age that female dogs go into first heat
Dogs in heat need special care. Estrus or “heat” is part of the reproductive cycle in female dogs. Dogs come into their first heat between about 6 and 24 months of age, with small breeds coming into heat sooner and large breeds later. Dogs typically have two heats per year, and each lasts about 18-24 days. The first signs of heat are typically a swollen vulva and a bloody vaginal discharge. When will my dog come into heat? First heat can vary greatly dog to dog. The youngest is about six months of age though sometimes a female will come into season younger. First heat can start as late as 12 or even 14 months of age or later in rare cases. A dog can go in heat any time from 5 months old on. The average age is 6 months. I recommend getting her spayed asap before she goes into heat. With each heat cycle she has the risk of mammary cancer increases. First estrus generally occurs when an unspayed female dog is between six and 24 months old. It tends to occur earlier for small-breed dogs and later for large-breed dogs. Although it varies with different breeds and individual dogs, an unspayed female usually goes into heat twice yearly, about every six months. The time during which male dogs are attracted to a female dog is variable, approximately 18 days. However, females are receptive to males for only about half of this time. I have known dogs to come in heat as young as 5 months or as old as 13 months. She will usually be very swollen in her personal area, you will see spots of blood where she sits or sleeps between the 7 and 14th day of heat. Heats are pretty much the same duration, 21 day (give or take 3 days) You can expect a heat cycle about every 5 to 8 months, it will vary greatly between dogs. If she gets pregnant at this young age it is a huge strain on her body. At 6 months of age she is about as devolped as an 11 year old child. Female Labrador Retrievers go into their first heat between 6 and 24 months of age, which is the same age range that all dogs are given. The Labrador Retriever breed tends to be toward the latter end of this age range due to its larger size. Continue Reading. Some dogs would come into heat earlier than six months and can get pregnant in the first heat although it is advisable to breed the dog when it is about 2 years old or after the dog has gone into the 2nd or 3rd heat. Small breeds mature faster than large breeds. This means that a Great Dane female can come to its first heat from one to two years of age while an Affenpinscher or a Shih Tzu would go into heat for the first time from 6 to 12 months of age. Breeding the pet to produce a litter of healthy and adorable puppies will be very rewarding. Dogs in Heat - Heat Cycles and Spaying Dogs. First heat can vary greatly dog to dog. The youngest is about six months of age though sometimes a female will come into season younger. First heat can start as late as 12 or even 14 months of age or later in rare cases. Again, it can vary dog to dog. The dog will then continue to go into heat approximately every 6 months or twice per year. Most female dogs are in heat for 18 days, although male dogs are only interested in the female dog for about half of this time. It is recommended that if the owner does not intend to breed the dog, then she should be spayed either before or after her first heat cycle. A dog owner should have an idea when the pet will go into heat. The reproductive cycle varies from breed to breed. Generally puberty will occur as early as 6 to 12 months in small breeds and as late as 2 years in large breeds.
About 6 and 24 months of age.