The Dog’s Heat Cycle
The female dog’s reproductive cycle follows a pattern of four clearly defined stages, each with accompanying activity in the female’s reproductive tract and sexual behavior. The four phases are:
Proestrus – it lasts between 4 and 15 days and during this phase the vulva swells and shows first clear and then bloody discharge. Additionally, the dog exhibits moods swings.
Estrus – it lasts between 4 and 8 days and during this phase the bleeding stops and the ovulation begins. At this point, the bitch will accept mating by dogs.
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Diestrus – it lasts between 6 and 10 weeks and during this phase the walls of the uterus become thicker and hormonal changes occur but there are no visible signs.
Anestrus – it lasts for 15 weeks and during this phase the female dog’s reproductive tract rests and prepares itself for the next heat. The proestrus and estrus phase are popularly known as heat or season.
Simply stated, the heat cycle usually lasts between 2 to 3 weeks. Generally speaking, as a rule of a thumb, it takes a bitch one week to come in heat, then one week to actually be in heat and ultimately one week to come out of heat.
More precisely speaking, the heat lasts for around 18 days. However, in certain cases it can last for as little as 12 days or for as long as 28 days. Every dog is different and therefore, every heat cycle is different.
Understanding a Dog’s Heat Cycle
There are several signs that announce the female dog’s heat. Attentive dog owners may notice the following signs:
Bloody discharge – this is the most common and easily observable sign. Drops of blood can be found on the dog’s fur, on the floor or in the dogs bedding.
Swollen vulva – the vulva becomes bigger and easily visible.
Swollen nipples – the nipples become bigger, harder and firmer.
Tail flagging – the female dog’s tail will usually be held straight up even under random circumstances.
Male interest – male dogs will be attracted and they will sniff her and even try to jump her.
Mood swings – some females become cuddlier while others become more isolated.
It should be noted that not all female dogs in heat show all of the above listed signs. In some females only one or two sign will be visible. You just need to be attentive and observe her carefully.
Diestrus
This phase concludes the mating process, as most females at this point will no longer be interested in males. Males, however, may still stick around. This phase if the dog has been impregnated lasts generally from the end of the estrus until the birth of the puppies, averaging therefore 60 days. If the dog has not been impregnated, the diestrus phase will not be any different from the anaestrus stage.
Dog Periods: When your dog is in heat and bleeding
“But… but… I just let her outside for a minute!” “Didn’t have your shoes on, did ya?”
There is no telling how many times that little conversation has played out. They knew the dog was in “heat” (estrum), but they underestimated the sex drive, which is a mistake. If the boys don’t dig in, the girls may dig out. [It’s a powerful force in nature. If Bill Clinton couldn’t resist it, how do you expect the dogs to show more self-control than a President?]
Of course, there are definitely folks who just don’t understand what’s going on in the first place. Maybe you’re one of them. If so, stay tuned.
Most female dogs have two estrous cycles yearly. That might make you think their cycles are six months long, but they’re not. They have two cycles that last about a month, about six months apart. For ten months out of the year, the average female dog’s ovaries are pretty much shut down. As far as female hormones go, they aren’t producing any more than a neutered male dog during these quite periods. That’s why dogs who have had complete ovario-hysterectomies (complete removal of ovaries and uterus) are not likely to need hormone replacment therapy.
Each cycle consists of three parts: the “coming-in”, the “being-in”, and the “going-out”, also known as pro-estrus, estrus and metestrus. Each part lasts about seven to nine days on average. The female is fertile and receptive to the male only during the middle part or estrus, despite the fact that she is attractive to the male throughout the entire cycle. Boy, is she attractive. They can smell her pheromones (hormone-like scent chemicals) for miles — literally. You may see a motley crowd of mutts assembling, even if your nearest neighbor is in the next county.
During pro-estrus, the vulva (outside female parts) begins to swell, and a bloody discharge develops. The males are surely getting interested at this point, but the female is far from ready. Unfortunately, many inexperienced owners equate this bloody discharge phase with the entire cycle. They mistakenly assume that once the bleeding stops the cycle is over and it’s safe to let the dogs return to their normal living arrangements. Whoops! That’s the time when the female is becoming receptive and fertile, so this is the best time to get pregnant.
If day 1 is the first day of bloody discharge (“showing color”, as the breeders say), then day 9 is the day to get prospective parents together. If you don’t want to raise puppies, this is the time to keep the possible parents separated. Better yet, keep them separated for an additional two weeks.
The whole business is going to take three or four weeks. Maintain constant vigilance. Don’t under-estimate the sex drive. Don’t let her out unless you’ve got your shoes on and are ready to defend her honor.