Many dog owners worry about their health, especially if it’s their first experience with such an animal. Many wonder, for example, How long does dog heat last?and interpreting the signals that dogs show is not easy.
Particularly in going into heat, animals show different behaviors from male to female and there are many doubts and questions surrounding this particular phase of their life.
Female dogs are certainly more demanding as they are subject to the menstrual cycle like humans, while male dogs become mostly restless and change their daily habits a bit. But how long does this fertile period last on average?
How long does a male dog have heat?
The male dog may be in heat during throughout the course of his life and the peaks increase when sniffing a female in heat.
A male dog shows signs of restlessness and may try to run away from home to reach a female in heat, who attracts males with her scent.
How long does female dog heat last?
Usually a small female dog reaches sexual maturity at about 6 months of age, while for other breeds the first blood losses can even arrive around 12 months. This means that the female dog is ready to mate even from the first menstrual cycle.
The loop has a average duration of 3 weeks (21 days), but in some cases it may take less time to complete all stages of the natural process. Menstruation will come with unstable intervals. Normal says every 6 months (twice a year). Obviously there are exceptions and they are quantified with intervals from 4 months to 8 months.
The recommendation of the various veterinarians to dog owners is to always monitor the intervals and to communicate any problems promptly.
Not just bleeding: here’s how to understand that the bitch is in heat
As happens for women, it is possible to understand that the cycle has come from small details. The first concerns theirritability towards other male dogs, who try to court her in order to mate. In reality, this attitude does nothing but make them particularly nervous.
However, the cycle will reveal itself later with some small blood loss from the private parts, a somewhat annoying consequence for dogs that live at home. In fact, the owner of a girl in those days will have to take her out more often, but also be very careful about the interactions that can be had with other dogs for a walk.
Is neutering a way to avoid cycle phases?
Many wonder how all of this can be avoided. Although it is an absolutely natural event, just like it has always happened to millions of women, the only thing that can be done is to resort to castration.
It is necessary to dispel a commonplace according to which the dog must make at least one mating in its life.
Castration is also to be considered one cancer preventionwhich can affect the breasts and ovaries, pyometries or infections of the uterus and ovarian cysts.
How to recognize the hysterical pregnancy of the dog?
The period is an absolutely natural thing and, therefore, it is better for you to follow some precautions of things not to do absolutely, to make the dogs live as serenely as possible during those three weeks. The animal does not suffer from this.
The only thing that could happen is a hysterical pregnancy, i.e. the presence of all the symptoms of pregnancy despite not having had any sexual intercourse and therefore not being pregnant.
What to do from the first heat of the dog?
By virtue of the fact that it is recommended to keep a dog at home during the period, hygienic panties with attached sanitary pads have been marketed (to be purchased separately) which will avoid having to clean the blood losses every two minutes.
This precaution is to be taken into consideration only during that period, but to get the dog used to wearing them, you should to practice a few days before.
You need to check your tampon frequently to replace it, but a dog’s menstrual cycle isn’t all that different from a human’s. It is also recommended to stay as close as possible to your dog and pamper him as always.