heat, especially with other dogs, is challenging because it varies so widely between individuals. There really is no foolproof guideline and you must learn from your own dog, but I have experienced a large sum of girls in heat between my own and client dogs so I will give some examples that I have observed.

Some girls become very flirtatious and playful, soliciting attention and play from other dogs. They act almost puppy like in their behaviors and silliness. They seem to be in a perpetually good mood and may allow passes with other dogs they normally wouldn’t. These are the types of girls that are usually big flaggers. Flagging is when a female in heat dramatically holds her tail to the side, her back tensing and almost arching, very clearly displaying her vulva which as she gets closer to standing heat will also tense and rise up and outwards some. This is the position they take to be bred / tied with. The flirty girls will sometimes do a less dramatic display of flagging towards other dogs before they are in standing heat. You will also sometimes see it when you touch near her rear, for examination or putting on her britches.

Some girls are the total opposite when in heat and even leading up to being in heat. They have a hairpin trigger, they may accept less interaction from other dogs, becoming snappy and downright aggressive. You may see an increase in possession or resource guarding. They will have a different demeanor about them and it’s usually pretty clear if you know how to perceive social tension in dogs. They may get into fights with dogs they are otherwise totally fine with and it’s very important not to let them practice that too much as it could sour a relationship on a lasting level. These girls are likely to not accept the advances of a male until they are actively in standing heat and not a moment after.

Other dogs may also perceive your bitch in heat differently. Even neutered males are likely to be affected, as well as many females intact or spayed. Neutered males can even tie with a bitch in heat. Females may be “aroused” by her and try to mount or hump her. Lots of females will mark over her urine and spend additional time smelling her and where she has been.
So ultimately, within dog to dog interactions it pays to know your girl and any other dogs she will be interacting with so you can set everyone up for success. Sometimes everything is playful and flirty, sometimes it can be simply dangerous depending on the dogs and it can be anywhere in between, as those examples listed above are kind of the extremes of each side.

How I handle each of my girls in heat is mostly the same as usual, with a few caveats. I recommend keeping track of your girls cycles so you have the information to look back on. It does get easier as you gain experience with it! Don’t let heat cycles deter you from keeping intact girls, it really isn’t a big scary thing if you are responsible and diligent.